woolys 2014 shed journal

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

I can only imagine how much you can learn from this, where deer go, ie hiding/bedding, feed, etc... and then apply it to hunting.I might have to stop and see if I can go searching on the neigboring proprty where I hunt, not that I expect to find anything.

[Fletch]

Also one of my favorite threads! Good luck out there Wooly!

 

Someday I will find a shed!

[wooly]

Well this may not come as a real shocker.., but this my favorite thread too,lol

I still haven't found any antlers, but I did stumble across my first antler note that's worthy of posting today.

 

I had to go downtown Buffalo this morning and saw a really nice buck bedded along Rt 400 northbound. Nice tall heavy rack!
 

I did an afternoon hike when I got home.
Some of you guys might remember this buck I called Whopper Jr from this fall. It looked like he was still in velvet on October 11'th in this trail cam pic. All other bucks here had shed long before this point.

 

 

I saw him for the first time today 12/27/13 while hiking across the road! Still got both those antlers and it almost looks like he's still in velvet.
Not the best pics, but I'm pretty sure I know what I saw with my own two eyes when he took off.
In the first shot you can see the fuzzy tips of his/her antlers sticking up above that limb. I'm curious to see what he/she sheds first....the antlers or the velvet... or neither.

 

 

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Awesome!

[WNYBuckHunter]

That looks like an antlered doe. Did you happen to get a glimpse of its package to see if its really a buck?

[wooly]

That looks like an antlered doe. Did you happen to get a glimpse of its package to see if its really a buck?

 

That's usually the first thing I look for but for some reason it slipped my mind this time,lol

I have no clue if an antlered doe would even shed it's antlers to tell ya the truth...... but if it does, I'll find them!

[sampotter]

I don't think you'll ever find those ones sheds Wooly.

[wooly]

Why so negative Sam?

 

I was really excited to have the whole day to hike today but still don't have any antlers to show for my efforts.
I shot down to the park where I immediately started seeing lots of coyote tracks. I figured there had to be a deadhead around there somewhere so I started following them.
It didn't take long before I found their kill. I think this is the 3'rd or 4'th coon kill I've found already this year. Looked like they got this guy last night some time. He was in "perfect condition" besides the fact he was dead.

 

 

I kept on the yote tracks for a while since I wasn't seeing much deer sign. Over in another thicket, I found where they had been snacking on the first dead doe of the year. Not sure what would kill her in here other than them. She was deep within the no hunting zone..... my guess is the yotes probably got her when we had all that snow.

The dead deer continue to pile up....

 

 

 

I hiked untill sunset and that was all I found for the day. We melted out a good bit by the end of my hike, so I may try again tomorrow on the opposite end of the park.

On my way out, I stopped for a minute to listen to the water flow under the ice down at the creek before I made my way home.

 

 

Antlers- 0

Sets- 0

Dead bucks- 3

Dead doe/fawns- 1

[sampotter]

I just don't think those velvet antlers are ever going to fall off. Keep at it Wooly- more miles : more opportunity!

[ny hunter]

I have it before but that last shot could be a post card.You have a lot more snow up there then we have down here,I am sure you well start finding those sheds soon.

[wooly]

It's hard to get motivated with all this snow hanging around, but today I gave it another good try, and saw enough incentive to patiently wait out ol' man winter as bucks are still packing! That makes the snow a little easier to tolerate for now, and the big goose egg in the antler count a little easier to swallow.

I wasn't seeing squat my last few hikes. No sign, no deer, no tracks, no nothin'!
Today that all changed, and the woods around home look like they're infested with deer again!
I saw quite a few from a distance, saw a ton of sign, and it just looks like they're hammering the winter places they're supposed to be in right now!
No antlers today, but I did get a shot of this buck before he could take off with his partner! They were bedded in the pines off the cornfield as I expected. They'll be back.

I'm pretty sure this is the beefy 4pt I got TC pics of this fall durring bow season. Always nice seeing a few farmiliar faces make it through season.
Probably go run around the park tomorrow to see what's shakin' there since the bucks around home aren't ready for me yet!

The good news is, I haven't found any more dead deer around home!

 

 

Pretty sure this is him...

 

 

Quick vid below of some young bucks behind my house tearing up the hickory, or chestnuts, or whatever they are!

They're digging these up everywhere I go right now, so I've been combing over these spots as good as I can right now under less than ideal  conditions.
 

 

 

[vizslas]

spotted a buck this evening. Still sporting his hardware. I walked to within about 70 yards of them in a bean field.looked like five doe and a buck.

 

[wooly]

 

1-5-14

Well, I gave it heck again today and came home empty handed once again. I left early this morning so I had enough time to check out both the upper and lower section of the park.
The deer are in here thick, but they're just not leaving any antlers laying around yet.

Down at the big field in the lower section I saw some shed hunter sign. Snowmobile tracks every 8-10ft the entire length of the field all the way across. I've hauled a few antlers out of here in the past, but this is the first time I've ever seen the competition using sleds in here. I won't even waste my time in there any more this season.

On a positive note, the woods around the field were loaded with deer sign and not a single boot print in sight!

 

Unfortunately I did find another dead doe today in a little clearing about 75 yds off the road at a heavy crossing. She probably got bounced off a bumper and piled up here.

My 5'th dead deer so far and still not a single shed.....not good.
 

 

The highlight of my day was this rambunctious coon! I saw him walking along so I took off after him and chased him up a tree. He was making noises I never heard a coon make before.
He would jump in and out of every hole in the old dead tree and then poke his face out to see if I left yet. He gave me a few good shots so I decided to let him be after harassing him for 1/2 hr. As I was walking away I could hear him screaming the entire time untill I was out of site and hearing range. Some days these little critter encounters are what keeps me coming back, even if the antlers ain't falling yet!
 

 

Antlers- 0
Sets- 0
Dead bucks- 3
Dead doe/fawns- 2

[Pav2704]

Keep at it wooly... I'm sure that once you break the seal, the sheds will begin pouring in!!

[NFA-ADK]

Good luck Wooly!!! 

[mbucks27]

Good luck wooly. Did 4 miles today an no sheds either. Did see my second Buck in the area with both sides still so I just think its too early. I did find a ton of beds and sign where they are tearing up the snow to get to the acorns so I know there will be sheds eventually.

[vizslas]

I had a stare down late this morning with what looked to be a six pointer.  second buck i have seen  in two days,both sides are still on.

[sampotter]

Don't let my sled tracks discourage you Wooly!

[wooly]

Thanks guys! They're calling for 3-4 FEET of snow for my area the next few days.

This will be the second time this winter we're going to get blasted with ridiculous amounts.

Shed season may be on hold for a while if the forecast holds true.

[Red]

This forecast sucks between the snow and cold i can't stand it god luck when the weather breaks

[wooly]

 

I finaly managed to get across the flooded creek to check my cams today. On my way I stumbled upon yet another dead doe fawn.
This one wasn't here a week ago. If it was, I would have tripped over it as I walked right over this spot. I dragged her out into the open and set my Moultrie up in video mode over the carcass to see what I get. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, but I never had a camera with me when I find one close to home.

 

 

A couple young bucks on one of the cams the past week. Both still packing. Got a lot of doe and fawns also.
I went home with no antlers again today. This is getting aggrevating!

 

 

Antlers- 0

Sets- 0

Dead bucks- 3

Dead doe/fawns- 3

[Pav2704]

Wooly I'm starting to think that you're actually human!!! lol

I would think that it has to be incredible tough to find sheds with all that snow?? Someone once told me that the best time to look is after rain because the sheds stand out??? Anyway, keep at it!!!

[mbucks27]

Can't find them if they are still on the deers heads!! I'll be out for my 3rd hike this weekend and finally no snow on the ground. Supposed to rain but im going anyway Lol. Good luck next time out!!

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

wow 6 dead so far... I was heading out ice fishing behind my parents house this past weekend and there were some nice tracks on the pond walking along the little embankment. I followed them towards a swamp and where one was rooting around I saw some horn marks in the snow on one side- outside of where the ears would be... I think I'll be heading into the swamp sometime soon!

[deerpassion]

I'm holding off till this warm up and a few good rains to melt some a this off , seen a good mix of bucks holding and bucks with fresh pedicles ... Came across one dead doe fawn so far ... Another week maybe two n it's game on granted we don't get blasted with another fresh coat a snow...