WIth the different regions or habitats that you have shed hunted, what kind of success have you had? Have different regions and habitats forced you to prepair and shed hunt them differently? Did varying regions offer up distinct obstacles? Is there any region/habitat that you prefer over the other? Finally is there a region or habitat that you would love to shed hunt someday but haven't been able to yet? (mine would be for moose sheds in the yukon or ak ) I've shed hunted several different regions/habitats, but am short on time here. I will answer later this evening. Any pics, maps would be great too!
Have only had the time too shed hunt here in Illinois. Some areas consist of marsh or river bottom swamp land, CRP fields to crop fields with rolling terrain and bluffs. would love to shed hunt iowa and canada for whitetail sheds someday. Found most of my sheds along crop fields and biggest sheds found near top of timber ridges...
I have found sheds in Ohio, Illinois and Oklahoma. From my experiences Illinois is where its at for shed hunting!
Idaho itself offers such a diverse abundance of ecosystems from the Northern panhandle conifer forested mountains to the flat sage brushed rolling hills and high deserts of the south and all the steep mountain ranges and deep river canyons inbetween. Some of the neatest country I have shed hunted that definately adds a pucker factor is the Hells Canyon and Salmon River mountains. Huge country that holds some amazing elk, and mule deer herds. Those places demand a pack that includes plenty of survival gear. The majority of my shed hunting in those remote areas is focused on southern facing slopes. Just at or below snowline. On the other hand shed hunting here out my back door in Northern Idaho dictates what I would and have used in the midwest. A day pack, good boots, binocs and good water proof clothing due to all the foilage and head high vegetation. Bouncing up to Canada, I found out how important warm and sweat wicking clothing was. I shed hunted the edges of farm country and the big bush country that butted up against it. I had most of my success just inside the timber the first 100-500 yards.. near good winter feed. In ND with Tim, I was amazed at how much "walking" we had to do to run down some of those scattered sheds up there and then every now and then got the luxury of hitting some very well visited shelter belts. I learned all about tromping in Corn! fun fun fun.. lol but there was definately some great sheds hiding out in those big patches that were left standing. In KS I was supriszed at how deep some the hollows and draws ran. They were real steep in some of the spots too! That country was very nice though in regards to great habitat for deer and plenty of feed from the ag. Joey and I walked a lot of ridges, hollows and field edges. Many of which had been hit before we were there. We did manage to find a couple very nice bones though that others missed. Finally Joeys big set of 4x5 sheds are still one of the most amazing sets of sheds I have ever held. Montana River bottoms are pretty cool to shed hunt in that the deer are really congregated in those areas. That is a fun shed hunt to do and I am looking forward to getting back to Montana next weekend! Iowa, I didnt get to hunt sheds but after hunting that ground and seeing the sheds my friends out there pull, I was blown away. period. Those deer are a different class of deer on the whole than ND, Idaho and Montana.. Saskachewan rivaled what I witnessed in Iowa and KS was right there too with Sas. Iowa just revealed a higher amount of older bucks than I have seen anywhere else. Obviously that state is doing something right when it comes to a great ratio of old bucks .. All in all, I am very thankful for the opportunities I have had to get to witness such diverse yet all intrigueing whitetail habitats. It always reminds me of just how adaptable the whitetail is. From running and surviving with Griz, Wolves and Lions out west to growing into giants in the mid west and finally acting like and adapting to ND's open ranges like the antelope do out here! I was also impressed with how far a big group of deer in ND would move just due to use getting in their comfort zone, those danged deer will run a mile or two ..if bumped. Unlike the deer that have timber to hide out in.. I was and still am amazed at how well ND sheds stay clean and realtively chew free compared to the stuff I find out west. Now in Iowa and Sas.. I saw a ton of chewing there.. all boils down to squirrels (timber or lack of it) and other rodents I would suspect. Tims sheds are so CLEAN.... I look through my idaho sheds and they are often hammered..in comparison.. I hope to get to shed hunt even more whitetail states in the future. I want to do more river bottoms.. and ag grounds, those are a breath of fresh air to me after tromping around in these mountains.. Finally I hope to get to do a moose shed hunt someday.. be fun to go for a week and bring back some big ole paddles! thanks for sharing guys..
