1st Shed Hunt of the season.

[phil@thesidehill]

Today I will get to take my first official shed hunt of the season! I have done a little walking already but that was mainly scouting the perimeter of the 15-20 acres of standing corn on the neighbors. The deer sign is thick in and around this field. I also have two other fields of standing corn nearby on property that I have permission on. I won't be pushing into bedding areas yet....still too much winter in the forecast to stress deer. I hit the field edges, staging areas, and areas of obvious sign in the fields.

I'm fired up!

Anybody else going out this weekend?

 

[browndog]

I've taken a few jaunts this past week and came up empty handed. Usually by this time of the year I have a few already. Had a couple young bucks on cam last week still holding.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I've taken a few jaunts this past week and came up empty handed. Usually by this time of the year I have a few already. Had a couple young bucks on cam last week still holding.

I usually get my first one in January, then a couple 2-3 in February...and then they start piling up in march. This year I dint even take a walk in January....so I'm behind the ball this year.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I was out and about yesterday for a short walk...zip. Had a few bucks on cam a couple days ago and all still holding both sides....

My two most regular bucks were both still packing as of the 21st. I haven't had them on cam since...but I know of other bucks in the immediate area that have shed out and 3 guys that I know locally all picked up bloody fresh sheds this week. So I'm hopeful that first big wave of sheds just hit the ground and should be on top of the snow!

 

[Trophy Collector]

Checked cams yesterday in central MN most still have both sides n a few half racks

 

[browndog]

Good luck Phil. Hope you get a pile of them today. I'll probably head out this afternoon.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

J

Good luck Phil. Hope you get a pile of them today. I'll probably head out this afternoon.

Thanks! I just got the little man settled down for a nap....daddy duty is done for the time being...lacing up he boots and heading out the door!

 

[j-bird]

I just pulled my trailcam card - been out for only 2 weeks and a buck still has both sides. Liked like a yearling or possible 2 year old.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Found the 63" shed on the left 2 days ago, most deer are still holding both sides yet.

Those are two very nice sheds Mo!

Back home and on daddy duty. No sheds today...the sign around the standing corn was unreal. Ended up seeing one group of at least 16, I think there were more ahead of the group that I didn't see before I noticed the back end of the line of deer.....not a single antler in the group. Could have just been all does but seems like the deer are all bunched up in close proximity to the food.

 

[browndog]

I took a two hour walk this afternoon, I didn't find anything either. Hopefully I burned off a few fat cells...

 

[Reagan]

Those are two very nice sheds Mo!

Back home and on daddy duty. No sheds today...the sign around the standing corn was unreal. Ended up seeing one group of at least 16, I think there were more ahead of the group that I didn't see before I noticed the back end of the line of deer.....not a single antler in the group. Could have just been all does but seems like the deer are all bunched up in close proximity to the food.

I don't see the post by Mo on this thread. Did I somehow put him on ignore? I've never intentionally ignored anyone before and I don't know how to get him back.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I don't see the post by Mo on this thread. Did I somehow put him on ignore? I've never intentionally ignored anyone before and I don't know how to get him back.

Apparently he deleted his post...that's been happening a lot lately.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Never found a shed yet :(

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Phil - Don't know how much snow you have on the ground. Could you have sheds under the snow up there?

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Phil - Don't know how much snow you have on the ground. Could you have sheds under the snow up there?

Yep...it's definitely a possibility....but most would have been on top due to the timing of snow and the progression of the drop. Most places the snow had a hard crust on top...in some spots it was hard enough to support me walking on top of it. As of yesterday we had 12"-16" over most of the landscape. But we had some major drifting a few weeks ago some spots are 3-6" deep while others are thigh deep on me. It's been snowing most of the day here...about 3" more on the ground and we could see up to 6" by the time it's over late tonight. We do have some rain and 40 deg temps in the forecast for mid week though!

 

[chummer]

Same deal here. If we get the rain Wednesday then back to single digits you will be able to walk on top all over. I am planing on exploring Friday. Not expecting any sheds but I will be bringing the chainsaw!

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Same deal here. If we get the rain Wednesday then back to single digits you will be able to walk on top all over. I am planing on exploring Friday. Not expecting any sheds but I will be bringing the chainsaw!

I'm hoping the rain and warm temps drop the snow level...especially on south facing slopes...down to a more "walkable" depth and then some cold temps will harden it up.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

here is a look at some of my shedding grounds. this pic is taken from the top of the hill on my neighbors....i'm about 300 yds from the upper corner of my property. Lots of standing corn in the neighborhood. you can see two more fields in the distance...they are both on my neighbor's land that i have permission on. the wooded hill side in between the two distant fields is all south facing. I'm thinking that the hill should produce.


here is the trail i made last spring leading into my food plot. i hinged to the right side of the frame last year and i will hinge to the left side this year or maybe even next year...just trying to stagger my cutting to keep as much new growth as possible spread out over the longest time possible. this is one of the last views that the buck i shot this year had....he read the script.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Another rotten view from the hill-top, Phil !!:p That's a super view of NE. Pa. country in winter. Doesn't get much better than that !! All that corn has to be a plus for keeping some good deer in the area. Your food plots and any other ag locally ought to keep 'em happy thru the year. Excellent pix - looks like it was a great day to be outdoors.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Another rotten view from the hill-top, Phil !!:p That's a super view of NE. Pa. country in winter. Doesn't get much better than that !! All that corn has to be a plus for keeping some good deer in the area. Your food plots and any other ag locally ought to keep 'em happy thru the year. Excellent pix - looks like it was a great day to be outdoors.

yeah...i know...some really crappy looking ground! lol. There is more corn standing on my neighbor's this year than any other years that i can remember. The field in the front of the frame usually is the only field that has corn left in it most years....it has a big swale through the middle that is very wet and problematic for getting the equipment in. Even still most years the bottom (left side in the pic) will be left standing and the top side will get combined,