2017 Shed Thread..

[The_Real_TCIII]

Quick question can you shed hunt along railroad tracks?

Your username logo looks like a hair on my iPad

[kpkot]

25 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Your username logo looks like a hair on my iPad

Lmao I thought same thing I'm on my phone and I  actually blew a gust of air to clear it.

[growalot]

What's up with this! I can never find sheds on the property even though I  have rubs, active bedding areas. 

Today I spent 6 hrs in our swamp. OMG the deer sign there was crazy! I didn't find one- she in that mess of wild rose and cattails. There were cow path sized trails everywhere in there. Those deer crawled into the nastiest places. I did find a chewed up huge front leg and shoulder.nothing else.

[rachunter]

44 minutes ago, growalot said:

What's up with this! I can never find sheds on the property even though I  have rubs, active bedding areas. 

Today I spent 6 hrs in our swamp. OMG the deer sign there was crazy! I didn't find one- she in that mess of wild rose and cattails. There were cow path sized trails everywhere in there. Those deer crawled into the nastiest places. I did find a chewed up huge front leg and shoulder.nothing else.

i'm surprised with food plots and bedding i'd think you'd be picking up quit a few.

[monkeyman2269]

Idk I haven't found one and probally have done 12 miles

2 hours ago, rachunter said:

i tried that once or twice found a lot of bones even a turkey and hawk carcass. 

Is it legal tho

[growalot]

I corrected that 3 x' s.  Its didn't find one shed..

Anyways I don't understand it either..I thought for sure there'd be something in the swamp..rubs everywhere and huge tracks...I watched them in there during season. I unfortunately found I lost my excess route to where I can walk in undetected. Several ash fell criss cross over some huge rose all landing right in the trail...No way around it due to the thick rose bushes. I looked like I was in a cat fight when I left....I'm building a hang on for down there...moving my one ladderstand. My options for the area are very limited..but I need to make my presence known opening weekend...I found a new bullet wound chest high in one of my trees . It came from the direction of property with a bunch of double wide . It really is mostly bow or cross bow legal.  My only gun option is well above the start of the swamp and on the north east side...which is great wind wise.

Edited February 22, 2017 by growalot

[Nomad]

Pretty sure it's tresspass. That said as kids we played on them all the time , trains often derailed on the old Hojack Line by my house , we'd play on top off and in the cars . A few times the cops came , they just sent us on our way .

 

I would not worry about it , just stay aware of approaching trains ......

[wooly]

2 hours ago, growalot said:

What's up with this! I can never find sheds on the property even though I  have rubs, active bedding areas. 

Today I spent 6 hrs in our swamp. OMG the deer sign there was crazy! I didn't find one- she in that mess of wild rose and cattails. There were cow path sized trails everywhere in there. Those deer crawled into the nastiest places. I did find a chewed up huge front leg and shoulder.nothing else.

I have a few spots like that.

It looks like you should be tripping over antlers with every step in there, but I  rarely ever find anything in them. Most likely doe and fawn groups using them most of the time, but I always check them anyhow. Occasionally, an antler will show up for me in one of those kind of areas, and when one does, it's usually a good one.

Years like this one with minimal snow can really spread the antlers out as deer are not as restricted to specific travel routes, and confined to any particular bed and feed areas. Sign can be misleading (subtle) when the weather doesn't force them to lay low to conserve energy in a small area. Most bucks in my area have shed by now so following the most recent heavy sign may be the least productive approach.

I generally pay little attention to all those rubs and other rut sign when looking for antlers too this time of year. Think back to those SLOOOOOW days on stand when the bucks disappeared back in late November and December post rut. Wherever they went to elude the pressure in your area is likely where they holed up around the time they hid their antlers heading into January when they started dropping. Don't be fooled by a stubborn buck or two you may have on cam recently that hangs onto his horns heading into March. I honestly believe too many guys see that and assume "most bucks in my area are still packing".

 

Oh, and one last thing...... I've NEVER found an antler in a swamp in all the years I've been shed hunting. Maybe a good tactic in an area with swamps on a bigger scale than I'm used to, but not in my neck of the woods!

[growalot]

Thanks wooly,this is where they hang in winter I thought with the tangle they have to maneuver I'd find one that got caught. This is also where they go when wounded. Last year I found the 9 or skull, 2 years ago the 6. Yesterday just that blood stained leg. I'm thinking most are probably in the many surrounding pine woods. As some of my pics show we have some rather large Norway woods next to us ,red pine and white spruce wood lots..I've glasses the big pastures near me from stands,nothing. No biggy, but a bit strange..We obviously have the buck around..My cams show me that...I did find the woods and part of the swamp tore up by turkey. Much more turkey sign in that area than in the past this time of year. I noticed A high concentration of locusts pods,some still had a seed or 2. Also a few more hips than normal. The swamp grasses were hit hard and the cattails had fewer heads to them. Did notice the bark on one Apple branch chewed up. I may be using the wrong term for these areas. They may be considered bogs more than swamps. I need to review my definitions. What I do know is a few times it tried eating my boots! That dreaded sucking sound and your foot won't budge.

[LET EM GROW]

Grow, I know you do a ton of saw work and hard labor on your property.. but have you tried building bedding areas for bucks? I agree with wooly probably holding more does and fawns. But even with all your food id think you'd find atleast a few. There must be an ag field near by that they are predominantly going to for food. My plots are only being hit lightly now. The bucks hit them super hard throughout December and January.. they must have built back up their stomach, strength or what not and are eating a little of everything now..
Seem to be spending more time in a disked in corn and soybean fields than my turnip and radish plots.
Lots of turkey sign around this year

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[landtracdeerhunter]

Seems like every time I find a new shed, it's never in the same area of previous years.I always get a feeling when I'm out; of finding one. Kinda like a water wizard, LOL.

It's also difficult to find'em when their still wearing them.

Edited February 22, 2017 by landtracdeerhunter

[growalot]

The beds I have found this year have actually been single large ones and ones with urine in them. I Have also kicked up buck.My plot cams have been averaging  30-120 pics every other day. That's with a large beef hay field and a winter grain field that backs up to our south line.They border US and run 1/2 mile to the next road. I also get more young growing buck pics than doe each spring. Some cam files I've named buck parade. This is why I find it strange.

[beachpeaz]

17.6 miles the past 4 days on foot.  Found 2 dinks.

I love finding any, so not complaining, but there definitely seems to be an antler drought this year (which someone else made mention to).  I am not very optimistic on my numbers this year.

[Paula]

When people get hit by a train it is always said that it's private land but you never see a sign. I looked already at the tracks near you monkey. 

And I tried to blow the eyelash away 

[gjs4]

Quick question can you shed hunt along railroad tracks?

Per the DEC you must have permission or ownership for property you're on- active rail roads all have no trespassing signage and are protected by Govnt and Rail regulations. So - NO.

If it wasn't a legit question- the answer is still NO.


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[E J]

I went out looking yesterday after work for some sheds and ended up jumping a little buck that still had both sides.

[rachunter]

On 2/21/2017 at 8:43 PM, monkeyman2269 said:

Idk I haven't found one and probally have done 12 miles

Is it legal tho

just curious why train tracks?  

[Deadhunter25]

just curious why train tracks?  

Im guessing good spot to find dead deer hit by trains. Sounds like a solid plan to me


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[ManicOutdoorsman92]

So far this year, couldn't tell ya how many miles I walked this year, well over 20 hours in, found a freshy yesterday though( 2nd one down on the right) the shed on the lower left is from last year and is the same buck as the one above, which was my first shed of the year,

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[Paula]

1 hour ago, rachunter said:

just curious why train tracks?  

A lot of train tracks have great hunting land on both sides, there are many tree stands very close to the tracks because the deer cross them to get to other side. Its amazing the deer that hang out on them or bed right next to them.

[ManicOutdoorsman92]

Also thought id add this, as rut relates to shedding, i have a 3d archery target that got taken out, first time end of Oct. Next time after late season. I think it was Dec 18 I was up there last to see it stand, went up a month or so later to check cards it was down, and hit every bit as hard as the first time

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[Gencountyzeek]

My son got the first find this year.

[rachunter]

38 minutes ago, Gencountyzeek said:

My son got the first find this year.

That's a good one

[Big Indian]

found these on LI, last Saturday (2 diff deer), both were within 20 yds of each other, one on left has nice mass. If symmetrical they were both 8 pointers. Was not specifically shed hunting, but happy to find nonetheless.

[wooly]

I knew the freshness was bound to run out soon.

Struck by the curse of the oldie green goblin today, but still a pretty nice horn for #5!

Then I found a string of un-used carcass tags.

On my way out I found my 3'rd dead buck of the year.