Shed hunting

With it right around the corner I figured I'd ask you all a question. I've been shed hunting around 5 years now and I've covered a lot of miles, found a lot of stuff, but only 1 shed which was last year. Question: 1. Where do you primarily find yours? I usually try to search bedding areas and thickets, and find a ton of deer sign in them just not the bone I feel like I should. Am I missing something here?

From: gobbler

12-Jan-15

I run feeders during winter so I find most around them. I also find them in my winter wheat fields.

I also find a few on south facing slopes. The snow clears off quicker and I think they bed there to take advantage of the sun.

From: WVBOWHUNTER

13-Jan-15

I usually find them in any food sources such as corn fields and close to and in bedding areas on the farms I hunt. I also hunt big woods as well and I just find a good well used deer trail and walk the trail looking.

From: babysaph

13-Jan-15

I don't find many either but those lil spikes are hard to see.

From: babysaph

13-Jan-15

Are you guys sure shed hunting is legal. Im kind of afraid to pick up a nice set and take home. I wouldn't have a tag for it

From: gobbler

13-Jan-15

Chapter 20 State code, article 7 on page 3 paragraph 2 specifically states that only non retired practicing Dentists must obtain a special 35.00 permit from the DNR Director to look for and/or possess white tail deer shed antlers. Each antler found carries with it an additional 10.00 fee to be paid directly to the Law Enforcement division of the DNR. All other citizens of WV may hunt for and possess as many white tail deer shed antlers as they want.

Looks like the law is pretty clear on it.

From: M.P.

13-Jan-15

Found this one the other day

From: gobbler

13-Jan-15

Nice! I've never found one that big.

From: Babysaph

13-Jan-15

Omg too funny.,

From: JayD

14-Jan-15

From: JayD

14-Jan-15

MP I would say it's a mature one. I am still chuckling at your pic!

From: babysaph

14-Jan-15

MP. I think that shed is past its prime. I would let it walk.

From: VAbowhunter

14-Jan-15

If that is tin siding on that shed probably could use it to rattle with.

From: gobbler

14-Jan-15

Looks like it could double as a good blind too.

From: babysaph

14-Jan-15

By golly that would make a good blind. Deer are probably used to it.

From: Bennett2012

14-Jan-15

Looks like ya better take that one next season looks like it's old enough and starting down hill

From: bowfisher

15-Jan-15

Anyone seen any bucks that have shed already? I haven't, but I remeber last year I saw one pretty early that had shed one side. My buddy saw this 10 today, still holding

From: gobbler

15-Jan-15

I haven't heard of any. With all the acorns and other mast this fall their nutrition was probably pretty good and that sometimes allows them to stay on longer.

From: gobbler

17-Jan-15

Found first shed today. It was dropped sometime between Monday and today.

From: gobbler

17-Jan-15

Must be starting to drop.theres a little buck beside my cabin with scabs on his pedicels, looks small like a spike or forky.

From: Bennett2012

17-Jan-15

Got one on camera that has lost both sides and a spike that's lost one side so far but yet to find any

From: gobbler

19-Jan-15

I saw a little spike today that had one ANTLER.

From: Bennett2012

27-Jan-15

Got the spike with the one side still hangin in and a 7 and button still holdin both sides right behind him in the next video

From: bowfisher

28-Jan-15

Has anyone done any looking? I'm waiting for the snow to die down a bit before I go out

From: wvvabowhunter

28-Jan-15

Seen a small 8 yesterday and he still had both sides, hoping to do a little looking around on the property I hunt next weekend if possible

From: Publichunter

30-Jan-15

Found 2 already, but all the bucks on trail camera still have antlers

From: bowfisher

03-Feb-15

Went out for first time today, walked around 3 miles in just under 2 hours. No sheds though, wasn't a great area wasn't expecting much

From: ProBabysitter

05-Feb-15

I work in MC Dowell co. Two days a go a guy that I work with hit a eight point with his truck and killed it. the deers antlers was still in contact even after the hit.

From: hookman

05-Feb-15

I saw 2 bucks yesterday with full headgear.

From: UCMDEER

05-Feb-15

pulled some cameras this week and still on their heads

From: Publichunter

07-Feb-15

3 for the year so far. All public land all from this year. All the deer on our trail cameras have there antlers still so I can't wait for march!!

From: wvmule

07-Feb-15

All mature bucks I am getting photos of on our lease are still carrying. I checked cameras today and have photos of them as recent as last night with full racks. Plus, all of the bucks look much healthier now than they did this time last year.

From: Big-Otis-Jeff

08-Feb-15

Still carrying...

From: wvvabowhunter

09-Feb-15

Went out this weekend and looked around for a while but found nothing. Pulled the card on my cam and had a couple of bucks on it still sporting their headgear....

From: bowfisher

11-Feb-15

1.5 hours today, no sheds. A TON of deer sign though, may hit the area again later on

From: bowfisher

14-Feb-15

Another 1.5 hours yesterday, no sheds...

From: Publichunter

14-Feb-15

bowfisher all the advice i can give you is, Bing maps on birds eye view will show you all of the pine thickets and other details you would not no was there. Try to get away as far from roads and atv trails as possible near a food source, acorns are still on the ground. So pine thickets on a east or south facing chestnut oak ridge far from human activity will be your best bet, And don't underestimate your own hunting pressure you put on the deer!!

From: bowfisher

14-Feb-15

Right now I'm not searching any of my good private spots, don't wanna bump any deer as you say. BUT I can't fight the urge to get out there so I've been searching some mediocre places.

From: wvridgerunner

18-Feb-15

I've had great luck so far this year finding sheds... only been out twice and found 3, including my first matching set. All found on public land. My advice is lace up your boots, and walk all the field edges, creek crossing, and thickets in your area. Walk slow and look for a white tine sticking up, instead of looking for an entire antler.

From: gobbler

18-Feb-15

Just my opinion, but I've never been worried about jumping deer this time of year . I don't mean harassing them or constantly walking thru bedding areas every day. But I don't think deer getting bumped up once or twice makes any difference now. I do it during gobbler season getting from one place to another also.

From: Publichunter

21-Feb-15

Im not saying pressure for deer season, but if you do jump him out of his bed a few times before he sheds his antlers, its really hard to tell where he will go and you might not find his antlers in the area you thought he was.

From: Publichunter

21-Feb-15

From: gobbler

21-Feb-15

Ok, got ya.

From: UCMDEER

21-Feb-15

pulled a couple cards today and bucks still carrying, did get a 6 pt that dropped one side

From: bowfisher

28-Feb-15

3.5 hours 3 miles today and nooo bone. Found a tons of feeding/pawing marks and a ton of beds.

From: M.P.

08-Mar-15

2 Today

From: M.P.

08-Mar-15

2 Today

From: Little Bear

08-Mar-15

must be twins.

From: gcoleman

09-Mar-15

Mike ,,,which one is "split ear"

From: M.P.

09-Mar-15

The one on the left . Mule head is the split ear expert

From: M.P.

09-Mar-15

The hole in the horn is the clue

From: wvmule

10-Mar-15

This is Split Ear in November. I need to do a little more research and figure out which buck the other shed is from. Great finds, M.P.!

From: wvmule

10-Mar-15

a side note...this is what Split Ear looked like 11 months ago. I did supplemental feedings until May of 2014 because of the low mast crop in 2013. I don't think he would have made it without the extra calories I provided. The last time I checked my cameras this winter was a month ago and he looked very healthy then. This photo, though, really tells how devastating a mast failure can be on deer. Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

From: gcoleman

10-Mar-15

wow pretty rough looking

From: wvmule

10-Mar-15

Hard to believe that is the same buck, huh Georgie? He added a lot of body mass after looking like a bag of bones early in the year before turning into a healthy 3-1/2 year old buck 7 months later in the fall. It is no wonder why we all admire deer so much. They are amazing survivalists.

Sorry for hijacking this thread everyone.

From: bowfisher

29-Mar-15

Today's finds. 6 miles 4 hours but found them all within first hour. Biggest shed I've found is in the middle, most I've ever found in a day, and the 4 point on the left I spotted from the car before I even got out!

From: Publichunter

29-Mar-15

Nice Bowfisher I am assuming that your not in the bowhunting only counties. Very nice sheds, hope you are as addicted as i am? Found these this year in Nicholas and Summers County, tryin to sell the spike an fork horn as a pair of rattling antlers... Any Takers???

From: WVBOWHUNTER

31-Mar-15

Seen a nice 8 pointer and a doe running across a cut corn field this morning in Montgomery county, Maryland on my way in to work with both sides still attached. Beautiful buck probably around 120". I have been out twice and have not found any.

From: Larry247mobile

31-Mar-15