Been trying Not Much Luck

[OhioBowHunter]

I have been Lurking for a-while now... I have to say those of you that Find the sheds you find I have alot of admiration for you.

I have been out about 20 some Hours only, want to get out more, But had Back surgery a few Months ago and still leary of falling so taking it easy, But I have found only 3 sheds, Is this average for time spent, I believe not.

when weather gets a bit better with out the risk of falling I will get after it alot more.

This is my first real year shed hunting so Im learning, My biggest Problem is keeping eys to the ground and not looking ahead for Deer. I had Filmed some VERY good deer during Bow season in these areas Im looking in, and really would like to find the horns of 2 Deer that I saw several times. 160-180 class Deer. and several other 125-140 class

The area I am refering to is 80% wooded and 20% Fields. approx 150 acres in size wooded areas are heavy timber and some steep Hillsides. Trails are Beatin in and I have walked these trails. and thats where I found the 3. Biggest is 4 Points and the others are smaller 8 Points... Most of the Big Bucks have worked a Flat Field during Bow season I refer to this as the bedding area. I have walked and pounded this hard, this is where I would think to look, since its where I spent close to 270 hours during Bow season and Know they frequent.

I really want to find the sheds from the Deer I was chasing this past season and never got due to an Injury. I guess I need to just keep after it.

Anyone from Ohio Ever Interested in teaming up, would sure like to learn there ways of shedding... I can put myself on them in Bow season, But when it comes to shedding. Im Just no darn good at it.

Dan

 

[shelbyco150]

I'm Having A Tuff Time To Dan,20 Hrs. And Only One Shed.I Sure Hope You Find Some Of Those Sheds From Those Huge Bucks You Posted Last Fall.Good Luck

 

[deershed]

OhioBowHunter-if you can pattern them during bow season you can find the sheds.Shed hunting is no different then hunting the deer itself.Figure out where they're hanging early Jan.though early spring and the sheds won't be far away.
Good luck finding those sheds,sounds like you've got some nice buck running around there.

 

[WBPruett]

OhioBowHunter,

Do you have any trail cameras? Have you used your trail cameras in Jan & Feb? Do you know any of the bigger deer by their tracks? The purpose of these questions is to give you information about where these deer are hanging out when their horns likely shed.

It seems this year some bucks may be carrying their horns longer. Have you seen any deer still packin in the last few weeks? My son & I spent about 20 man hours in eastern Illinois Feb 14-15 and we were probably too early according to what locals have since told us.

Like one of the other post, if you can pattern them in bow season, change your thinking slightly to pattern them now. I am looking forward to when you post the pics of one of your big deer sheds. Stay the course. Good Luck.

 

[Shed_Head]

Patterning those bucks during the bow season doesnt always work for shed hunting. Where the bucks were in the fall during the rut can be completely different from where they spend the winter. Bucks put on quite a few miles during the rut, some of those bucks may have come in from a different area. Try to find the WINTERING food sources. I know that here in Wisconsin, most of the fields are covered with snow in the winter. This causes the deer to stay deep in the woods browsing on cedars and other deer "browse". The fields that were hot in the fall are empty..for the most part..in the winter. Try to find the thickest bedding areas and the winter food source, and you'll turn up some sheds. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Tsmola]

well at least you've found some Dan, I've found nothing so far. Good to hear you are getting outside and getting some time looking in, sounds like you are recovering well. I'm probalby gonna head out today and look, because of work, my game cam has been out about 2 weeks without anyone checking it, I'm sure all the pics are taken by now, maybe I'll find something this time.

 

[coyotebandit]

Keep with it Dan, you will find more. Last year I put at least 25+ hours in and didn't find anything! This weekend I should almost double the amount of time looking, so hopefully it's nice out. Concentrate on fields and north sides on sunny days and south sides and leaf litter in the woods when it's cloudy.

They are right about the deer not shedding where they rut, I would really like to find the matching set from a 150 class 8 pointer that I got a couple pictures of during season. I really don't know where his home range is, the only good thing is that we have a couple big corn fields near by. At this point I'll be happy to find anything over 2 1/2 yr old shed.

How can you come in here and post about finding sheds without pictures?

Good luck,

CB

 

[OhioBowHunter]

Shelby,

Our snow is now melted so I think I will get out in the coming week and Pound the woods pretty hard, This is somewhat Addictive, I never really did this before but its exciting.

DeerShed,

I know the Deer patterns well late summer into early winter... I have not spent the time in the woods during shed season like I have during archery and later summer into late fall early winter, But am learning more with each time out.

WBPruett,

I have not run any cams in this area.. I typically stop early september Until Late may or so. then start up again, so I dont have that to rely on... I may change that for next season, since Im starting to catch on to this shed hunting fever

Shed-Head,

Your rite... I am coming up empty on the top producing areas I was accustomed to in the Fall... I was on them thick and heavy then. Trails are beatin in and BIG tracks, Finding lotsa beds and what I have found to be there staging and what I believe to be there food sources. No real Agriculture in this area, so there limite to the fields and deeper woods for bark and rooting type forage.

TSmola,

Yeah, I guess I should not complain. Just amazing I seen good Numbers of Bucks in the fall and having trouble finding there sheds... I have found this out, You can be standing damn near on top of them and still not see them... It takes a trained eye... I am still trying to achieve the Nack for this

CoyoteBandit,

I will take your Tips with me to the woods next trip out and focus on those areas.
I am somewhat Confused about not finding them in there core rutting areas I was so acclamated to during the rut, I wassure I would find paydirt there... The 3 I did find were all on trails. One is busted off halfway up the main beam.

Good Luck finding the one your after... Its alot harder than I thought it would be this time of year, But again I need to train my eyes better to watch the ground and not look for Deer further ahead.

Heres a Picture of the 3 I have found

 

[OhioBowHunter]

This is a solo Picture of the best 1 of the 3 so far I have found.

 

[coyotebandit]

Dan,

Nice sheds!

That one with the busted beam looks like he is going to be a brute this year. I would be happy to find three sheds like that, looks like your doing a good job.

I think the reason you don't find many sheds in the rutting areas is because bucks will travel way outside their normal home range during that time of year. Usually when shedding season arrrives they are back in their home range and just go between feeding and bedding. Some deer will travel several miles at night to feed on Ag fields, so some of your sheds may be there too!

Those tips seem to help me spot sheds, in the hardwoods on a sunny day it's very hard to see something bone colored in the leaf litter. I agree with others that cloudy days after a rain, make the sheds stick out the best.

Glad to see your getting out and about and hope your back continues to improve! I look forward to seeing some shed pics from some of the huge bucks you photographed last season.

CB

 

[Tsmola]

nice sheds! oh and thanks for those tips coyotebandit, I'm going to try some of that tomorrow too, maybe tomorrow will be the day

 

[las]

New on this forum, but I can relate to the problems. I've spent 13 hours in woods without a single recovery. I've searched several areas and have kept an open mind. My 'honeyhole' which produces 5-10 antlers each year has produced nothing. To make matters more confusing, the farmer left two unharvested cornfields adjacent to my honeyhole which led me to believe I would find even more antlers. The deer sign in this area is rediculous - droppings, tracks, beds everything that leads to finding antlers yet; nothing. I didn't see any footprints or sign of other people but I guess you never know? Confused and frustrated but a day in the woods is still the best medicine for the daily grind! Any advise would be appreciated!

 

[coyotebandit]

Welcome las!

I can't even imagine looking for sheds in a unharvested corn field, I can't even see them in the corn stubble. The best advice I can give is bring another set of eyes along and concentrate on places your haven't searched yet.

Happy Shedding!

CB

 

[OhioBowHunter]

Went Out today for 5 Hours. If leg and skelatal Deer Bones could be transformed into Antler sheds I would have had a banner day. But otherwise came up empty.

I found dozens of Deer beds with heavy amounts of hair in them and clumps of hair all alng various well beatin in trails. I searched these trails from one end to another trying to determine there reason for travel, from where to where, as best as I can tell. I see where they have been Bedding, That Im certain of, as for food sources. there eating alot of tree Buds,Bark,and sapling ends. also any exposed grassy areas, with winter rye and some form of clover it appears they have eaten to the ground and clawed these areas...

I searched hard, Very Vigelant and turned up nothing... But all was not lost, I enjoyed the day, seen some Deer and met a skunk in a field damn neer eyeball to eyeball, Not sure who was more scared him or me. I got away with one there let me tell you...

Dan

 

[WBPruett]

Ohio'

So did you worry about your back when you looked that skunk eye to eye.

I imagine you were properly motivated right about then.

Seriously, I hope your back is on the mend. If you found a great many beds, you are on the right track. Stay the course and those big sheds will appear. The ones you found look great, especially for someone stuck on zero after 3 trips out.

Over the years all the skunk encounters I have had turned out lucky for me too.

 

[golden boy]

went out for 3 hours today, found 2 small 3pt. Making it 32 sheds since Feb 21st. Not sure why but 95% of my sheds are from the left side.

Today I found both of them following trails.

 

[treepigs]

I like to look in transition areas or travel corridors. If you can locate one of these areas that is being used during january february and march you have a good chance. I have found in the area that I shed hunt there is no set feeding area so these travel corridors are key. the deer seem to be traveling from small bedding areas to large areas where they roam and feed(not a classic feeding area) I was out a couple weeks ago and I suggested to a friend that we look over a small piece that i refered to as a transition area- 1/2 hour later I had a small 4 point shed!! My advice would be to really listen to what other people that hunt or live near you have to say because one persons deer wintering grounds are probably totally different from yours. also look for something different. don't look for that huge antler because you may end up looking too hard. go with the three inch rule. Take a shed with you every time you go out and train your eyes- I think it helps. As noted before a game camera will help narrow down the time frame for you- In my area jan. 19th is a good day to start- I found my biggest set on jan 6th. They could come early or later but the real key is being in the woods. I never count my hours, never have. I think that I will become frustrated if I don't find one after so many hours. Sometimes it only takes a minute. I bet I have walked at leats 50 plus miles this winter and spent close to 100 hours in the bushes and all i have is that small 4 point shed. I still go though. I know the bone is out there!! be persistent and patient good things come to all that wait!!!

 

[golden boy]

tonight I found a decent 4pt, once again it was a left side. I think that might bump it up to 96% of sheds are left.

 

[OhioBowHunter]

CBandit,

The Deer with the Busted beam has no eye gaurd and differant coloration than the deer I have typically seen in the area. I was sad to see it busted would like to see what it looked like if it were not busted.

WBPruett,

The Skunk held his Ground hunched up his back, But faced me never turned, I just froze and slowly backed off... My backs feeling really good. Im feeling like my old self again"well almost".


GoldenBoy,

Your finding antkers thats all that matters... The bright side is, you have all those left sides. that means you have at least that many Right sides out there yet. so Looks like you will be nusy for sometime yet

Congrats on the recent finds...

TreePigs,

100+ Hours thats alot, It would be easy to get discouraged, But you keep on, that sounds like someone who really enjoys what he's doing. Thats a good thing. The idea of taking a shed with me, after I founfd the one, I kept throwing it down in differant places to see how easilly it stands out. They blend alot better than I would think, Thats abviously why its a slow process. But I am learning and it extends the season and passion for Deer Be it Hunting, filming, and now shed hunting.

I hope to head out over the weekend, Sunday its supposed to rain here, Saturday its gonna be nice, But am working some Overtime, so Sunday will have to do... I;ll let you know how I do

Dan

 

[fossilman]

I have only been out for a couple hours so far.I found a complete set of whitetail horns,its a average 4x4,about a 120 or so.....