Why bother?
 

Seriously - I've been out shed hunting 3 times, total, before yesterday. I feel like I've been damned by mother nature -every stinkin' day that I get to get out there, it snows. Shed hunting in the snow isn't so great around here . . . especially considering the "caliber" of sheds that I find. LOL They can be totally buried by a light dusting of snow. Maybe even a heavy frost. [&o]

So yesterday, like every other day off, it snowed. However, to my surprise, the snow didn't come in until around 2:00, so I got in 4 hours of unexpected shed hunting in the a.m.

It may have been the best shedhunting day of all time, cool dreary, wet - just hideous... I really felt confident that if there was a decent 4x shed or better laying around, I'd pick it up. I was tossing my practice antler around, and it was glowing like a beacon. Money.

So, I slogged around the mud mess all morning with mypain-in-the-ass ankle braced up tight - nothing.

Finally, at 10:00... I catch a piece of bone at the edge of a cut soybean field...

Bam! Spiker. First shed of '08. It's been laying out here fora fullyear - badly weathered and sliced up by the picker and the planter.




So, I pick it up and kinda reflect for a minute... Mixed feelings... Happy that I found something, but here again, it's just another dink. Same story. All the time. Dink after Dink after Dink.

Which brings me to the ultimate question: Why bother?

PA (at least the areas that I hunt in SW PA) has gotta have some of the worstwhitetail age structure in North America. Seriously. Everything dies here. The orange army shoots first, asks questions later. That's just how it goes.

But every spring, I invariably lace up the boots and take to the hills, knowing that it will take a small miracle to luck into a 2.5 year old-or-bettershed.

Seriously, why would any halfway-sane individual get up with the chickens just to get out and trudge around old bean and cornfields and stare at the ground until your eyes go buggy? Because you learn. You learn about your deer herd. You see how many deer are making it through... You see the caliber of bucks that you're working with. You temper your expectations accordingly.

Look at this. 3 years, maybe 12-15sheds. This is most of them. I have a few more laying in the garage, not pictured... All spikes and forks. The biggest one (a forkie)tapes out to about 35". A monster. LOL



So look at that... Is it realistic for me to go out there and camp out in my stand, waiting fora four-and-a-half year old whitetail? LMAO Sher.

Hell, just seeing a decent two-and-a-half year old around here in October is a major chore. Granted, the rules change and activity spikes in November. Either way, there are people in Pennsylvania who hunt their entire lives and never take a deer who's blew out his second birthday candle. A decenttwo year old goes straight to the taxidermist for the Average Joe.

I guess that's how you do it, not here, but everywhere... You scout. You glass. You pick sheds. You document your encounters. You know what makes a "good" deer for your area, and you temper your expectations accordingly.

That's why you bother. Not because you like finding half-rotten spikes in a mud wallow of a beanfield. You bother because you need to know. You need to know what survived the holocaust. You need to know what expectations are realistic. That's it. That's why I bother.

RE: Why bother?
 

You do it because your the King!!;)

Thought I'd beat Germ to it.

Dan

RE: Why bother?
 

Well said Fran. You PA guys have my sympathy. The MI boys too.

Sheddin' is a fantastic way to learn about your herd.

Congrats on the find.

RE: Why bother?
 

never found a shed while looking, I find them when Im hunting or looking for a deer I shot.

RE: Why bother?
 

well im in SE PA and my dad found a nice set this weekend ill post pics soon

RE: Why bother?
 

Very good post!!

RE: Why bother?
 

I hear ya Quick, I have been looking for a few years now, and havnt found 1 yet. But it is a good reason to be out there. The thing that gets me, is that the average buck for around here is either a small 8, that will be lucky to go 70", or a small 6. I see this size buck year after year, and let them walk, just to see the same size deer the next year. I just dont get it.[&o]

RE: Why bother?
 

The little ones are the hardest to find...Fran... I applaud your effort man.. bad ankle and snow, not fun!.. not to mention there is not a lot of big mature bucks running around dropping antlers everywhere, your not shed hunting Lees farm :D.. Keep after it bud..

um, can I say am sick of SNOW! Two more weeks before my honey holes surface from under the great white blanket.. :D

RE: Why bother?
 

First of all, be careful how you use the word Dink, it hurt my feelings :(Quick, if any thing you can get some serious scouting in for next season, you may not be finding big ones but its good to get out there any way. and besides the small ones are harder to spot :DIm like you this year, every time im off its either raining, snow or ice or both. Its melting right now and i dont have to go in till tomorrow night, so im all over it in the morning, and besides its good exercise ;)

RE: Why bother?
 

first ones of the year SE PA

RE: Why bother?
 

sry had to use a trail cam so pics look like crap but i put a ps3 game next to the big ones for size

RE: Why bother?
 

That's why I sleep in and stay warm. :D

I'm all for wandering around the woods and looking for new stand sites, and scouting areas but I am not going to pretend I'm shed hunting, as it seems very pointless to me.

But kudos to those that put forth the effort against the odds.

RE: Why bother?
 

Shed hunting is a great excuse to get outside in the lull of the year.. when the fish aren't biting yet... seasons are closed...weather is poor.... turkey's aren't gobbling.

I'll be scouting for turkeys on Tuesday... if I find any sheds at all this year.... its usually then..... its sort of a multi-purpose trip to look for both...

I used to put out shed collectors when I was a kid. I got several nice antlers that way. Dig a trench about 8" deep and over the trench lengthwise run a piece of chicken wire between two electric fence poles. Fill the trench with corn.... any bucks that come by to feed will rack their antlers on the fence... often knocking them off... and right there at the base of your little set up. Amazingly simple and effective.

RE: Why bother?
 

Fran

If it makes you feel any better... we both put on over 10 miles today and only found one shed. This snow has got to go !! [:'(] I know you have it very tough when it comes to finding sheds. You should be proud of your finds as you tromp your arse off to find them. Great job !!

Tim

RE: Why bother?
 

Dink - You're right bro, the smaller ones are probably harder to see. But I'm averaging one about every 8 hours in the woods. That's a pretty crappy "Grand Prize" after 8 hours of hoofing it all over god's creation. LOL

Robdre - those are some awesome finds, buddy. I saw you caught them on the trailcam, which is a bonus!

Troy - I had no snow yesterday morning, it was all mist and rain until 2:00 Saturday. Now today, on the other hand, we had a fresh inch.[>:] As you can see from the massive size of the antlers I've been finding - it won't take much more than 2 or 3 snowflakes to cover 'em up. I'm not too worried about you, buddy. Once those south slopesfinish melting off, you'll beall over 'em. Did u save some "sick"days for shed hunting this spring?

Darren - keep after it chief. Sooner or later, you'll stumble onto one - and then things just snowball from there.

Timmy - I know you guys will start stackin' em up once the snow comes off. Since y'all were out in the snow, how are you guys liking your odds after the melt? Are they yarded up in areas that you can access?

Rybo - good times yesterday, buddy. I figured you'd get a charge out of hangin' out with those guys. I should've brought some of that sausage or a few of those hot pocketshome. [&o] Kinda kickin' myself about that...

RE: Why bother?
 

Brother, the truth inspired cynicism had me laughing so hard I almost didn't make it through yourthreadwithout killing over with laughter. I can't say that I share your frustration, but you're much more persistant and dedicated than I would be in that situation.

Thanks for the laugh and btw the chicka chocka chocka thing... gags me every time.

RE: Why bother?
 

Odds aren't too bad as the deer were herded up pretty good in a few of our spots.

Did get a bit of a kickin the teeth yesterday. We lost 1200 acres that we have been shedhunting/hunting for 7 years. The landowner's relatives decided they want to shed hunt it. They weren't happy with just the shedhunting as we lost the hunting this year also.Bad deal as we got along great with the landowner. He is feelingreally bad about it but family comes first which it should.

We are at 73 sheds so far solife isn't all bad.ummmm... let me rephrase that... Tyler has found most of the sheds so life isn't so bad for him. I am just wearing out boot leather for the most part. :D

Tim

RE: Why bother?
 

Man I just hope the snows in Jan and Feb didnt push them completely off the mountains bucks usually winter on.. one things for sure, its gonna get real interesting here in about 2 more weeks, we had 50 degree weather for the first time the other day and we are suppose to get rain this week.. This winter by far has had the greatest impact on my shedhunting since I started.. I have a feeling I am gonna learn some things about my deer herds this year that I have yet to witness, I sure hope it doesnt equate to a lot of bucks not making it... [:o][&o][&o]

RE: Why bother?
 

I am an admitted lousy shed hunter, but my buddy is an awesome hunter and shed hunter and he says he averages 1 shed per 7 hours. So I think you're doing OK.