In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Deer Sheds

Discussion in 'The Game Room' started by XXL, Nov 22, 2016.

  1. XXL

    XXL

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    Found two sheds from last year while deer hunting and they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.

    Found the little guy in the first week and it measures a little over 22" [​IMG]

    The large one was found late in the second week and measures a little over 72" [​IMG] A few key measurements are 25+" mainbeam, 11" G2 and 10+" G3.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2016
  2. yooperdave

    yooperdave

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    Those are from this year already?
     
  3. XXL

    XXL

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    Last years.
     
  4. Loon

    Loon

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    Large one down on my left ski-doo path?:whistle::D
     
  5. XXL

    XXL

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    Jupiter ;)
     
  6. bassJAM

    bassJAM

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    Nice! You found them this fall? That's impressive, normally the rodents eat them for the calcium and they're gone by mid summer.
     
  7. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    I agree with bassJAM as the rodents usually get them. Funny one year we found one in the spring that had been partially eaten. Brought it to the house and had to hide it from the squirrels who wanted to chew on it.

    EDIT: Here is that picture:

    Shed-7.JPG
     
  8. XXL

    XXL

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    Just after the snow melts is the best time for us to shed hunt but I usually find at least one per fall hunting season. it usually takes a couple of years for the critters to gnaw them down or go green.

    Here is a 2-3 year old chewed up moose shed I found last fall.
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    XXL the really funny part about that one I found is that I had a tree stand maybe 20' from where that deer was found and I never saw him! Maybe he was covered in leaves or I just did not look closely but I sat in that stand many times the previous fall. Not sure how my wife spotted it as even after she told me I had difficulty spotting it. Was partially covered in snow yet and the entire back bone was sunk into the dirt. So he had been there a long time!
     
  10. yooperdave

    yooperdave

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    Isn't that so true though?

    Lots of times when you spot something in the woods, it is due to seeing some movement first.
     
  11. XXL

    XXL

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    Hey Backwoods Savage, had you ever seen this buck alive before? I wonder what took him down? Wounded by hunter, vehicle? If you didn't find a lot of other bones, it may have been dragged there by an animal and that is why you didn't see it before.

    Funny but the morning that I found the large one above, I had walked almost 4 miles through the bush, swamps, ridges and everything in between and I commented to my son that "I can't believe I can't find a shed". However I am hunting and usually looking up. You need to train your eyes to spot them, or so I am told by my cousin who finds dozens a years (usually spring and summer). Between work, hunting, cutting wood etc. I am in the bush a lot in a year and my shed finding percentage is extremely low compared to others. I tell my cousin that short guys have an advantage :whistle:

    Where to look for sheds makes a difference too. Field edges, fence lines (loose sheds fall when deer jump fences), cedar swamps where deer hang out in nasty winter weather, along oak ridges where bucks seek acorns in late season to replenish lost rut weight and food sources.
     
  12. swags

    swags Moderator

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    That's a big shed!
     
  13. swags

    swags Moderator

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    I love finding sheds, I've never been able to find as many as many as my brother. He finds them like crazy.

    Here are the two best ones I have in my collection. The left one literally came out of my back yard. The one on the right was found by a neighbor where I hunt. I had hit the buck the next year after this shed with my truck. He did survive for most of the winter but disappeared at the end of the year. I think he died from the injury and cold.

    IMG_3218.JPG
     
  14. XXL

    XXL

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    Nice finds! :yes:

    I would love to find...or better yet harvest a drop tine ;)
     
  15. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    No, I don't believe I had ever seen that buck. Had to tell how he died but all his bones were there. Could have been one that was shot sometime and he kept going but finally just dropped right there. Difficult to say but we usually find a few dead ones every year. So far have not found one yet this year though but hunting season is not over here until Jan 1. I hate that long of season but I don't make the rules.
     
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  16. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    I too want to get one with a nice drop tine one of these days. Also one with forked brow tines. One of those was shot next to our land several years ago but I've never seen one in the woods.
     
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  17. XXL

    XXL

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    Took a little walk in a little 1/2 acre bush lot at work today where I have seen some deer hanging out in the past. I found a very big and heavy matching set as well as two left sides from the same deer with an odd flat G4. One of these is from last winter and the other one is from the previous winter with only a few chew marks. Coincidently this buck broke his G1 both seasons. These were all dropped last winter (except one from previous winter) but I seen a couple of buck here last week so I will be checking back in the same area again soon. Best one day find ever!

    [​IMG]
     
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  18. swags

    swags Moderator

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    thats an awesome day!
     
  19. XXL

    XXL

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    Doubled my best 1 day find today in just a few hours. :dex: A couple of these were seen from the road while driving. The rest were found in just a short walk in a new area. Several fresh ones, a couple from last year and a 2 year old one.
    [​IMG]
     
  20. Boogeyman

    Boogeyman

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    Your on fire XXL! Go buy some lottery tickets!

    A friend and I had a really good shed hunt a few years back, I found most of them pretty close together in a bedding area.
    IMG00602.jpg
    I look every year and have only found a couple sheds since that day. Squirrels are thick in my area so you have to catch them right when they hit the ground.