Well is been a full day… - Shed Antler Hunting - Shed Antler Hunting

After my few solo attempts last year I was pretty sure I would not find a shed unless I tripped over it! That was the theme of the day but if you take enough steps in the woods at the right time of year, sooner than later you will trip over one. Ben and I met for breakfast a little after 7 to talk about where we should start and what our game plan for the day would be.

We decided where to start and put the boots down looking for some more specific areas in our general area that seemed better. Ben was probably sick of hearing me bring up the fact that I had never found a shed so he had to mess with me a bit when he found the first one . We were walking down a fenceline on the edge of a standing corn plot about ten yards apart when he stumbled a little bit and then looked over at me with a half crooked smile! “I think I broke my ankle.” What…seriously…how am I going to get him out of here…you found one! Several fist bumps, half hugs and big smiles and it was time to find the other side. This is picture one that is a nice and heavy 4 point.

I have read plenty about shed hunting but had very little experience but Ben kept telling me the other one is close by, we just have to find it. We looked in a 50 yard circle for about ten minutes and I decided to go drop this one off at the truck because it was obviously going to be a good day. I made it about 60 yards from where the first one dropped and was looking so hard I couldn’t believe it when I tripped over something that felt different. I looked down, smiled and immediately yelled out to Ben “Ben…I broke my other ankle!” He came running over and like it was written in a textbook, here was the other side (picture 2)

We had been searching for less than 30 minutes, found my first shed, first matched set and it happened to be one of the largest deer on our property! We proceeded to search the same area for a little while longer with no lucky steps. We then split up and headed through a thick and swampy bedding area following trails to another destination plot about 400 yards north of us.

I went into the corn and started searching while Ben took some of the trails leading in and out of the Plot. I don’t know if he yelped, screamed or chirped at me…but I knew he had found another one! This is the first time I remember actually running on my property. Picture 3 is what I believe to be the right side of my top hit list buck which we called the giant 9. We looked over the area for another hour or so but the sun came out and it was flippin bright . We checked a couple more areas out with no more luck but this was already one of the best days I could have hoped for.

I might need to group this new addiction all into one…BONE, it’s what I live for! I can’t wait until a little more snow melts and a cloudy day to find the other half of that 9 pointer and any others in the area.

Thanks again Ben, it is a day I will not forget