Shed hunting

Marshstalker

Marshstalker

New member
Is shed hunting in off season a good idea?
My dog will chase deer and rabbits. She usually recalls fine except the other day.
I saw Dogbone training and was wondering if it's real or a gimmick. Gut says gimmick.
Just looking for a way to release her energy.
 
I "shed hunt" with my dogs just for a reason to let them exercise and essentially have puppy walks where I don't do any commands or expectations. I think overall it's really good for them. Although I haven't trained them to actually find the sheds, from what I hear its much more them finding sheds based on sight which means it doesn't really transfer from bird hunting. They technically can smell the base of antlers but only if they are relatively fresh.
 
Funny I was just thinking about this the other day. Already do a bunch of walks thought it might be fun to try with the dog since we are out there anyways.
 
Both my springers shed hunt with us in the spring. Their production varies from year to year but sometime they find a dozen or more between them. These would be mostly scent based finds in n CRP cover. I am usually still guiding at the hunt club and hen and they go back and forth between sheds and birds from one day to the next with no problems. For what it’s worth they find more early then they do late which could just be sent leaving the horns but by watching with cameras we know there are still fresh horns out there in the late season. I attribute it to them getting bored with a horn that doesn’t run or fly? As mentioned above other then safety they are pretty much on a free run to explore and see what they come across. Great exercise for them.
 
Matt D said:
Both my springers shed hunt with us in the spring. Their production varies from year to year but sometime they find a dozen or more between them. These would be mostly scent based finds in n CRP cover. I am usually still guiding at the hunt club and hen and they go back and forth between sheds and birds from one day to the next with no problems. For what it’s worth they find more early then they do late which could just be sent leaving the horns but by watching with cameras we know there are still fresh horns out there in the late season. I attribute it to them getting bored with a horn that doesn’t run or fly? As mentioned above other then safety they are pretty much on a free run to explore and see what they come across. Great exercise for them.
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That is pretty dang cool.
 
Correct, Ohio. Blessed to get to manage quite a bit of land for deer hunting and access to additional acreage for shed hunting. Plus next to birds this is a very close second place for my favorite activity so I spend a lot of time walking come spring.
 
We rarely found small sheds <140” in Kansas. Always along fence rows and creek banks is where we found the sheds. It does deserve the reputation it has for trophy bucks. Deer leases sent our group to the Dakotas.
 
The old man pulled off a matched set find today in the first 5 minutes. Only his second day out so far this year so a good start. 14 total horns so far this year. Long ways to get our goal of 100.
 

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Label them by farm and by year and put them in the basement. Then use them to track growth of deer we kill or finds sheds of the following year and compare. I give some smaller ones away to friends for the their dogs to chew on. Have considered maybe selling some dog chews but I enjoy collecting them and trying to put together the history of the bucks from year to year too much to likely do that. Up to 16 now. Between work and weather been tough to get as much walking in as I’d like.
 
I know a fella that really has an addiction for buck antlers. Admitted/convicted poacher it ends up. Had him hunting with me on a friend's farm, we come across a dead buck in switch grass. He fought and fought to get the head off that deer and take with him....he doesn't with me any more after that. Sounds like he had a garage full of the things.
 
remy3424 said:
I know a fella that really has an addiction for buck antlers. Admitted/convicted poacher it ends up. Had him hunting with me on a friend's farm, we come across a dead buck in switch grass. He fought and fought to get the head off that deer and take with him....he doesn't with me any more after that. Sounds like he had a garage full of the things.
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intereting. For me the actual kill is the sad part because it puts the end to that deers horns me. Probably why I very seldom ever pull the trigger. I’d much rather look for the sheds and then compare to other years and to await the next set he was gonna grow. You can only shoot them once but you can find their sheds every year.
 
Geez, we haven't found a single one.
But we run public land, I didn't get a training kit like I wanted. We should get back out again though, been a few weeks. We've been chasing bumpers in the lake since it's open.
 
Shed hunting pisses me off something terrible. We live in an area with deer like fleas and our properties are no exception maybe denser populations than most even. And yet we find very few sheds and even fewer when we're actually looking. Now I know not every buck beds on me but throughout a 24hr period I couldn't even guess the total deer traffic and yet we don't find them? I don't know if the other critters beat us to them or where they are but blows me away. Find most after burns or just by luck checking cattle and those are still a rarity.
 
GetTothePoint said:
Shed hunting pisses me off something terrible. We live in an area with deer like fleas and our properties are no exception maybe denser populations than most even. And yet we find very few sheds and even fewer when we're actually looking. Now I know not every buck beds on me but throughout a 24hr period I couldn't even guess the total deer traffic and yet we don't find them? I don't know if the other critters beat us to them or where they are but blows me away. Find most after burns or just by luck checking cattle and those are still a rarity.
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Don’t take this the wrong way but they are there. Some people have more of a knack for seeing them Then others. You mentioned burns so assume you mean CRP. Get on the trails and start walking. Be surprised how many you can find there.
 
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