Well, all I can say is sorry Roger and those of you on the East Coast who are up to your eyeballs in snow right now! At least the squirrels can’t get at the sheds either. We got a pretty good snowfall here the last couple days, though nothing like out east. Right before the snow came, I got out for a little shed hunting but came home empty. I did learn a few things though, so I guess that’s coming home with some knowledge, just not any sheds. Let me start by saying this: Until this year, I have always preferred to wait until March when most of the bucks have dropped and when the snow is receding before I shed hunt in earnest. This year has been different though. A lot of people were finding them early, so I got out looking earlier too and I have been pleasantly surprised. At this point last year I had found one shed. Right now I’m sitting at 8 this year. And for the first time ever, I actually FEEL like I have a good chance of finding sheds in early February and that’s significant too. I truly believe if you don’t feel like you’ll find anything, you probably won’t. You won’t try as hard, you won’t be as observant. The mind is a powerful thing. So anyway, I got into a spot last year that looked really good. I ended up finding one nice shed back in there. I went there the other day and learned two things. 1. the snow is really deep there and 2. the deer aren’t there this year, most likely because the snow is simply too deep. Had I waited until March before shed hunting, I might have put in a full effort, not realizing the deer hadn’t wintered there. The flip side of the coin is this, I went back yesterday to an adjacent area on a hunch that that’s where the deer had moved. I did find tracks there and saw a couple deer, so I can confirm there are deer there. Just didn’t see as much sign as I expected to see. Good rubs though. I think this area will be worth checking in the spring. Yesterday I didn’t wear snowshoes and I was up to my butt in snow several times when I broke through the crust. It was very tough walking. With snowshoes it would have been a breeze, but there they sat in the truck. I will take my knowledge and avoid the spots devoid of tracks right now and hit the more concentrated sign this spring.
Joe, Thanks for your sympathy regarding the deep snow here (in D.C.). I needed a little (sympathy, not snow). I agree with you about expectations. I just bet all the shed-hunters who join your blog are familiar with the feeling that they’re going to find something … and then do, and the feeling that it’s hopeless … and then find nothing. I guess the lesson is: Think positive. (You might say it’s a good way to score points.)
Comment by Roger — February 9, 2010 @ 1:54 pm
sometimes i just feel “sheddy”. its silly to say; but a lot of the time i soon thereafter do find a shed!
simple but true thoughts joe!
Comment by Samuel Bartz — February 9, 2010 @ 4:06 pm
Simple thoughts are what I do best, Sam! My favorite is the rare “called shed” in which you predict there will be a shed in a certain place up ahead … and there is!
Joe
Comment by joe — February 9, 2010 @ 4:11 pm
Very clever, Roger. Here’s to scoring some more points … after the snow melts! As a testament to my belief in the positive, in college, I always wore my favorite shirt when I was taking a test, so even if things weren’t going well, I could still feel good about what I was wearing!
Comment by joe — February 9, 2010 @ 4:13 pm
Good call on the scouting in the snow. I have also been out when the snow was too deep and come home empty of bone, but gained knowledge of deer movement. One area in particular has yielded sheds in years past, but the tracks and the beds I have seen in the snow seem to be revealing lots of does/fawns. I’ll still give it a look over once the snow is gone, but it’s nice to have the snow show you tracks and beds for sure. Good luck.
Comment by Jeff — February 9, 2010 @ 5:47 pm
Good comments Joe. I am looking in a lot new areas this year and I have to constantly remind myself to stay positive. I’ve checked out spots I felt were going to be great..only to find that there is no sign there. But, I’ve also located some great spots that I will come back to. For all the hiking I’ve done this year, I really haven’t ran into many tracks. There are either smarter shed hunters than I, who wait out the snow, or I am the only one. I’m hoping it’s the latter. It’s easy to keep going to spots that have produced in the past, but I’ve made it a point this year to check as many new spots as I can. All the snow is depressing; I might have to actually go fishing instead of shed hunting. Good luck to all…can’t wait for the snow to melt.
Comment by Nic D — February 10, 2010 @ 10:29 am
I know a few people who have found some sheds this month. Here in Ohio, we have a lot of snow also, so maybe the bucks that are still holding on to their headgear will get stressed from the deep snow and lack of food and drop their antlers. I’m ready to get out there and find some bone!!!
Comment by Chuck — February 10, 2010 @ 4:23 pm
Yea Joe, here in Pa we are getting hammered with snow. I have yet to find a fresh antler, just because there is too much snow. We have about 30 inches on the ground. It’s ridiculous. I guess I have to just wait till it melts.
John
Comment by John Rittle — February 12, 2010 @ 6:56 am
More snow than normal here also. Deer seem to be much lower than usual. Good luck to you all.
Comment by Jeff NEW MEXICO — February 14, 2010 @ 3:18 pm
Yah, in bemidji we had a good amount of snow, i have been out maybe a dozen times, its not fun when you have snow over your knee highs! Yet i still have not found a shed, yes i am a shed virgin! Even tho it can be very frustrating after your walking for 5 hrs in a promising area and not come out with a shed. i am looking in the right areas and i am very willing. Cant wait to find one.
Comment by Erik — February 15, 2010 @ 12:27 pm
Snow and more snow. We’re supposed to get more on Thurs I beleive. I went out yesterday in spite of the snow and found a nice matched set both stickin tines up through the snow. Saw quite a few bucks still totin both sides, so I’ll be out there again when the snow melts and the antler drop…I just found this spot and I don’t think anyone else hits it…we’ll see.
Comment by Jeff Hauser — February 16, 2010 @ 10:19 pm
Hey Joe,i’ve been looking for sheds in southern Illinois for the last month and half and its been a hit or miss year.I am up to 15 sheds biggest a dandy 14pt set .Last week I was driving to a spot to hunt when I saw a fork sticking up 5 foot off the road.I stopped and bent down to pick it up and stepped on the match.It was a 130 inch 12pt.The same day I found one side off an old buck in regession it was a fork horn with a 6 inch base that carried its all the way to its tip.We currently are snow free,and hopefully stay that way.GOODLUCK ON YOUR NEXT HUNT.
Comment by pat pittman — March 1, 2010 @ 7:36 am
Nice going, Pat. Sounds like you’ve got a couple real nice sets!
Joe
Comment by joe — March 2, 2010 @ 7:56 pm