RE: Shed Catchers
Angus 74
Are you checking feeding areas and the deer trails leading back to bedding areas?? It sounds like you spend way too much time walking fence lines from your post. I have found a few sheds where deer jump a fence to get to their feeding area/bedding areas but not very often. I will go out of my way to check a fence where their is heavy use of the deer crossing it. I won't walk a fence line just in hopes a buck randomly happened to jump it unless their is a good feeding area on one side or the other and a lot of deer sign.
Take a hunter approach to finding sheds. Look where the deer spend their time feeding and moving. It helps to know where the deer are feeding now till spring. Not where they were feeding during hunting season as that could change during winter. Do a little scouting. Sounds like you are willing to put the miles. Goodluck and if you have anymore questions, ask away.
Everyone else
Like shedhead, my son and I don't use antler traps. We also don't have a problem finding sheds. shedhead's post is a good one as that is what we see, how we feel about it and why we feel tromping is the best way to go about it. The one thing that really bothers me about antler traps... deer do compete for food. Winter when things are tough you will really see it. I've seen bucks gore other deer to feed in a good spot. I've seen does strike out with their front feet when other deer get too close and that includes their own fawns. If I see that in natural feeding areas, how much worse is the competition over your little piles in a confined area?? When you guys check your antler traps...look and see how much deer hair is on the ground. When you find a glob of hair, remember... some deer just payed for your fun. Bet that hurts when a deer gets rammed into a steel post. OUCH!!!
Tim