1st Shed of the Season!

[jkcmj]

Anyone been out shed hunting yet?  I just picked up my first shed today.  Little bugger and the squirrel's had had there way with it already!   I found fresh humanoid tracks all through the bedding areas in the park, so he may have got the big ones! 

I was down in Chicago last week and saw several bucks, all of which were still wearing their head gear.

[Realtree]

My in-laws are supposed to be coming up to visit this weekend depending on the weather. If they don't make it up, I may head out to look for some fresh sheds this weekend...sounds like I will have to bundle up a few extra layers to combat the falling temps.

[Grute Man]

Id like to get my kids out for some when the weather is a little nicer.  This close to zero is too harsh for the little ones.  Upper 20s and we're set.

[Mayfly]

I think I may head out on Friday. I think the temps are supposd to be up a bit!

Would love to find that big brutes rack that I hunted all fall!!! If nothing else it should be a good scouting trip!

[jkcmj]

Just found shed #2 tonight!  I got into town here around 5:30 and with inclimate weather coming in tonight, I thought I'd try picking some out against the snow in the dark.  About 7pm I found a very small 3 pt side laying in a deer bed.  The bed was melted down to dirt and the antler showed up light against the back drop. Pretty cool!

[Cody Gruchow]

good job i havent found any yet. i have some trail camera photos of some bucks and they still wearing there head gear. is it easyier to find them at night?

[jkcmj]

No, I'm sure I walked by some!  I just thought I'd give it a try once, and lucked out finding one.  I tried picking up many a stick, thinking it looked like antler.  I would stick to daylight!

[Cody Gruchow]

well thats what i was thinking but i am open to trying different methods. sometimes things just stick out better at night

[jkcmj]

A friend of mine just picked up this nice 8 pt set on Saturday.

[rtk343]

I've got a couple of young ones who want to try finding sheds. Where is the best place to look? Along trails or in open areas? Should I look where they made rubs? I've never done this before.Wouldn't it be better to wait for the snow to melt?Any tips would be nice. 
Thanks!

[Grute Man]

I wouldn't wait for the snow to melt.  The mice, squirles...might eat them - they like the calcium and such.  I've never actually gone out hunting for them but would guess near a rub or just alonge any deer trail. 

I was thinking of waiting for a mild weather day and just taking the kids out for a hike.  Well my "hike" would have a purpose.  4 sets of eyes scanning for sheds    


Hey jkcmj, that's a nice set your friend found.  Is he going to make them into rattlers or mount them or what?

[kenhuntin]

Just like Grute man says if mice or porcupines or squirrels find them they get chewed. And so many people hunt them it is tough to get any later on. You can find them anywhere. If you hunt later your best chance would be in an open area where squirrels may not have found them. Trails are alot of times just used by does and fawns while bucks go anywhere they feel safe. I have found a shed in a creek by a deer crossing in May once. If you get out before the ice melts in a cattail slough you can find some good ones. The paths are easy to see and if you find a place where a small tree is growing in a slough that is where you will find a buck bed alot of times.

[rtk343]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going ot try and get the little maniacs out today before the big game so I can actually sit and watch it!

RTK343

[Lil Grute Dudette]

Sounds nice.    

[oober ponage]

Have fun with that 

[jkcmj]

We usually just display them around our houses.  Steve has a huge den where he has built shelving and such just to display the antlers.  We have contests each year on how who gets the most.  Last year I ended up with 21 and he had 12.  We are tied at two apiece this year so far. 

I have the best luck finding antlers in the buck bedding areas(usually up against a tree top from logging or brushy spot overlooking a valley) and field edges in agriculture zones like in SE Minnesota here.

In urban woodlots I usually find them around the homes that feed birds/deer.  These deer usually will bed down in various areas within a hundred yards or so of the houses they feed at. 

In heavy wooded areas(up north) where the deer have to browse on the forest plants and are limited in movement due to thick snow, I usually pick them up right on trails or near cedar trees where they feed and bed underneath them. 

[Mayfly]

I have heard bedding ares are a great place to look. I have never found a shed but i have never really looked except a few times. I've been trying to get out but things keep coming up. Maybe tomorrow!

[Lil Grute Dudette]

Cool

[Spinach]

I have heard bedding ares are a great place to look. I have never found a shed but i have never really looked except a few times. I've been trying to get out but things keep coming up. Maybe tomorrow!

Bedding areas are great but i have found more sheds on the paths leading to the bedding areas, look near trees that have branches hanging down off the paths.

[HD]

Just pulled one of my camera's today, these boys still haven't dropped them yet.

Forum maintenance

[Cody Gruchow]

so are they starting to group into there bachelor groups now? this is a question i have never had answered is when they start to form bachelor groups?

[Mayfly]

Just pulled one of my camera's today, these boys still haven't dropped them yet.

What kind of camera is that??

[HD]

All of my camera's are Leaf River.

[Mayfly]

All of my camera's are Leaf River.

How do you like them and what do you pay?

[HD]

I have had a few different kinds of camera's, and I would have to say that I like these better, they take video clips, the pics are clear, the reaction time is better and the zones are wider than most.

They are on the other hand, the cost is a little bit more than most people want to spend, we (my wife and me) paid a little over $300 a camera.

[jkcmj]

Just a follow-up picture of the bases on that nice 8 point set found Saturday morning.  Awesome color and mass.
 

[Mayfly]

Very Nice! 

[repoman]

Just a follow-up picture of the bases on that nice 8 point set found Saturday morning.  Awesome color and mass.
 

nice rack , im looking to head out this weekend the bucks ive seen around here still have there racks

[GuideGirlsMom]

A friend of mine had a Buck loose it's antler about 4 weeks ago in his back yard.. He watched as the deer was eating and then he put his head down in the snow and started moving the one side back and forth and soon that side fell off..  Than about 10min later he did to the other side.. He now has both --a beauty---8 pts... He took pictures of before and right after the buck lost the antlers--to bad it was not on video!!! But pictures were great!!!  He will never seee that again...   GGM

[jkcmj]

I found my third antler today.  It was laying in a cemetary along the edge.  Heavy bladed 3 point.