


February 17, 2009
Shed Hunting Irony
By Scott Bestul
I may not be the world’s worst shed hunter, but I could compete for the title.
Mostly, I think I have focus problems. No, I do not let distractions like college basketball, the debut of the annual SI swimsuit issue, or even ice fishing keep me from the woods. Actually, I log enough miles that I should, by all rights, have a pile of bone by season’s end. Instead, I pluck about a dozen sheds a season, most of them no larger than this little guy at left, found in an apple orchard last weekend.
Here’s the deal: to find lots of sheds, you have to be staring at the ground, pretty much constantly, while walking for extended periods. I get in the woods after a long winter and I’m like a bird dog pup on a warm summer day; distracted by every sight from passing clouds to butterflies. To make things worse, I spend most of my time staring up; evaluating potential stand trees and pondering ambush sites for the coming fall.
So here’s where the irony comes in.
With my haphazard, non-focused approach, the few sheds I find each year should be gaggers, ones I could trip over while my eyes are pointed skyward. I'm talking about antlers like this one found by a Wisconsin shed hunter this month. Sigh. There is more bone in this one antler than I’ll likely find this entire season. When I see a pic like this, I vow to re-dedicate myself to more systematic, dedicated shed hunting. I’ll let you know if I’m able to improve.
So what’s the shed report in your neck of the woods? Any tips for readers on where/how/when to find the most (and best) sheds?
Comments (24)
I was out this weekend and saw 3 bucks withy full head gear. I guess I'm still waiting.
between me and my brother we will find about 6 a year. my brother is in the woods 5-6 days a week, he is a surveyor.
I've been living in my house for about 5 years now in a "rural" neighborhood in Central New Jersey. Just last week I was wondering when I was going to find the first shed in my backyard and sure as heck I walked out this past Saturday morning with my 3 year old boy and we found a nice half of an eight point. Glad my son was with me. Made it even more special.
Went yesterday for about 5 hours and found 1 shed, 2 cow skulls, and 1 calf skull. I wish cows made me as happy as deer. Speaking of irony...the only reason we found the 1 shed is that we had our eyes to the sky checking out a stand tree and I just happened to look down and there it was. Looks like I need to re-focus also.
i look almost every weekend but have yet to find even a small one in 2 years.
You could paint them orange and I still would not be able to find them.
That is a really nice shed too bad he doesn't have the other half.
Wow, that is one massive antler! I'd like to know what it scored and if he's still looking for the other side. Having a buck like that in your area would be a rush; knowing you have a chance at him each time you hit the woods!
Still a little early here in Alabama.....season just ended Jan 31st, and the rut was still on! (Hard for me to get use to when I first moved here from Va.) Anyway....by the time they shed, it's too warm for me to be comfortable walking around out there. (I'm afraid of snakes.) I wear snake boots, but alas, I'm downright phobic about snakes! That's the same reason I don't turkey hunt!
WOW!!! Three Mile Island buck?
i've been giong out every weekend since the end of january. i think i have searched every acre of the 50 acres that i live on, followed every trail till it ends, look in every possible place and all that i have come up with is a little 4 or 5 inch antler(my first one i have ever found).around christmas me and my sister saw a buck with some nice antlers but can't find anything. if you have any tips let me know!
trying to shoot at too many squirls in the trees to look down for sheds
I went out this past weekend and didn't fine any antlers, we did come across some buck still sporting their bones. I guess its just a couple of weeks to early.
I found a nice 5 point in ohio in december and 2 cow heads in florida this weekend.
DANGGGGGGGGGGG that's a nice shed
Nate
I can never find them. I suspect the groundhogs are taking them to decorate their burrows.
I've found several complete moose sheds over the past few years. Those are literally the ones that you would have to be somewhat like Hellen Keller to miss.
the second picture is a nice shed
I love this time, shed hunting and squirrel hunting. There is no reason to stay indoors.
oh yes shed hunting! besides deer season being my 1st love shed hunting ranking a close 2nd. I live in the suburbs of KC,and let me tell you there are plenty of deer around.I find most of my sheds within a 5-10mile radius of my house.The parks hold plenty of deer, so get off the couch dress warm and go out and start looking.I wouldnt say Im an expert but the more you get out the better you will get.Follow the deer trails,look along fence rows and most of all cut food plots are always great places to start.One year was really wet so I used my binoculours to scan a soybean stubble field so i wouldnt have to get tired walking thru all the mud,and spotted a shed some 50 yards out.Looking in the hard woods is a different with all the leaves on the ground,most sheds will be white in color and a little easy to spot,but on year my son found a huge shed that was dark brown,how he spotted it i will never no,they can blend in very good. We really enjoy the challenge. Always remember to look for just pieces of an antler when your looking, like the last 6-8 inches of a tine.I always wonder how many I've walked past and havent seen.So good luck and get out of the house
I have alot of luck finding sheds on green wheat fields and cut alfalfa fields. I have 2 sets this year of 140" and up plus 11 other single sheds. I look around creek edges and fence rows it helps on the green wheat and alfalfa fields is to stand in a low spot or set on the ground to look across the filds with binoculars to find the they stick out better at eye level
I've found 3 matched sets and 3 singles in bean stubble and clover alone this year. Only found 4 singles in the timber. A sunny day can help you out when you're in the open, as long as you position the sun at your back. Walk across the rows of a grain field or food plot and look down them away from the sun. A cloudy day is much better for timber hunting. A little rain helps out a lot. It darkens those light colored leaves and even weighs them down in order to show more antler. Don't forget your binoculars.
I am new to shed hunting and wanted to take up the sport after going out to eat and seeing the steakhouse's lighting techniques with deer antlers. I went out yesterday to look around down by the river. Does anybody have any pointers to get us up and going to look for these sheds? I would appreciate any knowledge that might be passed on to me so then i could maybe have better luck than what we did yesterday.
I am in the same boat. I spend a lot of time hiking the river bottom that runs through town, and I don't find many antlers. I have good friend who trains his dogs down in the same area, and he has found some huge sheds when he wasn's even looking for them. Some of is just comes down to luck.
www.onetoomanyhobbies.com
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I've been living in my house for about 5 years now in a "rural" neighborhood in Central New Jersey. Just last week I was wondering when I was going to find the first shed in my backyard and sure as heck I walked out this past Saturday morning with my 3 year old boy and we found a nice half of an eight point. Glad my son was with me. Made it even more special.
You could paint them orange and I still would not be able to find them.
Wow, that is one massive antler! I'd like to know what it scored and if he's still looking for the other side. Having a buck like that in your area would be a rush; knowing you have a chance at him each time you hit the woods!
between me and my brother we will find about 6 a year. my brother is in the woods 5-6 days a week, he is a surveyor.
Went yesterday for about 5 hours and found 1 shed, 2 cow skulls, and 1 calf skull. I wish cows made me as happy as deer. Speaking of irony...the only reason we found the 1 shed is that we had our eyes to the sky checking out a stand tree and I just happened to look down and there it was. Looks like I need to re-focus also.
i've been giong out every weekend since the end of january. i think i have searched every acre of the 50 acres that i live on, followed every trail till it ends, look in every possible place and all that i have come up with is a little 4 or 5 inch antler(my first one i have ever found).around christmas me and my sister saw a buck with some nice antlers but can't find anything. if you have any tips let me know!
I love this time, shed hunting and squirrel hunting. There is no reason to stay indoors.
I was out this weekend and saw 3 bucks withy full head gear. I guess I'm still waiting.
i look almost every weekend but have yet to find even a small one in 2 years.
That is a really nice shed too bad he doesn't have the other half.
Still a little early here in Alabama.....season just ended Jan 31st, and the rut was still on! (Hard for me to get use to when I first moved here from Va.) Anyway....by the time they shed, it's too warm for me to be comfortable walking around out there. (I'm afraid of snakes.) I wear snake boots, but alas, I'm downright phobic about snakes! That's the same reason I don't turkey hunt!
WOW!!! Three Mile Island buck?
trying to shoot at too many squirls in the trees to look down for sheds
I went out this past weekend and didn't fine any antlers, we did come across some buck still sporting their bones. I guess its just a couple of weeks to early.
I found a nice 5 point in ohio in december and 2 cow heads in florida this weekend.
DANGGGGGGGGGGG that's a nice shed
Nate
I can never find them. I suspect the groundhogs are taking them to decorate their burrows.
I've found several complete moose sheds over the past few years. Those are literally the ones that you would have to be somewhat like Hellen Keller to miss.
the second picture is a nice shed
oh yes shed hunting! besides deer season being my 1st love shed hunting ranking a close 2nd. I live in the suburbs of KC,and let me tell you there are plenty of deer around.I find most of my sheds within a 5-10mile radius of my house.The parks hold plenty of deer, so get off the couch dress warm and go out and start looking.I wouldnt say Im an expert but the more you get out the better you will get.Follow the deer trails,look along fence rows and most of all cut food plots are always great places to start.One year was really wet so I used my binoculours to scan a soybean stubble field so i wouldnt have to get tired walking thru all the mud,and spotted a shed some 50 yards out.Looking in the hard woods is a different with all the leaves on the ground,most sheds will be white in color and a little easy to spot,but on year my son found a huge shed that was dark brown,how he spotted it i will never no,they can blend in very good. We really enjoy the challenge. Always remember to look for just pieces of an antler when your looking, like the last 6-8 inches of a tine.I always wonder how many I've walked past and havent seen.So good luck and get out of the house
I have alot of luck finding sheds on green wheat fields and cut alfalfa fields. I have 2 sets this year of 140" and up plus 11 other single sheds. I look around creek edges and fence rows it helps on the green wheat and alfalfa fields is to stand in a low spot or set on the ground to look across the filds with binoculars to find the they stick out better at eye level
I've found 3 matched sets and 3 singles in bean stubble and clover alone this year. Only found 4 singles in the timber. A sunny day can help you out when you're in the open, as long as you position the sun at your back. Walk across the rows of a grain field or food plot and look down them away from the sun. A cloudy day is much better for timber hunting. A little rain helps out a lot. It darkens those light colored leaves and even weighs them down in order to show more antler. Don't forget your binoculars.
I am new to shed hunting and wanted to take up the sport after going out to eat and seeing the steakhouse's lighting techniques with deer antlers. I went out yesterday to look around down by the river. Does anybody have any pointers to get us up and going to look for these sheds? I would appreciate any knowledge that might be passed on to me so then i could maybe have better luck than what we did yesterday.
I am in the same boat. I spend a lot of time hiking the river bottom that runs through town, and I don't find many antlers. I have good friend who trains his dogs down in the same area, and he has found some huge sheds when he wasn's even looking for them. Some of is just comes down to luck.
www.onetoomanyhobbies.com
Post a Comment