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Shed hunting tips?

TeeBugg

By TeeBugg,
in General Hunting

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DCHunts Newbie

DCHunts

Posted
Posted

This is a good question... I've never really done it that much either. But recently had a conversation with a friend who owns some land how we would like to try this year. So other then just blindly walking around the woods? Obviously visiting spots you knew held deer...is there really a specific way to be efficient? Or is it a lot of luck? When do they usually start shedding?

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azhuntress Newbie

azhuntress

Posted
Posted

I look by fence lines because bucks will jolt them loose when they jump over a fence.

Bedding areas are also good places to look. Find the food sources and begin there

(such as standing corn) and then walk the deer trails as far as you can follow them.

I would start looking in February if the snow isn't too deep.

A much easier way to find antlers is to build a feeder that is separated by vertical

sections of wood. Starting in mid January fill it at least every other day with a

bucketof horse feed.

A doe will be able to fit its head in the opening but when a buck tries to get some

feed they'll knock off their antlers.

While we're on the topic of finding antlers I have to tell the story of when I visited

a friend in Georgia a few years back. He said "Let's go look for antlers" and I thought

"yeah, right, okay" Well after an hour and a half and with three of us looking we found

19 antlers!!! Georgia must not have any critters that eat antlers like they do here.

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PREDATE Newbie

PREDATE

Posted
Posted

A much easier way to find antlers is to build a feeder that is separated by vertical

sections of wood. Starting in mid January fill it at least every other day with a

bucketof horse feed.

A doe will be able to fit its head in the opening but when a buck tries to get some

feed they'll knock off their antlers.

 

Not trying to nit-pick, but this tactic might be considered a bit unlawful.

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JJBat150 Enthusiast

JJBat150

Posted
Posted

Not all sheds are on the ground, i found mine in branches of a tree that we cut down

Last year my father found one in the front tire of the tractor. 1 tine had punctured the tire between the bar treads, and it rotated so that the base actually got pushed between the tire and rim, but never broke the bead.

Sent from my SGH-I927 using Tapatalk

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Paula Mentor

Paula

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Posted

Last year my father found one in the front tire of the tractor. 1 tine had punctured the tire between the bar treads, and it rotated so that the base actually got pushed between the tire and rim, but never broke the bead.

Sent from my SGH-I927 using Tapatalk

 

holy!

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beachpeaz Rookie

beachpeaz

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Shed hunting in NY sucks!  I have found 1 my whole life.  Unlike Western States with vast areas to go search, here, it is small plots of land that 100 people walk.  The fields behind me that I KNOW have some HUGE sheds every year, a the locals drive back and forth with a snowmobile or 4-wheeler with 10 foot passes until the cover the entire field.  They do it every few days starting in February.  Can't compete with that.

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WNY Bowhunter Experienced

WNY Bowhunter

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Posted

Find out where the deer (more specifically bucks) are feeding during shedding time.  A vast majority of my sheds are found in hay/clover/alfalfa fields.  My favorite time to look is in mid-late January when all of the fresh feeding activity sign is layed out in the snow...

 

IMG_0064.jpg

 

IMG_0069.jpg

 

IMG_0060.jpg

 

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mbucks27 Newbie

mbucks27

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Posted (edited)

Get out as much as you can and walk the bedding/feeding areas covering them all by grid searching areas. I usually walk about 6 miles a day during a normal shed hunt. Also go slow and scan to your left and right slowly not just in front of you.  I cant wait for shed season to start!!

Here are some i have found over the last 3 years in NY.

 

IMG_2787_zpsdce35e95.jpg

 

1b388a1f.jpg

 

Total1.jpg

 

Good Luck!!

 

Johhn

Edited by mbucks27
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  • 3 weeks later...
sampotter Newbie

sampotter

Posted
Posted

Question about "shed dogs." My Brittany has a great nose for all critters living...how does that nose translate to finding bone? If I start playing some hide and seek with some sheds I have found in the past will that encourage his focus on the hard stuff?

 

Your dog could be great at it. The retrieving instinct is important although I always wondered if I could get a pointer to point sheds. I started my labs as pups (8 weeks) just playing fetch with a small antler. Every time I would toss the antler I would say "search". I would also drop treats on the floor and say "search". This trains them that when they hear "search" they are supposed to be looking for something. Also- they never see antlers unless it is either training or search time (this keeps them from getting bored with the antler). Once the pups got so big that I couldn't throw the antler far enough before they got there, I started hiding the antlers and then working the pups downwind of them using the "search" command. It is really fun to train them and watch them work. So far, the dogs work better separate than together. If one finds an antler the other one tries to steal it and they don't focus like they do when alone. I'm still trying to figure this out.

 

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