It's skull season...pics

[catman529]

Ain't even been shed hunting yet. But have found these 3 recently.

The spike on the left, found it a year ago and finally went back to get it. On the way to get it, I found the 8 in the middle, which was a yearling with great potential. Yesterday, I found the one on the right while going to pick reeds and weeds to use as a stencil for camo painting my boat.

Time to go shed hunting soon. I always seem to find a couple of skulls in February.

 

[BSK]

Any guesses why you find so many carcasses?

 

[AT Hiker]

I think he hunts a lot of public land and you would be surprised how many people shoot at deer and never find them, at least a couple times a year I hear this from other hunters while Im hunting public land. That could be a reason, or he possibly walks through the nastiest crap on earth and that is where all the deer go to die?

 

[Shed Hunter]

Nice finds catman. I've found a couple of little ones and a big one that was chewed up. It is sad to see how many skulls are just laying around.

 

[PinchPoint]

Cool finds!

 

[duckriver]

I usually find one a year too. And almost always its a 2 year old.And its always in the same hollow. Its a main bedding area that I only go in once a year to look.

 

[catman529]

Any guesses why you find so many carcasses?

probably because I always keep an eye out while walking and also because of undeveloped lots in more urban areas as was the case with these skulls. The big 8 was next to a pond where several bucks died last year due to the pond liner being too slick and steep for them to climb out. As for other skulls I don't know why I find so many. I guess just walking through a lot of briars where deer often die.

 

[catman529]

I think he hunts a lot of public land and you would be surprised how many people shoot at deer and never find them, at least a couple times a year I hear this from other hunters while Im hunting public land. That could be a reason, or he possibly walks through the nastiest crap on earth and that is where all the deer go to die?

I find a few on public land but not too many. And yeah I walk thru a lot of nasty crap and that's often where I find bone piles.

 

[easy45]

Cool

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

awesome

 

[pass-thru]

did they get rid of that pond liner? You would think their hooves would be sharp enough to cut it if necessary.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

I walked 4 miles yesterday on public land shed hunting....i found a dead armadillo lol does that count? Also ran across another armadillo feeding.....killed one squirrel only seen 3 in 6 hrs of walking slow and had 3 deer trot by as i ate lunch on a log and came across another hunters bone collector ground blind with mud stains halfway up it from friday rains luckily they have it staked down

 

[catman529]

did they get rid of that pond liner? You would think their hooves would be sharp enough to cut it if necessary.

ponds looked the same and I doubt the hoof would cut the liner. It's not like the deer can set its weight into the ground when it's floating in water.

 

[pass-thru]

did they get rid of that pond liner? You would think their hooves would be sharp enough to cut it if necessary.

ponds looked the same and I doubt the hoof would cut the liner. It's not like the deer can set its weight into the ground when it's floating in water.

lol....well if the liner is still there and no more herds of deer have turned up floating, that's pretty good evidence that the liner didn't cause the dead deer

 

[catman529]

did they get rid of that pond liner? You would think their hooves would be sharp enough to cut it if necessary.

ponds looked the same and I doubt the hoof would cut the liner. It's not like the deer can set its weight into the ground when it's floating in water.

lol....well if the liner is still there and no more herds of deer have turned up floating, that's pretty good evidence that the liner didn't cause the dead deer

no more herds but there was this one 8 pt that died this past season, he was right next to the pond as were one or two of the other deer the previous year. I don't think they will frequently go into the pond, but last year it was a whole bachelor group if I remember correctly.

 

[pass-thru]

I remember...that's why I was asking about it. Very strange that they were all in there floating together. Not unusual to find dead deer around a pond. Gut shot and sick deer go to water to die often. But to find them in the water together is very odd.

 

[catman529]

I remember...that's why I was asking about it. Very strange that they were all in there floating together. Not unusual to find dead deer around a pond. Gut shot and sick deer go to water to die often. But to find them in the water together is very odd.

yeah thats why I think one went in and the others followed because it was a bachelor group that stuck together... thats just a theory though. The 2 antlerless deer that died there last year were actually one button buck and one that had shed his antlers. I don't know why all bucks have died there in that pond. It's all parcels of undeveloped property that is either for sale or already planned to develop. Tons of deer and I don't know if anyone sneaks in and hunts or not. The pond liner is the best theory I know of.

 

[in the dog house]

Nice finds buddy!

 

[JSPAL270]

I picked up a huge 6 pt this year there was a arrow laying next to it. He was in some supper thick stuff

 

[catman529]

I picked up a huge 6 pt this year there was a arrow laying next to it. He was in some supper thick stuff

dang I feel bad for the hunter who lost it

 

[TNlandowner]

I found an 11-point buck yesterday. He was a 5x5 with a 4" kicker coming off his G2. Using his jawbone, I estimated him to be a 3.5 year old. I haven't scored him, but may take a measurement just to show the potential of letting bucks age in our area.

Sadly, this buck was laying in a tree top only 30 yards from a hunting blind. No idea how he was lost, but I sure feel sorry for the hunter that lost him.

 

[pass-thru]

Maybe it's just a coincidence.....but if somebody can't find a deer 30 yards from their blind, I feel more sorry for the deer than the hunter.

 

[Shed Hunter]

Maybe it's just a coincidence.....but if somebody can't find a deer 30 yards from their blind, I feel more sorry for the deer than the hunter.

I found a big one 30 yards from my stand this year. Hunter Drew and I both walked through the area the week before (it was actually pretty dang hard to see though)

I would assume the one he found was similar to the one I found.. The result of someone else, natural death or maybe even having a different stand location. I really doubt it was shot from that blind lol.. Lets hope not anyways

 

[Shed Hunter]

I found an 11-point buck yesterday. He was a 5x5 with a 4" kicker coming off his G2. Using his jawbone, I estimated him to be a 3.5 year old. I haven't scored him, but may take a measurement just to show the potential of letting bucks age in our area.

Sadly, this buck was laying in a tree top only 30 yards from a hunting blind. No idea how he was lost, but I sure feel sorry for the hunter that lost him.

Pictures please!

 

[TNlandowner]

I'll take a picture and post later today. Who knows how this fella died. Either shot from another stand location, or someone made a bad shot late in the day (too dark).... no matter how it happened, it ain't good to loose 'em.

 

[TNlandowner]

I'll take a picture and post later today.

Here's the pic...

 

[catman529]

Very nice buck, shame he was lost, but glad you picked him up. Can't tell very well by that jaw pic, but I'd say 3.5 or possibly 4.5