Who's shed hunting?

[Powerstroke]

I was just wondering if anyone's been out looking for antlers? A buddy and I went to the deer classic this weekend and got excited for some shed hunting.

The company I work for is at a corporate campus in the west metro all week andthere is SO MUCH deer sign. My friend found one half of a sweet 10-pointer. No sign of the other half yet. I found 2 leg bones, but no skull. Hopefully all the snow will be gone by the end of the week.

[WaveWacker]

So far a 1/2 of an 8 and a 1/2 of a 6. Haven't stirred around that much for the other 1/2's yet (and cross the fingers that the rodents haven't gotten to them yet) as I know there are two other bucks in there with their "gear" still in tact.

[BLACKJACK]

What kind of areas are you guys finding sheds in? I've been out walking some deer trails in CRP and woods and haven't found anything.

[WaveWacker]

Both of them have been on the edge of the woods. I have found some in the past along field edges as well. For some reasons "edge" areas seem to be better for me.

[Mark Christianson]

I'm gonna try to get out Sunday and check a secret area.....
The area is closed to hunting, and a friend of mine was there in early winter, and said that a buck had mutilated some very sizeable trees. Could I get lucky enough?

Probably not, but worth a try.

[WaveWacker]

BigLake...All kind of depends on if the deer use the area as a wintering area. There are many good deer areas that may only have an occasional wonderer in the winter.

If this area was holding concentrations of deer this winter I would say that, well I won't say that your chances are good, but at least they are increased to find some sheds.

Like I said earlier. In a new area I usually walk the edges of the area first. Then I will dive into the middle. Look for the thickest, nastiest stuff (preferrably on the S, SE side of a woods to be your primary bedding area. I also have found sheds following trails in cattails this time of year.

Grab your favorite walking stick. Shed hunting is a great way to enjoy the first spring air. Good luck!!

WW

[Powerstroke]

The sheds we've found have also been on the edges of swamps or other bedding areas.

[Mayfly]

Just saw two bucks tonight with full head gear........

[simcox282]

I went out for the first time ever. Kind of felt like a dork -- it was great. My dog had a great time. Saw a lot of good signs- what eerbody was talking about the edges of woods, cattails, standing corn field. Notta-nothing, but on the bright side I did see 8 deer, several flocks geese, a rabbit, etc. Thank-you guys for the tip on where to look. I am goin gback out tonight.

[Powerstroke]

Like you needed an excuse to take the dog for a walk in the woods......"Cya later dear. I'm gonna go looking for antler sheds".

Happy hunting.

[B. Amish]

a great stradegy i have when looking for sheds is finding where they have to jump over barbed wire fences.....the little jolt from landing seems to knock off there antlers

[Mayfly]

Shed Hunting is like looking for a needle in a pile of hay......

[Mark Christianson]

Some awfully nice needles if you hit it right though.

I am far from serious about it, but I have found a couple dandys. I have them right above my computer on my desk.
Both measured at the Deer Classic.
60 0/8
65 7/8

Both make "book". For sheds you need a
60 0/8 minimum. I snuck in on the one.

[PerchJerker]

This weekend was my first chance to get out this year and I found a shed - a whopping 2 pointer that's almost 9 inches long

All of the sheds we've found have been in openings or along edges. I spent plenty of time looking through the thick stuff, the winter cover, following trails, looking around where the deer have had to jump fallen trees, streams, bust through swamps, etc. Have never found a shed doing that .... yet

[Ruttin' Buck]

I was wondering if any of you shed hunters seemed to find less sheds than in past years? I by no means am a shed hunting pro. I like to get out and hike around in the spring. I too use the standby tactics of hunting along trails in wintering areas, fencelines and so on...

Well, I usually go out a dozen or so times as the snow melts off. When I come up short, it's like an addiction to get back out and look again. Well, this year I think I've logged 18-20 hours hiking and have come up with zilch! I live west of the cities and our winter was sketchy at best out here. Alot of snowfalls that melted off quickly.

My theory is not that there are fewer deer, but instead that the critters may have got them this year during the meltoffs.

I know I hit some great wintering areas that have produced in the past...can't take a step without standing on a shotgun pattern of deer pellets! Anybody else have similar results this year?

I didn't realize you could have sheds scored....thanks for that info Biglakeba$$. I have half a 14 pointer from a few years ago that might be a contender!

....but you know, the real trophy sheds are the spikes...they're the hardest to find!

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"Jack of all trades...master of none"

[Guest]

I've found 6 sheds so far. Two matching sets, a forky and a pretty nice 8. Gonna have to find that one this fall. The fork set i just found this past weekend. All were found within a 1/4 mile of the farmers grain bin that was filled with corn. Makes for a good winter feeding station for the deer. Anyone else got any new shed hunting news???

[mntrapper]

I just found 2 yesterday evening a very nice 4 pointer with one point that must have been 12 inches and a 5 point that was very nice and heavy but not very big points. I would say that both of those antlers were from the same age group of deer. I have also found a very small 3 point and 4 point antlers as well as a very very nice 5 pointer I will have to measure it up. I also have found two dead small 8 pointers

[B. Amish]

I read a article on the internet where a guy trained his lab to find antlers, he had very good luck with it, there was a picture that showed the biggest of the sheds that he and the dogs found, WOW! he said he found upwards of a dozen some days, the dogs even dug some of the sheds out of the ground, he was from Idaho

anybody around here ever try this?

[PerchJerker]

My dog has never found a shed, but she sure gets interested in the ones that I start carrying around

[Ruttin' Buck]

Funny you mention that B. Amish...I tried that this year. A good month ago I took my lab and an old shed out for a hike. We searched for hours...no luck.

One thing I wanted to point out. Not that this would be considered training, but dogs are NOT allowed in the 'field' for training between April 16th and July 14th unless you obtain a special permit. There are many nesting birds, fawns, etc. and a CO should be contacted before you take your dog out on a nature hike right now. I'd hate to see anybody get fined for this. Worse yet, if your dog did decide to chase game it is legal for anybody including a peace officer to shoot your dog.

...don't shoot the messenger...just passing along what I know.

------------------
Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day....
Teach a man to fish and he'll spend the rest of his life buying rods, reels, boats, tackle.....

[This message has been edited by Buckblaster (edited 04-22-2004).]

[Mark Christianson]

Now that is a new one to me!
Wow, I have never heard that.

I guess I can't use them for Turkey hunting next week. Darn it!

I have often thought about the dog training thing for sheds too.

[B. Amish]

the guy that did this trained his dogs at home, he used antlers of course and would get his dog interested in them be playing fetch with them, then he would get the dog to stay put while he placed the antler out of sight somewhere in his yard, if the dog found it, he congratulated him and did it again, only five times a day though, he then moved up to placing more than one antler for the dog to find and the dog got very good at finding all of them in no time at all, he used the phrase "find a bone" when they did this to let the dog know what he wanted him to do

he also said it took the dog a while to find his first antler in the field, but once he caught on the dog was very good at it

[hanson]

Wow, all this talk about antlers is getting me excited to take a walk. I've never been into the shed hunting thing but it sounds like a lot of fun. Best thing I've ever found was one side of a moose. Just happened to see something odd laying in the grass at a distance so I went to check it out. Turned out to be a moose shed, boy did that put a smile on my face!

[BLACKJACK]

B.AMISH, the guy that trained his dog, was it a hunting dog? I'd be concerned that I'd ruin it for bird hunting. But I do like the idea...

[B. Amish]

i don't know if it was a hunting dog, all it really said is that it was a lab, he was from idaho, so i don't know how much bird hunting is done around there.