woolys 2012-13 shed journal

[wooly]

So far I'm averaging more than 9 miles per shed...

With a sucess rate like that, it's pretty easy to understand why a lot of folks have a hard time finding sheds. A lot more to it than some realise. It's not as easy here in NY as some you-tube vids make it look out west. I couldn't even guesstimate my MPS (miles per shed), but I sure don't find them running in circles over the back 40 acre plot,lol

[bkln]

MPS I like that :-) Keep'em coming wooly...you are doing great !!!

[2012_taco]

I wouldn't poke that with a stick!

[josephmrtn]

You made my day Wooly! I just remembered josephmrtn had asked a while back about the easiest way to find sheds without having to walk too much even though he's probably the youngest member of this forum... So far I'm averaging more than 9 miles per shed...

LOL yup i sure did.... i guess im just lazy

[erussell]

I knew someone was gonna say that.. that's why I purposely wanted to point out she was nowheres near a road. To your second point erussell, I'll go back and let the air outta that dead fawn..,prop her back up on all fours in the field where the other deer have been gathering, and take a pic of them all together. If you can tell me which ones are healthy, which ones are sick, and which one is dead, I'll be impressed!

My point is, these recent dead deer aren't dying of old age in case you couldn't tell. They're not popping up dead looking diseased and sick. It's not too terribly hard to rule out many other causes of death when you take a look around and investigate a bit. It's easy to say the deer we see on the hoof look to be in good shape untill they sink into the thicket and go belly up for no apparent reason. You tell me what's killing them off at this time of year and I'll gladly consider it as a possability.., but probably one I'll be able to prove unlikely.

Upon closer inspection of your pic I have to say that it was a snowball fight gone wrong that killed it. A snowball packed up your nose will do it everytime. I spent 6 hrs this weekend walkin from bedding area to bedding and back and forth across several fields and came up empty handed. There were so many bed's and tracks in some of the ares I was sure I would atleast find a small shed but came up empty handed scratchin my head. They are either still wearin em around here or they all got killed where I was checkin. I heard they got pounded pretty good up there so they might have. On to another spot I guess.

[wooly]

3-10-13

We still got a ton of snow but a nice warm up today had me anxious to get out. I wasn't expecting to find much but I had to try.

Well, I found one more homeless oldie that melted out by the end of the day.

#16 is a nice plump 4pt! Rain in the forecast so things should start picking up some..... I hope!

Also added 3 more dead shed bucks and 4 more dead antlerless to the talley since last update.

Antlers- 16

Sets- 2

Dead bucks- 11

Dead doe/fawns- 11

[crappyice]

Nice. Your first pic in your last post just shows how hard it really is to find these things. To the right of your find (peaking out from the snow)looks like the matching shed!

Edited March 11, 2013 by crappyice

[wooly]

Nice. Your first pic in your last post just shows how hard it really is to find these things. To the right of your find (peaking out from the snow)looks like the matching shed!

I saw that too. Fortunately on a few other pics, it's a confirmed stick. Thought I was gonna have to go back there for a second,lol

[Red]

Very nice shed i was looking at the picture and thinking there was a shed poking out lol. I was about to post it until I scrolled down and read the other posts

[wooly]

Thanks guys!

3-13-13

 

The plan for the day was to rise early and hike untill I ran outta light. Unfortunately, just before it was time to leave, I got a call to go snake a sewer..... ahhhh crap,lol!

Well, I got back around noon and headed out where I had my 7 horn day. As soon as I arrived it started snowing and blowing like the North Pole.

 

 

I thought about turning around and heading home but shortly after a quick 3 inches it finally stopped. I covered a lot of ground but only found one antler..., BUT it was a good one!

Ladies and gentleman, meet antler #17!
I tried like heck to match it up but no luck today.
I'LL BE BACK!

 

 

 

 

 

Antlers- 17

Sets-2

Dead bucks- 11

Dead doe/fawns- 11

[Red]

very nice shed i hope you get to find the other side

[wooly]

very nice shed i hope you get to find the other side

 

Why don't ya come and help me!

Finders keepers,lol

[Red]

ive been wanting to come out bad 5 weeks ago when i get hurt at work and found out i couldnt work for over a month all i kept thinking was i was gonna have so much time to come out and do some shed hunting.  5 weeks later and i didnt make it out once i feel like i had more free time when i was working lol physical therapy every other day plus trips to the specialist.  i see the specialist tomorrow i think im gonna be going back  to work either this friday or monday.   my brother inlaw just moved out from my upper aprtment so now i get to spend this weekend repairing tiles in the bathroom and a new kitchen sink yay lol                                                           

 

 

[sampotter]

Good job Wooly! Thats a nice one.

[wooly]

3-31-13

Thanks guys! March wasn't very good to me this year with all the snow we had, but I did manage to find an Easter horn yesterday. This morning it looks like April will be picking up where March left off. We got a fresh 3" overnight to cover everything up again that had just begun to melt out.
Just a little guy that had melted out and layed there glowing!
I thought this one was an oldie as chalky white as he was, but it still had some skin around the base. The weather is supposed to change back to spring mid-week, so I'm hoping there's a few left out there for me. Adding another dead fawn and another dead shedhead to the list also.

 

 

 

Antlers- 18

Sets- 2

Dead bucks- 12

Dead doe/fawns- 12

 

Edited April 1, 2013 by wooly

[crappyice]

Nice find! I hope April is better for you.

[Red]

nice find  i hope all of the snow melts for you this weekend and you find a bunch of fresh ones.

[wooly]

Thanks guys! It's been a tough season for me so far this year, but I'm hoping to turn things around this weekend. 

A few more antlers, and I can at least say it's been pretty average in comparison to most seasons. Last season I got spoiled by the mild winter keeping most of my areas open and easy to hike from the end of hunting season, right into spring green up.

Hope to have some more to add soon.

 

[wooly]

4-6-13

 

Today I shot down into the valley for a change of scenery. When I got to the fields, it didn't take long to figure out I was in the right spot! I saw a couple deer out and about soaking up the sun!

 

 

 

This little fella stopped to check me out.

 

 

When I saw all that, I thought about turning around and running back home for a trailer for all the antlers I was gonna find today!
Once I got settled down and made my way to the opposite side of the field, I finally saw some tines..... YAHOOOOO another set in the thicket!!!!  Obviously I think I may have missed a few today, so I'll be back in this area next hike! Also found 4 dead doe and fawns on the day.

 

 

 

 

Antlers- 20

Sets- 3

Dead bucks- 12

Dead doe/fawns- 16

[BizCT]

I don't think I've seen that many deer in 1 whole season.<br /><br />Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2<br /><br />

[crappyice]

Wow...there must be more in tha honey hole! Nice set!

[wooly]

That was only half of them!

Just as many split off to the far end of the field before I could get a shot of them.

Needless to say, I was happy to see so many yarded up down here to winter..... now to find the rest of those antlers!

[wooly]

4-7-13

Today didn't start off so hot. As I hiked about half ways into the valley, the front of the sole on my boot opened up. Every step it gobbled up a bunch of sticks, leaves and mud like a pac-man game..... wocka, wocka, wocka,lol!

 

Anyhow, I would deal with it, and finally arrived in the valley. Not much to see at first so I headed into another thicket when I was greeted by this heavenly site.... beautiful long tines stretched skyward!

 

 

It doesn't get any better than this folks!

 

 

 

Determined to find the mate, I pushed through the prickly thicket but could not locate it. It's probably in the corn I can't hike.
As I was looking for the mate, I spotted my second antler of the day instead!

 

 

 

The days antlers together.

 

 

I checked that thicket for the rest of the day, but that was all I could come up with. Heading back I decided to cut through a series of gulleys that lead into the valley. Normally I cross along the bottom field edge because it's an easy hike. My extra effort taking the long hard way payed off when I spotted a rib cage.... no a stump... dry grass around a stump.... I dunno, so I better go look.....

 

 

 

.... and just as I was about to exit the woods another old buck skull "greening up".

 

 

Antlers- 22

Sets- 3

Dead bucks- 13

Dead doe/fawns- 16

[Pav2704]

Great day ... Looks like a another project for the buck boiler?

[wooly]

Great day ... Looks like a another project for the buck boiler?

Thanks Pav, sure was a great day!

I'll be cooking him up next! He's still got some amazing color to his rack compared to some of the white winter bleached fresh antlers I've been finding lately. Makes me wonder how long he's been dead, but it's hard to tell sometimes.