Shed Hunters?

[BuckeyeTom]

How much longer till these antlers are gonna come off? Pulled in my drive last night to see 4 bucks looking at me 2 real nice/two small. Been seeing the biggest one a bunch here lately, but only in the dark. My digital won't reach that far?

I have found sheds before, but definately not very experienced at it. Got a good feeling I'm gonna find some of these with the deer right in my backyard. A buddy told me the wetter it is out the sooner they come off? Anybody know any truth to that? I know people that have found racks on the ground during muzzleloading season. I have always found them closer to mushroom season. In fact, I have half of what would be a slammer 12 point(6 one side/double brow tine). A buddy found it near my place while shroomin. We looked and looked for the other side, but no luck!

My neighbor found a good set just across the road from my place and a local farmer busted a tire running over a shed in a near by cornfield. I'm gonna see what I can't come up with as soon as they come off!

Appreciate any info.!!! -Tom-

[lureboy98]

We found two last February from different deer about 10 yards apart; however, my neighbor shot a 4 with only one antler. I think it varies at what time they drop but I like to go after hunting season to look for them for safety reasons. We know a guy with a lot of land and he finds sheds when he is working in his fields. He has a ton of them in his cabin ranging from all sizes. I think the main factor is luck, but we look along the paths the deer have made in the ground and where we know there are deer.

[BuckeyeTom]

I hear ya on the LUCK,lol! Gonna need some. Saw four out there last night two bucks(one medium, one small) and later on two does. Eating in my back yard(grass I guess?). Thinkin of putting some corn out for em.

[flathunter]

I am gonna try and find some, where is the best place to look woods or fields?..Cant go fishing might as well try something else.

[Ohio Bill]

I look in bedding areas, feeding areas and along well used trails.....They fall off just about anywheres..:D

[lureboy98]

I think as long as there is good deer sign, you have as good of a chance as finding them. I also walk along fences they may jump but I've never found one by them.

[gamegetter1]

I'm ready to hunt for some sheds. Hopefully I can find some headgear from some of the nice bucks i've seen around. I've never found a shed before, but i've never really looked. Hopefully I can find one?... Hopefully.


David

[lureboy98]

gamegetter, the only way you will find one is if you get out and look. My dad and I found 2 on one day and none the other 5 times we went out.

[Ðe§perado™]

Just get out there and look. I look along fences, old rub lines, bedding areas. You'll find them.;)

[Spitfire]

I have never really went out and looked for sheds but I think I will this year. I have seen some real brutes this year and I know there general bedding area so I am going to check it out for their sheds. I would like to know if they made it through the season.

[flathunter]

I saw a dandy buck this evening out in front of my house, looked like a big ten-point..I will be shed hunting this year.

[BuckeyeTom]

As soon as I see these big bodied deer without racks, we'll hit it! We can just pretend that we're shroomin a few months early.:D

[atrkyhntr]

Bedding areas, feeding areas, fence lines and thick brush are the very best places to look for sheds... After the snow melts too before the field mice get on them always helps :D
I found my best shed 18 pts oneside while rabbit hunting ;)

[lureboy98]

Do you have a picture of that shed?

[BuckeyeTom]

My wife found it about twenty feet from where we park. Talk about LUCK,lol. I got a call from her while at work last night. I was thinking something bad happened? Called home and she was all excited,lol. "I found a deer horn", she said. She said it was just laying there on top of the snow. She had thought I put it there to play a joke on her,lol.

Pretty nice- 5 on one side. Almost matches the one I was talking about earlier- 6 on one side from last mushroom season. Gonna get bundled up and look for the match here in a minute!

I'll snap a pic and post it in a bit!

[flathunter]

Wheres the pick Tommo?

[BuckeyeTom]

We just got in from shed hunting found two more. One 4 on one side(the match to the one my wife found,NICE). The other had 5 on one side from last year(medium size). With this snow on these deer are in the honeysuckle. We found the other shed in an open field just off of a honeysuckle thicket and the other in the honeysuckle. Good luck to the rest of ya!

P.S. Hate to make ya wait, but I gotta get lunch and head to work. I'll post pics in the morning!!!!

[lureboy98]

Nice! Nice!I hope I can find at least 1 this year

[BuckeyeTom]

http://66.216.66.212/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=179698

[BuckeyeTom]

http://66.216.66.212/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=179700

[BuckeyeTom]

the first two are not a match. That is a shed from last year with the one my wife found. The second pic is the match and a 5 on one side that I think was from last year. It was very stained where it laid on the ground and the area where it would have detached was not fresh looking. Like a dumby, I don't have a match picture here ruight now and the antlers are'nt here either. I'll post one later.

Curious to see if you guys think that coulda been the same buck's sheds? from last year and this year? One big question is--Do they lose number of points? It would have went from 6 to four on that side. Also the one from last year had a double brow tine. They do look a bunch alike though! Definately more mass this year.

There were 4 different bucks hanging out here so I'm anxious to find more antlers! There were two nice ones and two small ones.

Good luck to you guys!!!!

[BuckeyeTom]

I just saw the post about the 10 and the non-typical 12, WOW! I say let's hit my place and yours one day this weekend. Not like the fishing is hot anyway!:rolleyes:

[flathunter]

Would be nice Tom, however I am working the next 28 days straight, thats right 7 days a week for the next 4-weeks:mad:

[BuckeyeTom]

Don't let em work ya too hard Jack.

I have plenty of farms and other area's to shed hunt here in Vinton/Jackson counties. If one or two of you are interested in joining me, It would be my pleasure.

[flathunter]

Tom I also have more bad news, there is strong talk about putting us on 6-12hr days clear till aug...with 2-1/2 hrs a day I spend driving everyday....Looks like fishing this year may be shot.

UNLESS I CAN FIND ANOTHER JOB, MUCH CLOSER TO HOME.:mad:

Which at the present time seems impossible:(

[Ohio Bill]

Im going out shed hunting tomorrow,.....hopefully ill find one so i can post the pic :D

[gamegetter1]

Looks like they're starting to fall off. I want to go shed hunting, but I don't have much time right now with school back in. Hopefully this weekend I can get out. I'm excited.


David

[BuckeyeTom]

sorta cheated! Held em pretty far apart.;)

Had a taxidermist give me a guess on the spread via skull plate. Said prolly 17" maybe possibly 18".http://66.216.66.212/forum/attachment.php?s=&postid=179900

[gamegetter1]

Those are some nice antlers... where are you located? That is the kind of deer that I am looking for.

David

[BuckeyeTom]

with NO results! Think I'm gonna wait a couple more weeks and go again. Beautiful day outside! The forecast is COLD for next week(maybe ice fishing?).

Thanks GG1. I live in Vinton Co., but there are deer all over SE Ohio like that and better. Jackson, Vinton, Gallia, and Meigs are some good (BIG BUCK Area's). Plenty of public hunting too!

I have'nt hunted serious for quite a few years. Little muzzleloading is about it in recent years. Grew up with a compound in my hand. Thinking of picking one up again!

That buck was running with three others. So, I'm hoping to luck into another antler.

[Arrow 1]

Has anyone tried using antler traps? Do they work? Are they safe for the deer?

[george tinkham]

I have heard they work but are illegal in some states.I believe they can be harmful to deer.It definately takes the fun out of going out in the woods and just plain doing some legwork and searching for sheds.

[rjolenic]

Still quite a few bucks up here in NW ohio with antlers on. Found a decent 8 point today where I hunt that had been hit by a car last night and antlers were fine, so with the approval of the authorities we have the rack.

[Caribou Dreamer2]

Did you keep the meat too that makes for some good hamburger

[BuckeyeTom]

sheds that my wife, a friend and myself found around my house. Found them by looking for them. Not in a shed trap. I have been toying with a couple of chicken wire/make shift-shed catchers for the last week with no results. The deer are eating good though!

There is a whole other thread about the shed traps. George T. is entitled to his opinion. Got to say I don't agree with it though! They are legal in Ohio. I honestly can't see how a deer would be harmed by them. Takes the fun out of it? I think it's cool baiting and checking them everyday. I still look around the whole area for sheds.

Arrow1---Check out the pic that I posted on the Shed Trap post!

rjolenic---Still seeing some down this way with antlers too. Post a pic of the 8pt. would love to see the rack.

CD2---Good pot of deer-chili sounds good!;)

[george tinkham]

Oh i'm not knocking it but i like hunting sheds like i like hunting deer.i learn a lot about the areas i hunt too,especially this time of year,while all that rutting sign is still there.i guess if someone really wants to get a lot of sheds trapping would be the route to go.

[BuckeyeTom]

I'm surprised at the amount of rubs in this area. They are much easier to see with all the foliage off. Good luck finding those old scrapes under all that snow though,lol. Also noticed how easy it is to see the actual entry points with this snow on. Looks like all the deer use the same trail into my yard and the same trail between fields.

Here's s good question---I noticed a set of tracks across the back yesterday that appeared to be a buck. Looked like every time he stepped he dragged his back hoofs(in the snow). Does this mean he is heavy, or is it common? I'll try to get a pic and post to better explain it.

[CritterGitter]

For the last 2 years I have gone out 4 or 5 times shed hunting. Never found one. This year I am going to do some post season high impact scouting. I can thoroughly intrude into a buck's area and not worry about bumping him. I have 3 or 4 areas that I plan to know inside, outside, frontways and backways! Then, I will find a few trees that will make a good ambush point and make sure they are branch free so my climber will go up with no problems. I will do more post season work this year than I ever have. A shed will not do me much good really.

[atrkyhntr]

BuckeyeTom...
I wouldn't put much stock in thinking what left those tracks... I have won many a bet over guys that said they can tell a buck track from a doe... HOW YOU ASK? hehehee I'd take them to my friends who raises deer after he cleared a couple holding pens out ;) See he always kept the does apart form the bucks so the tracks left were always one or the other :D

CritterGitter...
The one great thing about sheds is seeing the growth rate of bucks in your hunting areas... You can find a 4 pt this year watch him grow into a nice 6-8 pt for next then find his 10-12 pt sheds a year or two later... you get the point... my time line is off but LOL
Also you get to see what made it through the fall season and now have an idea what will be in the area for next year ;)

Your correct about walking into bucks bedding areas but only to a point. The best way I have found to do it is the buddy system... One walk down to a good vantage point while the other uses the wind as he walks to gently drive a buck from his bedding area. A great way to see excape routes for use next season. I said gently because you can and will if done enough times make a buck relocate his core area. They are driven to survive ... its life or death to them :eek:

[lureboy98]

It is still really nice to find them, and neat too.

[george tinkham]

bucks have a tendancy in my opinion anyway to drag feet.i can usually tell the difference of a buck and doe walking thru leaves in the woods to.big bucks are much more noisier than petite does.

[atrkyhntr]

???

I have never in over 35 years of hunting ever viewed a buck dragging its feet hmmnmn

I can be enlightened though :confused:

[BuckeyeTom]

Sorry, but I still have'nt snapped a pic. Next fresh set that I see like that I will get one!

The deer are eating all the corn in both sets every night!

[lureboy98]

Well, when driving home from work, I AGAIN saw a deer. This one was a small buck and it still had a rack, so not all of them have dropped yet.

[Caribou Dreamer2]

Anybody finding any yet still seeing some bucks at night on the roads with antlers still on.

[BuckeyeTom]

Saw a buck w/antlers last night in the back yard!

[lureboy98]

Tom, can you give me an update on the shed catcher and its current condition. Are you still putting corn out? Give us an update!

[BuckeyeTom]

Nothing yet guys!? I'm still seeing deer with antlers. Corn is gone every day. Putting 3-5lbs. at each location every day. They are bedding very close to one. Still trying!;)

[lureboy98]

Tom, sounds like you should have some very soon! Good luck