My Season So Far...35 sheds


deershed

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I got a late start to my season this year starting around the 18th of Jan. The early droppers were slow this year so everything worked out.

Then we got hit with 2 major snow storms leaving over 30" of snow on the ground.

I had 17 sheds before Sun.then doubled my count plus one on Sunday.

18 sheds on Sunday was my second best day as far as numbers go coming up 4 sheds short of a new record.

Going back to Jan. here's my first shed for the new season.

An old one laying in a corn field.(shed1)

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My next 2 were a matched set found seperate mins. apart and both yard sheds.(shed 2)

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The other side.(shed 3)

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I also found this little dead head.

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All 3 for the day.

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My next trip it was one of those rainy cold days so I never got the camera out.(sheds 3,4 and 6)

Here's the 3 sheds I found that day.

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My next sheds found,it was a 6 shed day.I also got pics of a little drop tine buck.It only has a small drop,but it's a drop tine the same.

About the same time a spotted the buck I spotted this little old shed.(shed 7)

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Here's the little drop tine buck.My next trip in this area I found the right side off this guy.

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After the buck incounter in a different area I found this one.A little later that same day I found it's mate.(shed 8)

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Next was an old one.(shed 9)

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A good ways away from it's mate (shed 8) I matched a set up.(shed 10)

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This next find was a wierd antler.(shed 11)

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I was almost on top of this next one before I saw it.(shed 12)

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All 6 for the day.

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My next trip was before our first big snow storm.We already had some snow laying,but nothing like what was coming.Later that evening the snow came,we had over 30" laying when it was over.

Before any sheds were found I spotted my first piebald of the year.

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The snow laying today was a piece of cake walking in compared to what we have now.

My first on this day was a little one.(shed 13)

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Back in the area where I saw the little drop tine buck it made my day when I spotted this next one.The drop tines right side.(shed14)

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It was a slow day seeing alot of buck still carrying.I found one more for this day.It looks like a mushroom shed,but it wasn't stuck in the ground.(shed 15)

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All 3 for the day.

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Waiting for the snow levels to drop a second blizzard was on it's way.It was already too long not getting out and would be longer yet after the storm hit.

I made a trip.I checked 2 areas that day and before I made it back to where I might find some sheds the snow had me whipped.

Here's a couple trails the deer had cut through the snow.

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I did find a shed at my first stop.I never found one with this much blood.(shed 16)

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There was blood on the antler,but no blood on the base of the antler.

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That was the only antler found at this spot so I headed to my second area I wanted to check out.

While walking into this area I was on a deer trail when I spotted this in the trail ahead of me.My only find here.(shed 17)

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And both sheds for the day.I earned these two...

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The snow had settled some after the first storm then went right back up after the second storm.We got around another 18" the second storm.

I was working bad hours to get out so the snow had another week an a half to settle/melt before I could make it out.That was yesterday and what a day it was.

I found 18 sheds with 4 matched sets in the bunch.I found the one half to my g-2 buck.I've got his matched sets for 08 & 09.And I found a little dink shed.

Here's yesterday's finds.

My first stop for the day was where I found the bloody shed before the second snow storm hit.My first find for the day was about 30yds down the hill from where the bloody shed was found.At first I thought it was the mate.Then while getting the camera out I spot another shed 15yds away and off to the left of it a set laying together.This spot has always been great if we get snow before they drop.

First find.(shed 18)

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15 yds. away it's mate.(shed 19)

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Then about 10yds. to left this set.(sheds 20 & 21)

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A couple passes across the hillside I spot this one laying in a trail.(shed 22)

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About another 50yds. towards my turn around point another one laying in a trail.(shed 23)

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After that last find I looked a little longer then moved to another area.Walking in the snow at that first spot was a pain in the butt.Walking in this next spot was a freaking pain in the butt,alot of virgin snow.

Too many times I start looking in a new area for the day and I find a shed right off the bat then all goes quiet before any more are found.That's what happened here.

Not 5 mins. in this area I spot a shed.(shed 24)

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Over an hour later finding nothing then I hit a hotspot finding 4 quick ones.

The first 2 here was another matched set laying together.(sheds 25 & 26)

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5 mins. later a nice little 4pt. side.(shed 27)

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I no sooner put the camera away and start looking again and this.My first dink of the year and with snow everywhere,.What are the odds that buck would drop on bare ground.(shed 28)

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2 3/4" long.

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It was another long walk before anything else was found.I worked my way back towards where I started so I could look the opposide way.I was about 100yds below where I found my first shed in this area when I spotted one a head of me.(shed 29)

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After that last find I went a couple 100 yds. further finding nothing so I turned around and started heading back out.I was about mid way between where I found the last shed and the 1st one in this area when I spotted this one.(shed 30)

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After that last find before heading out I followed the edge of the small woods here where it opened up into a overgrown field.

I spotted this last one for this area here.(shed 31)

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In my next area for the day I walked a small overgrown field the deer like to bed in.I came up empty here then as I started searching a small extention of the field I spot this little one.(shed 32)

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20yds. away I almost walked past this one.I looked back after I passed it then spotted it??(shed 33)

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An hour later and 400yds away walking a trail cut through the snow by the deer I spot this laying ahead.It's the mate to the last shed found.(shed 34)

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No more sheds were found in this area so I hurried to check one last spot for the day.With less then a 1/2 hour of light I no sooner enter this cedar thicket when I spot this one.(shed 35)

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In 08 I found his 2 sides a mile away.Last year they were laying next to each other.I think he dropped this antler after the first storm and before the second.

I was in this area the day before the first storm hit and this antler wasn't laying then.I have an idea where the other side might be laying,but might have to wait for a little snow to melt first.Alot of snow covering that antler.It could be in this same thicket where I found this half and hidden under the snow.

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Total for the day.

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That's it for now...

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Thanks guys!!

Wow. That is incredible. What types of areas do you concentrate in the most? Do you mainly walk heavily used trails or do a grid pattern when you see a lot of sign?

It depends on the time of year and the area I'm in.

Areas I know and have shed hunted before I hit the high percentage areas early.Bedding and feeding areas mainly and in between.Areas where I see the most sign and where I can count on seeing the deer.

Later as the season wears on I start moving out from these areas covering more ground I'm less likely to see deer in and start to grid pattern entire areas.

New areas I've never been in before I try to follow the sign.I may follow trails trying to figure out where the deer are most concentrated.

With this deep snow we have now I'm trying to locate the heavy thickets.Alot of those sheds from the other day came from cedar and pine thickets.

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Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!!! unbelievable!!! Is that private ground or public? Do you hunt that ground or just shed hunt it?

How about those deer interstates...i have never seen deer paths that deep and beaten down in my life...unreal!

keep up the good work!

oh ya, what state do you live in?

Some private mostly public,I only shed hunt them.

Those trails and others just like them cut through the snow were the only way the deer were getting around.Once a trail was cut the deer would use the same ones over and over.

We got 2 major snow storms this year.The first one left almost 30" laying then alittle over a week later another 18".The snows came just before they started shedding so it was the best thing a shed hunter could ask for.

Here in Maryland we usually only get a little snow and it never sticks around.This year we got pounded with the white stuff and it's just now melting good.

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