Sheds

[mhall]

Has anybody been out looking yet. I know it's early, but Booyah one of our members found a match set a few weeks ago, so it just goes to show you they do fall off early sometimes. I went last night for about a mile and a half walk and found nothing. Just wondering if anybody else has been out yet, I love shed hunting and it's great exercise for my big belly.

[bereabasser]

Ive never been shed hunting but i know theres alot of deer thats already shed,its not to early...then again some bucks will still have them til turkey season,ive seen em

[mhall]

Ive never been shed hunting but i know theres alot of deer thats already shed,its not to early...then again some bucks will still have them til turkey season,ive seen em

You need to go, it's very fun and you will learn alot about your woods, the deer ect that will help you for next year score on better bucks. The sheds are great to collect and they have value, some people sell them to justify their shoe leather, I mysefl just collect them. There was a young lady in Iowa that found a match set scoring 192 5/8 inch typical last year. She sold them on E-bay for 1,368.00 dollars to a taxidermist. I would never sell a typical rack that big but hey you never know, lol.

[mhall]

Just checked E-bay just for fun and I think it was on the fourth page of sheds there is a shed that is one side that scores 108 inches non-typical, WOW. Current bid with over five days to go is over 1,100 dollars for one side.

[bereabasser]

I have no problem seeing good deer and get lucky sometimes and get shots at em...but shed huntin is just something ive never did,ive found sheds while scouting and hanging stands and stuff on accident,but this year i might go and walk through some thickets to try and find some

[Booyah]

After stumbling upon that matching set a few weeks back I will definitely be out there looking for them now. It was a really cool find and made me realize there are bigger deer than I thought in the woods I hunt. MHall - how do you typically go about shed hunting?? In the thick stuff? Around this years rubs? Along trails? Or just any and everywhere??

[Tim_T]

I am the worst shed hunter in history. I think over the years I have found sheds three times and never a matching set. Might need to get you to walk with me mhall and show me the secrets of the trade.

[mhall]

Alright here is what I do and it may sound silly but it works. Carry a shed with you from home, doesn't have to be a big heavy one just a decent sized one. The guy that taught me says you have to train your eyes to see them. About every half hour or so, throw the shed out in front of you and watch where it lands so you don't loose it. But then turn your head away from it for a few seconds and turn around. Then turn back around and pretend to be looking for a shed, you'll obviously find the one you just threw but when you focus on it, study closely what it looks like laying there and what one would look like if you were to happen up on it. I know it sounds goofy I thought the same thing until I started doing it and realized it was helping me find more sheds. Also don't look for the obvious, look for the curve or bend in the antler laying on the ground, you will find many laying tines down for whatever reason so train your eye to look for that bend and bone color. Look any and everywhere. Open fields that deer frequent at night and especially food source fields. The trails that lead to these fields, and known bedding areas. One of the best ways I have found is to go to where there was alot of rut activity during the season and check old scrape areas. It usually very muddy in the woods this time of year, look on heavily worn paths that show alot of fresh buck tracks and walk these. I find alot this way just laying right on the path. Remember when they fall off they won't lay there long, lot's and lot's of critter's hide them and chew on them until they are gone especially squirrels and coyotes. Coyotes carry them off to their dens and they and their young chew them up to sharpen thier teeth and get calcium and minerals just like a dog will do with a big ham bone. Tim we could go sometime, I'm sure if you have deer on your palce you can find sheds. There are alot of people getting into this sport though and I compete with several other fellas to get there on the big ones first. I found 13 sheds last year and 7 skulls, with one match set and one real nice side that scores 68 inches and change. It's blast guys to find them. I don't know why I get such a charge out of it but I do. Oh here's the catch, most expert shed hunters and by the way I'm not one of them, lol, say that you have to walk 7 to 8 miles for every one shed you find, so it's not easy and many dry trips will be recorded.

[fishincreek]

I believe you are correct in training your eyes. They are kinda like mushrooms in the fact the first one is by far the most difficult to find. I know spend my time hunting coyotes as opposed to sheds- both are fun to do!!!

[mhall]

I believe you are correct in training your eyes. They are kinda like mushrooms in the fact the first one is by far the most difficult to find. I know spend my time hunting coyotes as opposed to sheds- both are fun to do!!!

Did you and your son get a decent buck this year Creek?????

[fishincreek]

In one word- NO! I shaved the chest hair off a really nice buck and that was pretty much it. My son got a doe the last weekend of gun season with me by his side, so that made my entire season worthwhile. Pretty much doing the coyote thing for the next couple months(along with a little deer scouting) till the hybrids crank up at Barren and Andrew's back gets better.

[mhall]

Found a little forky side last night. Wasn't this years shed either but last years instead. Just a little guy but it's a start I guess. Seen several bucks last night and everything I saw was still wearing the headgear.