Shed Hunting

[jlmustain]

I'm hearing a lot about it on hunting shows right now, but it seems early for us. Am I right in figuring more along the lines of February to March to start looking?

 

[deerhunter10]

your on the money but more deer then normal are dropping earlier. but I may just be noticing it for some reason this year. I would like to see if bsk is seeing anything just seems more deer then normal. but I usually start around the end of the month the way up to mid march.

 

[catman529]

I'm sure a couple have dropped around here but I won't start looking till next month, and wont start looking hard until march.

 

[Winchester]

I expect an early drop around here as well being we had a TOTAL acorn failure this year. Our bucks normally hold until Mid/Late March but I expect it much earlier this yr.

 

[Hunter 257W]

I'm not going to look until the end of March. I've gone out early too many years before. Also get too many pictures of bucks with antlers all the way through March.

 

[Frank G]

It may be a bit early, never can tell. This weekend we're going to move a few stands around and trim now that the season is over and we can see.Will bring my two retrivers along. Camo and Ziva love snooping around for sheds. They do find them on occasion. Last year Camo found a matched set, turned out to be a 14. Wish I saw what they were attached to this year. :cry:

 

[BSK]

I would like to see if bsk is seeing anything just seems more deer then normal.

As soon as I finish going through my and my clients' January trail-cam pictures, I'll let you know if I see anything interesting.

 

[BSK]

Frank G,

Did you train your dogs to find sheds? I'm fascinated by the idea of a dog trained to find sheds. THAT would be cool!

 

[Anonymous]

I do not shed hunt anymore. If I find one in a plot or driving around on the gator I will get it. I had a substantial decrease in mature bucks using the property when I spent a lot of time shed hunting. Just isn't worth it to me.

 

[catman529]

I do not shed hunt anymore. If I find one in a plot or driving around on the gator I will get it. I had a substantial decrease in mature bucks using the property when I spent a lot of time shed hunting. Just isn't worth it to me.

I was wondering about that myself, maybe all the roaming through the thickest sanctuaries will spook out the more wary deer whose sheds you are looking for.

 

[Anonymous]

I do not shed hunt anymore. If I find one in a plot or driving around on the gator I will get it. I had a substantial decrease in mature bucks using the property when I spent a lot of time shed hunting. Just isn't worth it to me.

I was wondering about that myself, maybe all the roaming through the thickest sanctuaries will spook out the more wary deer whose sheds you are looking for.

Likely the deer I am wanting to kill is also the set of sheds I would like to find. If I go walking around in his bedding area before he drops his antlers, there is a great chance he will move somewhere else and lose them. What good have I done myself in that situation? I had rather get the horns when they are attached in the fall.

 

[Florida Cracker 971]

I agree with ya MrWhitetail. I only shed hunt on property that I don't deer hunt on.

 

[Frank G]

Frank G,

Did you train your dogs to find sheds? I'm fascinated by the idea of a dog trained to find sheds. THAT would be cool!

BSK thanks for asking,
Camo was restively easy and easier to train Ziva his younger sister (biologically next litter). They are great at trailing a downed deer as well. I would think any retriever or hound would do but IMO English Springer the best. I started with Camo by giving him a capped 3� spike, can�t find that image but he looked like a walrus running around with the spikes in his mouth. He enjoyed playing with them, he thought it was a bone. Playing toss like a ball, stepped up to a larger shed. He would chew on it and drag it around. How he would get it through the doggy door amazes me. Basically did the same with Ziva, she would follow his lead. Took a doe with a bow had a good blood trial. Let�s try him tracking (I knew where she piled up). Amazed again, once he was pointed in the correct direction he followed the trail dead on. Was so proud of himself when he found it. When doing work at the lease always take them along, they never travel far away perhaps 20 to 30 yards and return. He found a matched set of sheds turned out to be a 14 point! A lot of info to describe in detail. I�ll post a few images. Be aware though they love venison, stirfry a little bit, mix it in with their food (hide the jerkey well) . If you send a PM I�ll give you more detail, you could your cell number and I�ll call.

 

[Frank G]

Frank G,

Did you train your dogs to find sheds? I'm fascinated by the idea of a dog trained to find sheds. THAT would be cool!

BSK thanks for asking,
Camo was restively easy and easier to train Ziva his younger sister (biologically next litter). They are great at trailing a downed deer as well. I would think any retriever or hound would do but IMO English Springer the best. I started with Camo by giving him a capped 3� spike, can�t find that image but he looked like a walrus running around with the spikes in his mouth. He enjoyed playing with them, he thought it was a bone. Playing toss like a ball, stepped up to a larger shed. He would chew on it and drag it around. How he would get it through the doggy door amazes me. Basically did the same with Ziva, she would follow his lead. Took a doe with a bow had a good blood trial. Let�s try him tracking (I knew where she piled up). Amazed again, once he was pointed in the correct direction he followed the trail dead on. Was so proud of himself when he found it. When doing work at the lease always take them along, they never travel far away perhaps 20 to 30 yards and return. He found a matched set of sheds turned out to be a 14 point! A lot of info to describe in detail. I�ll post a few images. Be aware though they love venison, stirfry a little bit, mix it in with their food (hide the jerkey well) . If you send a PM I�ll give you more detail, you could your cell number and I�ll call.

 

[Frank G]

The kids share most of the time.

 

[BSK]

VERY cool Frank G! And thanks for the information.

 

[TENN.BOY]

A good friend of mine from Ohio called me this evening and he found 9 sheds thur. and Friday, 2 sets and 5 singles and everyone of them had four points, that makes a total of 15-16 this year he has found so far. They are all just little basket rack sheds nothing big.

 

[benellivol]

I put out a camera and all the bucks still have theirs.

They usually drop in late February where I hunt

 

[Winchester]

Shed hunting is normally the ONE time I intrude my sanctuaries each year. I make one good pass in the Spring to look for sheds and old sign and make mental notes of the terrain and what I see, to help the next years hunting and stand placement tweaks. I don't think one intrusion a year will blow the old bucks out and have been doing it for many years now.
I agree the sheds will likely show up earlier this year and I may actually try to go a lil earlier this year if I have time.

 

[Frank G]

I put out a camera and all the bucks still have theirs.

They usually drop in late February where I hunt

Same here for the most part (Hardin). They tend to start (a few) dropping here in mid January.

 

[bassybuck47]

Still have over a foot of snow behind my house. Getting more over the next few days. Guess I'll be waiting a while...