Another shed ?

NYRACKADDICT · 01-05-2007, 05:10 PM

When do you guys think the best time to start shed hunting is? I dont want start looking before theve all dropped ,but I dont want to give mice and other shed hunters 1st crack either.

NorthPA · 01-06-2007, 05:10 AM

If you want to wait until "theve all dropped " you have at least acouple of months yet. I take your post generally though, in that you mean "most."
I generally see bucks with antlers well into March. There are exceptions on either end, I've seen shed antlers even in late December and early January but these are usually a result of poor health. (back in the days when deer outnumbered mosquitos)
And I've also seen (and photographed) antlers still being carried into April.
But I would say mid March is the general drop time.

crokit · 01-06-2007, 02:38 PM

Probably the best rule of thumb would be right after the snows melt, when the grasses are knocked down visibility is optimum. If your weather is anything like what we're having here in Elmira,ny- no snow cover_ I'd start now looking in thickets along the highways especially where perenially there are a number of road kills. The antlers you find may not be sheds, but hey, antlers are antlers. CROKIT

chuckclear2000 · 01-07-2007, 08:17 PM

Some being found now, but I usually hit it hard in late FEB and early March. Anytime in March where there is a good snow melt.

livbucks · 01-07-2007, 09:15 PM

I routinely see bucks carrying their racks well into March. I saw a bachelor group last year, second week of March and the more mature bucks had racks intact. One yearling had none and two yearlings had half racks. I would say to start around the second week of March and go from there. I once saw a huge buck many years ago that still had his rack in early April. There are those that drop early though. It all depends on alot of factors.

Phil from Maine · 01-09-2007, 05:41 PM

Here it is ussually the last part of the month and through Feburary. Some folks up here are hunting for them now.

buckmaster_27 · 01-10-2007, 05:53 PM

they can be found now..........people have seen 1 antlered deer.so they are dropping.my opinion is thats its a little early but in a week or so it should be prime time.

LIVBUCK.......where are you at?deer with antler til march or april.by then the new antlers are ready to pop out.never seen or heard of them having antlers till then.