Shed hunting
Contributors to this thread:West Virginia
From: bowfisher
12-Jan-15
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
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: 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
From: WVM&M
04-Apr-15
From: Publichunter
15-Apr-15
all public land West Virginia
From: Publichunter
15-Apr-15
51 inches Public land
From: Publichunter
15-Apr-15
47inches Public Land
From: bowfisher
19-Apr-15
Friday I saw 2 bucks feeding both of which were holding both antlers.
From: bowfisher
20-Apr-15
Talked to a friend of mine today who told me he saw a nice 8 point friday still holding both sides as well