zubba

I have never really spent a lot of time shed hunting in the past, but last week while turkey hunting, I stumbled across three sheds in a 20 yd diameter circle. Two are are matching set....a nice 10 point with probably about a 17"-18" inside spread.....just a little chewed.

Because I've never hunted them before, what does this tell me for the upcoming season. Is this spot worth hunting? I imagine so, but when? How drastic does they pattern change between archery season and when they drop?

Does any hunt the areas where they find shed the year before? Any luck? Again, I assume this would be a good spot to hunt this fall, but am just wondering what other observations can be pulled from this finding. Thanks in advance.

njbuck22

Im no expert, but from what i have read and heard, bucks normally shed their antlers in their core area. That means he is normally spending a large amount of time in that area. Wouldnt be a badgeneral location to try come the fall.

WKP Todd

Mostly, finding sheds tells you there "were" bucks living in the area that survived winter. This tells you that they will most-likely be living in the general area come hunting season. Just another piece of the puzzle. You may never see the buck that shed, or you may kill him! I found 38 sheds last year and ended up killing a buck that I had actually found the shed to the previous spring (all on-camera). So, for me - it's a pretty neat way to complete the story! If for nothing else, shed hunting is about the best possible way to learn about the animals you are hunting. The story is laid out before you. All the sign from the previous seasons - the travel cooridor's, and you learn where a majority of the herd was living during the late-season. Use this information to plan for next year!

GMMAT

For "me".....it would tell me that he's been there (duh). The deer I hunt change their patterns based on seasons....and even MORE frequently (several times DURING the season). I see this as deer 'sign"....and "I" don't hunt deer sign.

I'm not at all saying that tactic can't be effective.....I'm saying I've chosen not to employ it.

dukemichaels

I absolutely agree with what Todd said, a shed is another piece of a puzzle. A shed can reveal alot about the behavior of a particular bucks travels... where he beds etc. etc. But a shed can really be mis-read as well.

Take for instance a farm I once hunted where bucks LOVED to live in the early parts of autumn. But once the leaves dwindle and the snow sets in they all but disappear off the farm entirely. NO cover and NO food left. This area although HOT in the earlyautumn goes COLD into very late autumn. Til this day.. nearly 6 years of searching for sheds on this farm have produced not 1 shed. The deer (bucks) move to different bedding grounds 1/2 mile or more away where they spend most of the winter and into early spring. Their are just better food sources present away from this farm.

The point is.. finding a shed is just a'piece' of a puzzle.Sometimes it can reveal much about a particular buck and sometimes its just a piece of a puzzle.

MOTOWNHONKEY

Was the G-3 pointing east and west?

GMMAT

GOOD question, Chris! Everything I've read from Higgins and Brooks says if they're pointing East.....to hunt 40yds West of that spot on a good SE wind and wait. He'll be there 10/22/'07 at around 6:22.

Of course...that's EST. You have to adjust for YOUR area.

zubba

It was pointing NW and SE at a 27.8 deg angle at the GPS coordinates of...... Just kidding. I don't know, I guess I didn't think to look. I didn't know that would tell me something. Thanks for all the replies, I guess I will scout it out like I normally would. Maybe place my game camera there.

GMMAT

zubba:

I was just having fun with ya.

MichaelHunsucker

I just like finding sheds of bucks that you have seen throughout the year and even finding sheds from bucks you have never seen before. I think that it lets you know that they are in the general area.