2013 Shed Hunting

[darkpassenger13]

Hello all, new to the forum here...

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are for the upcoming shed season? Last year seemed like an extremly late drop and I'm hoping that this year is not a repeat.

I only seem to be able to pick up a handful per year at this point, but I'm also learning something new about whitetails every time I go shedding, so I appreciate my time out in the woods. I have a well trained shed dog that has luck that pretty much mirrors mine lol, But I think that's more due to the fact that I need to do my job of getting him in the right areas for him to excel at his job...

All for now, heading out tommorrow to get shed cams out

[Quackaddict9]

Last year had a ten point drop his sheds December 14th and they dropped in front of the camera. It's posted in the 2012 shed thread. Have cams up now, wel check em out soon and see what lived through the gun season. Good luck!

[fr0sty]

I don't start seeing them on camera until mid February.

[matchset]

creepy screen name

[irishbasketball]

This will be my first winter trying to shed hunt so since this forum just started I figured I can ask this question.

Is there any possible way to condense the area where the bucks may drop their antlers? We don't have that many bucks running around our land so I was wondering if there are any basic tips you guys can give me.

Thanks!

[certified jumbo]

You basically need to find there food source. That is most likely where you will find them. Its possible to find them on a trail to food source or bedding area as well.

If there aren't a lot of bucks in the area, in general it will likely be difficult to find them.

In order to have big shed years, you must find area's that have large numbers of concentrated deer. Thats really the best secret to shed hunting.

[matchset]

In order to have big shed years, you must find area's that have large numbers of concentrated deer. Thats really the best secret to shed hunting.

they never grouped up last winter....bummer!

[slimngrizzly]

This will be my first winter trying to shed hunt so since this forum just started I figured I can ask this question.

Is there any possible way to condense the area where the bucks may drop their antlers? We don't have that many bucks running around our land so I was wondering if there are any basic tips you guys can give me.

Thanks!

You cant group bucks that don't need to be grouped. Deep snow is basically the ONLY factor that will condense the deer, food plots will help determine WHERE!

This year is shaping up to be good for sheds as of today!.......

[skee0025]

You could puting out a shed trap. I will admit that I dont know if they are legal in MN.

[Andrew Erickson]

even if that is legal in MN, which i dont think it is, don't. You might rip off the horns before they are ready to go

[Andrew Erickson]

plus it takes the fun out of shed hunting!!

[Musky Buck]

Now you can buy at fleet farm shed hunting kits for your dogs to train them.

[jkcmj]

I tried concentrating the sheds on my parents farm a few years back...heavy snow, tons of deer coming in, not one buck came to my corn pile...I'd have up to 9 does on there all the time, but not one buck came in, even with heavy snow all over.

So even when you try, it doesn't always work to your advantage to feed them in. I to think it's all about finding "their" spots. I have a half dozen places I always find sheds, all in bedding areas. Been going to some of them 5 or 6 years now with success. Every time I find a spot with sheds, I mark it down and go back year after year to the same areas. I usually find those sheds in the same areas, often within yards of the previous years, and many times in the same traditional bedding areas. Most are on the lee side of a hill, with a good view of a valley.

[Musky Buck]

True enough jkcmj, but I won't mention it to my uncle who has been shed hunting near his feeder for 30 years now, he has hundreds if not a thousand sheds many times laying in the bunk or near it. But, it's like you said where they congregate and spend time and that's where they bed and the routes they take to feed. They will conserve energy in those beds and spend a lot of time in them, like you that's where I find some if they shed before spring arrives is my problem, they leave my land once it starts to melt and take their racks elsewhere. Frosty and I are at the mercy of an early spring, late spring is best for us. Good reminder over x-mas to put my t-cam on the spring fed water hole then check it once at Valentines and again around March 10th, then it's shed time.

[darkpassenger13]

creepy screen name

Not many outsiders can relate to the addiction I have to whitetails. Oftentimes I feel like I have to keep my thoughts at bay because there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thinking about hunting in one form or another... Name only seemed too fitting

[sticknstring]

Join the club! You've come to the right place!

[darkpassenger13]

Thanks stick, glad to be part of this site now... Been following for a while to keep tabs on shedding/hunting/shrooming seasons and there are alot of good folks on here that I have come to respect for their woodsmanship and abilities as outdoorsmen/women.

On another note had a decent 8 show up on cam last week missing one side but no pictures are clear enough to tell if he is shed or just broken off in a fight... Either way there is one antler out there somewhere!

[NorthwoodsMap]

Getting excited for this!

[lungdeflator]

Great pic! i can just imagine popping out of that thick nasty woods and seeing that!

[jkcmj]

My brother found his 1st shed antler of the season today while checking his coon traps. 9 inch G2 for size perspective.

I saw my 1st shed buck with both sides off on Monday 12-17, so there are starting to be a few out there already.

[TonkaBass]

Few shedders around for sure. Boots are all too common.

[jkcmj]

My brother ended up finding the other side to his December antler yesterday...a nice 9 point set. Only light chewing on the 2nd antler, despite being out a couple weeks. He had to yank it out from under the big snow we received awhile back.

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[hightower]

First one for 2013.

11-12 inch tines.

[Sinker]

NICE!!!

[Gordie]

I have saw a nice ten point rack on a deer last week, guess I will have to start scouting soon for those sheds.