Fresh shed vs old shed

[Pafish]

Anybody have info on aging sheds? Generally I can tell if my sheds are fresh or seasoned. White pedical, very minimal bleaching, no chew marks etc. = fresh. I recently found an impressive shed with great color and only three small chew marks but the pedical was grey. Can this be fresh or from this season? Anybody have some experience to share?

[certified jumbo]

I would say its either this years or last years. If it was in a shaded area, the color can stay decent for a year. If it was in a area where the sun hit it, it would be partially bleached no question.

Some of the antlers I found last wk in the field, were from this year and had been bleached to some degree whiter by the sun. but they had been exposed to all sunlight for a couple of months.

If you have pics, you should post them. It would be fun to look at it.

cj

[PostFrontal]

I always look at the bottom of the base where the antler would connect to the skull. If it is clean with nothing growing on it (if it is old alot of the time it there will be a green moss/algae? on it) then there's a good shot it is this year.

[shedfreak]

the wax ring is the best indicator I would say. If there is no skin ring on the base, its probably not fresh. Post some pics, and ill give you my opinion on it. the pedicle is all i need to see. I find year old or even older sheds with no chews and white pedicles. ANyways, ur best bet is to post a couple pictures.

[slimngrizzly]

A real fresh shed would have the wax ring. If you just found it lately the wax ring could already be gone though. Ive noticed sheds that lay through the thaw get washed pretty clean by now. Tough to say without pictures, if the base is "stained" its probably a year old, but if its just "dirty", could be from this year. Best to just find the match so you have something to compare it to!

[shedfreak]

a buddy picked up a fresh 65 inch 4 poin in january, i picked up the other side, april 15th, still had a skin ring

[Pafish]

Bummer. Everything looks fresh but no wax ring (I compared to my other fresh ones from this season). He was certainly 4-6 years old when he dropped so if shed is a year old the deer would be in the 6-8 year range this hunting season. I can assume he is dead. This is big woods country. Crud.

Thank you for the tips.

[jlm]

I agree, all the fresh sheds I found this year have the "wax ring". Also, most year or older sheds tend to get a greenish hugh where the shed contacts the ground.

[shedfreak]

i know of a big woods deer plenty older than eight, so he may notbe dead. He was 10.5 this past hunting season, and he was seen all fall so... ya never know. wheres the pics at?!!!