First Scouting trip this spring

[deadeye]

I finally got out to check on how the wildlife survived the winter.  I spent a little over 4 hours covering many acres and plenty miles.  Things don't appear too bad considering the long, cold, snowy winter.   In all I found three dead deer.  However, of these I would say only one, a fawn, was a winter kill.  I found a skull of a pretty nice 10 point.  From the looks of the area and skull/antlers, I would say this deer died in the fall of 2012.  I did not look like it was from last fall.  A second site had a deer that appeared to had died last fall.  No bones, just hair and a little skin plus the manure pile from the gut.  The last, most likely was a winter kill fawn.  Plenty grouse running around and turkeys could be heard near by.  The frost is still in the ground about a foot below the surface.  Not too much water by most spring standards.   Four wheeler traffic only any thing else will get stuck. 

Nice 10pt - probably died in fall of 2012.  I found it not far from where neighbors indicated they shot at one like this. 
 

Funny how a rub, even one from last fall, gets a guy's blood pumping....

[glenn57]

WOW!!!! that a nice rack! odd the little critters didn't chew that thing up!! and you got yourself a natural European mount there!!!!

[Lee Borgersen]

Thanks for the great report/photos deadeye.

[whiteoakbuck]

he would have been a nice one to shoot but ya still got the antlers 

[Mayfly]

I love this time of year. We spend a ton of time looking around and planning the next season. My best find this year was 4 spools of barbed wire. We are planning on puting up some fence to try and funnel the deer a bit closer to a particular corner where they come through. Found enough plus more to get the job done!

Also learned a little more about their travel routes. Found a fence through the woods which we didn't know was there. Makes so much more sense now why the deer are moving through a particular area.


Thats an awesome buck you found, too bad he died. 

[jkjkoda]

That is freaking cool.
Sad to know this guy isnt walking the woods but i'm sure his sons and daughters are.

[dakids]

That buck could be the same one that you bounced the broadhead off its headgear.

[deadeye]

Not a chance.  This is a baby compared to that one.