Hunting Deer Sheds

[winniewalleye777]

I have wanted to hunt deer sheds for a few years now and I guess I just dont know where to start. I go to school in Marshall, MN and I was wondering when would be a good time to go out in the woods and start hunting. I have plenty of land in the area to look, but I just need some tips! Any information you are able to provide will be appreciated greatly! thanks

[HunterLee]

I know some people have said they are dropping, i found one this weekend, small, but still a shed, bedding areas, the trails that they follow to there food, and the feeding areas, hot spots, like ditches, fences they cross and other spots that may knock there antlers off are good spots to check, but i assume it will be a little while longer til most off the bucks lose there antlers, at least around here.

[BigRup]

I like yourself am a SMSU alum. Like the post before some say they have seen some deer dropping sheds but I've always heard that Feb. is your best bet, but it still couldn't hurt to explore some trails and bedding areas. Not sure if you already know of some good areas but you might not need to go far to look because Marshall has a very good deer population. I would go southwest on 23 next to Lynd the state park there, I used to see a town of deer in those wildlifes. Also, Lake Marshall was my little honey hole when I was attending school. My roomates and I shot many deer out of there and some nights posting it we would see 30-70 deer a night. Also take a look at the wildlife by the Rooster flats by the Redwood Gun Club. Good luck.

[matthothand]

Don't limit your search to the ground. My buddy went in to take down some stands the other week and he found one hanging from a branch a few feet off the ground.

[EatSleepFish]

another good way is to take your dog and have them fetch a shed that you have laying around. get them used to the smell and give them treats or praise each time they fetch it. also have them stay put while you go out and hide the shed in the snow/brush. they will associate that smell with praise and treats so in the woods they will find them. worked with my dogs.

[igotem]

I've trained my Lab as well. His nose is a whole lot better than my eyes.

[swampbuck]

have not found any yet this winter, but we did scrounge up these during hunting season! [image]http://[/image]

[threeway]

When is the ideal dates to start shed hunting? When do you have your best luck? With little snow this year, would a person start now?

[buckhntr162]

The time the antlers fall depends solely on each animal every year my friends find some during christmas and I have seen more than one deer with his in april. The only way to find them is paln on putting some miles on.Walk slow check trails that go under or in thick brush. If you are in open fields such as north west or western Mn use binocs or spotting scope on a nice sunny day when the sun hits them they glow.Hope I could be of some help.

[Shoot2Kill]

Ideal dates vary - but if you have access to private land where nobody else will be shed hunting I'd wait until the majority of them have dropped do you don't push them out of your ground into other ground where they could have dropped. Spotlighting at night right now is the best scouting tool available to deer shed hunters...find where they are yarded up (if they are, hopefully now with the cold temps they will) and you will find sheds if there are bucks in the group. The key is to look where the deer are WHILE they are shedding...not where you've seen them in the summer, fall, etc...yes, there will be some around, but in the spring you have to look where the deer were during the shedding months (mostly Jan/Feb).

Once you find an area that looks productive you have to walk, and walk, and walk, and walk some more. Don't get discouraged because your luck could change around the next tree. You just never know with shed hunting. A buddy of mine keeps saying to himself all day "walk till my hips bleed". He finds a lot of sheds cause he keeps walking!

Good luck to you!

[Meat-Run]

Hey Swampbuck not fair I know where you got those and it's just down right bragging. So how are you feeling since Mondays little bumper banging? What is your mode of transportation now?

Myself am looking forward to shed hunting here in Brainerd and wonder when to start. Any ideas?

mr