Any shed hunters out there?

[jason765]

I want to get out and do a little shed hunting (buck sheds not storage) but I dont know much about it. I have stumbled across a couple in the past while turkey hunting. Im sure I have walked right by hundreds of them in my life and never noticed them. When is a good time to start looking? any certain land features to look for? The two that I have found were in good winter bedding areas, around cedar trees and such.

 

[Mgderf]

Shortly after the rut ends the bucks will begin to shed.
One reason you don't find more is because nature likes them too! Squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, fox, there are a lot of animals that will chew up deer antlers for the minerals.

If you have access to property that you hunt after the season is over, try there first.

I've read that you can actually encourage deer to shed where you want them to, to a point.

Get some farm fence wire with LARGE rectangular openings, say 12'' tall or more and even longer. Set up a section of fence anout 4-5' tall, in an L shape, with no more than 10-15' on each leg.

The idea is to give the deer somewhere to "scrape" the loosening antlers off. The fence you set up needs to be in an area that the deer feels secure, and somewhere where there is ample avenues of escape. Don't make them feel boxed or hemmed in.

The earlier in the "season" that you can get out to look, and the more often, the more sucessful you'll be. The later in the "season" the less antlers you will find. They just get eaten up.

 

[jason765]

Shortly after the rut ends the bucks will begin to shed.
One reason you don't find more is because nature likes them too! Squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes, fox, there are a lot of animals that will chew up deer antlers for the minerals.

If you have access to property that you hunt after the season is over, try there first.

I've read that you can actually encourage deer to shed where you want them to, to a point.

Get some farm fence wire with LARGE rectangular openings, say 12'' tall or more and even longer. Set up a section of fence anout 4-5' tall, in an L shape, with no more than 10-15' on each leg.

The idea is to give the deer somewhere to "scrape" the loosening antlers off. The fence you set up needs to be in an area that the deer feels secure, and somewhere where there is ample avenues of escape. Don't make them feel boxed or hemmed in.

The earlier in the "season" that you can get out to look, and the more often, the more sucessful you'll be. The later in the "season" the less antlers you will find. They just get eaten up.

I know alot of animals will eat them, the ones I found had a couple squirrel nibbles taken out.

 

[HICKMAN]

buddy of mine at work loves shed hunting more than deer hunting these days.

 

[IndianaSlim]

I've come up with a couple theories that work well for us.

1. Get off the couch. You will find 0 in your living room.

2. Wear out your shoes. Or at least try to. Cover as much ground as humanly possible. Goin along with this, if you have access to an ATv by all means use it to the fullest extent you can. This means drive slowly around every wood lot. Every ditch. Every field. You get the point. When you get done trade with your buddy and have him take the same path backwards.

3. Be careful getting out too early. If you go stomping through beddin areas the deer will leave. Period. And guess what happens when they leave? Yep. They take their antlers with them! Some deer will start shedding now and some will carry till march. I'd rather find some that are chewed on than none at all. I'm only out to see what survived and is living on our farms.

4. Have fun! This is a great time to get kids in the woods and explain a bunch of stuff to them. Practice stalking a squirrel. Make it fun for them and make it a game. Plus they are pretty productive as they are lower to the ground.

5. Don't get discouraged. I'll go 3 days without finding a shed then I'll pick up 15 in an afternoon.

I've got a lab that's getting up in years. When she goes my next dog is going to be a trained shed dog. The amount of productivity when you include a good trained dog to this plan is nothing short of astounding.

Last but not least show us your finds!!

 

[windingwinds]

We love looking for sheds, haven't found any yet, but I'm betting we do eventually, if not, hey still outdoors enjoying ourselves.

 

[Aaronhome27]

I've come up with a couple theories that work well for us.

1. Get off the couch. You will find 0 in your living room.

2. Wear out your shoes. Or at least try to. Cover as much ground as humanly possible. Goin along with this, if you have access to an ATv by all means use it to the fullest extent you can. This means drive slowly around every wood lot. Every ditch. Every field. You get the point. When you get done trade with your buddy and have him take the same path backwards.

3. Be careful getting out too early. If you go stomping through beddin areas the deer will leave. Period. And guess what happens when they leave? Yep. They take their antlers with them! Some deer will start shedding now and some will carry till march. I'd rather find some that are chewed on than none at all. I'm only out to see what survived and is living on our farms.

4. Have fun! This is a great time to get kids in the woods and explain a bunch of stuff to them. Practice stalking a squirrel. Make it fun for them and make it a game. Plus they are pretty productive as they are lower to the ground.

5. Don't get discouraged. I'll go 3 days without finding a shed then I'll pick up 15 in an afternoon.

I've got a lab that's getting up in years. When she goes my next dog is going to be a trained shed dog. The amount of productivity when you include a good trained dog to this plan is nothing short of astounding.

Last but not least show us your finds!!

Great advice!! The only thing I might add would be to No.3. Deer usually start to shed around Mid February into March. (some may shed a bit early but that would be a very low percentage) on warmer years like this year they may not shed for an additional month or so later. If we get some good old winter weather to put some stress on the deer we should be on track but as of now we may be looking at a pretty late shedding season.

 

[bbarker]

Binoculars are a good thing too. Scan hillsides and the area around you to see if you can see any tines poking up around the leaves. Feeding areas are good places to look as well.

 

[Jacobm]

I don't start shed hunting until Valentines day. We will often find sheds and see bucks with antlers on the same mid February day. ATV's are a great help. Watch creek and fence crossings.

 

[IndianaSlim]

The timing of a buck dropping his sheds has more to do with the condition of that animal than the weather. If a buck is extremely aggressive during the rut and ends the rut very run down he will usually drop sooner than a buck that chooses to sit out most of the breeding season. However with that said this year has been especially mild all fall and so far all winter. Food has been easier to access than the last few years. I expect deer to hold them a little longer this year than usual.

I'll start about mid February but won't hit my core woods until march.

 

[Mike H]

I usually wait until March, most all will be shed by then.
As mentioned above go early and you will spook em.

 

[Cavman]

Like some of the above threads say just gotta get out there and walk. Check fences and thick brush, anything that might help knock off the antlers. Ive found alot and a buddy of mine has found barrels and barrels of them. It can get addicting.

 

[vwarren]

I am going to start this saturday I will let you know.

 

[witdog2020]

Ive found some sheds, but I have never hunted them. I was told by a shed hunter that the best time is the first big thaw, all the weeds are knocked down from the winter, and the leaves are all laying flat. He said sometimes the antlers just glow on the brown leaves. He also told me the lower the tree limbs the better. Fence rows and thickets are ideal. He said the bucks start to itch, so they are constantly rubbing their heads on the low limbs. I found a nice shed a few weeks ago, and it was under a cedar tree as the fella mentioned above.

 

[hornadylnl]

I saw 5 deer out behind my house this morning. There was at least 1 buck in the group with a small 6'ish point rack. I'll start looking here in a few weeks.

 

[trophy hunter]

i usally find 10 -12 a yr, they can be anywhere,even found a `hanger` one in the tree at face level a few yrs back.. i`ll start in a week or so, and go till turkey season...
think food and cover.. all the ground inbetween.. good luck
good luck...

 

[trailrider]

Got my quad out today and looked a little. Found fresh rubbing but no sheds yet.

 

[Jeremiah]

My girlfriends want to teach her lab to hunt them. but her lab is chocolate.

any advice to that regard or do you all just do visual searches?

 

[hornadylnl]

My girlfriends want to teach her lab to hunt them. but her lab is chocolate.

any advice to that regard or do you all just do visual searches?

Why would the color of the lab matter? I have a chocolate lab as well. If animals chew them, I think the thing to do is give them a shed to chew on and they'd find them if they're out there.

 

[Hookeye]

Coyote hunting public ground (requires sign in) had a family shed hunting walk in while our rabbit caller was blasting away.

8AM.

We the only ones signed in.

Calling the CO next time. Think the fam lives nearby. Don't care, they still need to sign in and maybe look to see if others are using the place.

I like shed hunting too, but don't go until after the 15th. And I go mid day, if on public ground. Less chance I'll ruin some yote hunter's day.