Shedding SE Mn

[darkpassenger13]

Anybody out there have alot of experience in this neck of the woods? It seems to me the deer virtually disappear from the ridge tops unless there is a dynamite food source up high, or if we have a mild winter... Does anyone else have any insight on where they go and why? Also just out of curosity how much do all you shed hunters hunt public land? I think about 80% of my shed hunting is done on public land.

[skee0025]

I'm no Deer biologist but I do know how I react to cold weather. When it gets cold I do what I can to find the most comfortable path from point A to point B. Ridge tops wouldnt fit in to the path, thats where you are going to be exposed to the most wind. Just from my stomping around on cold days you have a better chance to find them on hillsides that get the most sun and are relatively shielded from wind.

[mntatonka]

Anybody out there have alot of experience in this neck of the woods? It seems to me the deer virtually disappear from the ridge tops unless there is a dynamite food source up high, or if we have a mild winter... Does anyone else have any insight on where they go and why? Also just out of curosity how much do all you shed hunters hunt public land? I think about 80% of my shed hunting is done on public land.

They go to the food source, often a feeder or somewhat hidden alfalfa field. They'll travel quite some distance (miles) from their home territories to get to the food source, and when you see one from somewhere else it's obvious when he's in strange land. In some cases there's plenty of food sources on the ridge tops, depending on if someone is feeding them or left standing corn.

With the snow, you'll find the path. Usually it looks like a deer highway, depending on how close to the southeast corner you really are.

[muskiemanAD]

I do a little shed hunting and when I am not hitting a park in the metro I am usually down in SE MN on a big tract of public land. I seem to find the majority of my sheds on hillsides or down in the grassy thick bottoms. Some real nice ones too for public land....

[slimngrizzly]

I guess I have noticed in the bluff country that the deer often bed on the ridgetops... usually on the southern exposure side. On top, it seems the herd can look down both sides for predators and bail over the opposite side. Probably not the highest percentage spots but still worth checkin!