shed tips

[MadisonB&C]

None of us have ever been real avid shed hunters, including me. I've heard all this stuff about walking trails from bedding to feeding areas, but we never realy find much. Should we start looking in thicker cover? Will numerous runs through a bedding area mess up nearby stands for the next season, or will the same deer come back? I'm basically just looking for any tips that will let us find sheds like some of you guys are.

[This message has been edited by MadisonB&C (edited 02-03-2002).]

[Bent]

We only find a small percent of the sheds on trails. Try spending more of your time in the feeding areas, eg. south slopes where the snow has started to melt, making it easier to find food, along the edge of the bush, low lying areas in fields, such as alfalfa, corn, winter wheat or grain fields. You can follow the trails and they will lead you to the feeding areas. We also find some of the sheds in the bedding areas. Even going back to the same areas, day after day looking for the matches doesn't seem to scare the deer out of an area. In the fall we end up getting the camtracker photos and shooting the deer right where we find the sheds. Or better yet, come back to to same area the next year and pick up another set from the same buck. But the most important thing of all is, think positive and don't give up untill you find them.

[TJF]

Feeding areas have been the best for us. Best tip I can give you is to go for a drive when the deer are coming out to feed. Find the feeding areas now that they use. Once I find good feeding areas, I check them once or twice a week to see when they start shedding. I can do fast checks in the feeding areas during a dinner break at work when the deer are bedded so I don't bother them. I agree with Bent that the deer don't move out of an area now if pressured a little. I do not make it a habit to bother their bedding areas though until all have shed just to be on the safe side.

Tim

[deerman]

Hey TJF,this will be my 2nd year shedhunting,and instead of just wondering around like last year I' checking the deer like you.But staying back til all are shed.Last nite saw buck that had shed 1 side.I know this because I've been keeping an eye on him.It's a fun part of shed hunting.And hope it's a good Idea.

[TJF]

deerman
I do more glassing and keeping tabs on where the deer are or where they have been until March. This way if they move on to another feeding spot and bedding area, I know where to check in their new spots as well as old haunts when we get tromping in full force. By glassing the deer and seeing when most of the bucks start dropping, I can remember what areas should be checked long after all have dropped. It helps me narrow down the good spots that need to be searched thoroughly to find the most sheds and other areas that won't be as good, but still shouldn't be overlooked. Just seems there isn't enough time to search everywhere when they all drop, waiting for all the snow to melt and before green up. I scout to make it more productive when we are out there shed hunting.

Tim

[deerman]

Those are my thoughts too.Saves on walking,time and would be more productive.And besides,makes it fun too.Been watching a monster in 1 spot but,land owner sayes no to letting me go In.Guess he and his boy go looking for them.This buck would score over 200.DARN!!!!

[Iowa1]

Food is totally the key to finding sheds. FInd the food and you find the concentrations of deer. Years with lots of cold and snow make it easier to find more sheds because the deer group up more and don't cover as much ground. The trails are not the best places to find sheds but they must be walked. The feeding and bedding areas are where you find the most because that's where the deer spend the most time. The amount of time travelling the trails back and forth is relatively small compared to the time they spend on the ends of the trails.
I disagree about moving the deer out. Unless they have somehwere else to go where there is feed, they will be right back as soon as you are gone. Especially during a harsh winter. They are where they are because it has what they need and they have to come back to it. They'll tolerate a lot of human interference because they have no choice.
It's still early now. While some start to shed as early as January, I think 75% of the sheds are dropped between Feb 15 and March 15.

[Nontypicalhunter]

I found a lot of my sheds last year around the round hay bails farmers would leave out in their fields. I have a feeling this will be much different due to the fact we have much much less snow.