Well, the bow season ends for me tomorrow, but I did manage to get out last nite and this morning.

Last nite, I was hunting the east side of a large bedding area with the snow, I can see just about all the way through. I saw a few smaller bucks, a couple nice 2 years olds, and a 150ish 8pointer, well it would have been that big if it would have had any antlers on the left side of its head [:@] maybe as close as 150 yards out, he was in view the whole time I was out but with his head behind a tree I didn't know what he was till he got up about 30 minutes before shooting.

So, this morning I went over to the west side of this bedding area, and saw the same one horned 8pointer (about 80 yards out and this time I could see the 1-2" stump that was his left side, G2's were at least 12" and the G3 was about 2" shorter, what a great couple hunts to see something like that)

I also, much to my joy, saw one the 3 years olds that I had been watching all season long, one the bucks that I was sure that had to have met its demise to one of the neighbors, because they aren't dumb enough to let a buck like that walk, which I did not once, but twice [:-]

He is ugly, maybe a 15" spread, mainframe 8, not real long tines, but one of the G2's is forked on the end, but he has mass. Twice I watched him walk away, and twice I had to ask myself what the $&(*# was I thinking. But he made it through the season, along with this new large 8pointer.

Both of these bucks bedded up in the same general area I had seen the bigger buck get up from the previous night.

So, how long should I stay out this area before going back in to look for the sheds.

I know where they are going and pretty sure know where they will be staying to sleep. The night hunt resulted in a couple sightings of several one antlered yearlings and at least one 2 year old buck with one horn.

If I get on these deer to soon, and drive them out of their 'safe' area I have a funny feeling they will just set up shop somewhere else and if that happens to be on he neighbors then it will have to be luck that they drop the horns on our property. As opposed to right now the bedding area, feeding area and everything in between our on our property. What would you do?

If there isn't anyone else in there looking for sheds, give them some time. End of Febuary maybe, beginning of March. If there is others that are allowed in there to take sheds I'd be in there beginning of Feb.

Nope, where this area is there shouldnt be anyone in there but 3 people. Only thing that is a problem are the critters that will gnaw the sheds down to a nub faster than you can say Jimminy Crickets.....or something like that.

Fine line needs to be walked cant go in to early in fear of scaring them out, but if you wait to long, they might be gone......grrrrr.....

squirrels and such will chew on it but I think sheds would last untill early spring. Better not to pressure them I think, give them at least a month and you should get those sheds. Were I live we have the same problem but sheds are generally intact untill march, after than they are found in smaller and smaller pieces[&:]

I would wait til the first of march, since you don`t have to worry about tresspassers. Usually there isn`t that much damage, if any to them where I`m from. We actually find them all the way into April in good condition.