Ok, so I am not an experienced shed hunter, I have been out a few times. (I just started last year) I have always been on my own turf, with or without friends. IMO, if one of my buddies found one on my ground, it's theirs to keep if they so desire. I may be shedding with a friend this weekend(on his ground, ground I don't hunt) and I was wondering what the proper etiquette would be if I found one? What's the norm? What's expected? What happens if it's huge?:d I mean it is central PA we are talking about.
Depends a lot on each shed. If they have a history with the buck, have found previous years sheds or found the other side first....its theirs.
2 responses???? Buncha professional shed hunters running around this joint with their own private "journal posts" and I get two frickin responses. Shame.....Shame on you. Thanks for nothing you bunch of Nancys. :computer: (Patiently waits for half the site to see this post and rip my head off)
For a long time I figured, if you find it, it is yours. Buckeye and I were discussing this. And I agree with his point. If you can't hunt the land, have no ties to this buck, but your buddy might get a crack at it, by all means, give him the shed. He was generous enough to give up the sheds he found while in IL. I am a pretty firm believer I am going to do the same if I am shedding on property I have no way of hunting. On mutual hunting ground, it gets a bit more tricky.
There are only four situations that I would be in: Shed hunting on my family's ground with friends : I would like them to give them up to the cabin, but would have no problem if they wanted to keep them. Shed hunting on a property that I share with one other guy, my best friend : That one is easy, the sheds are "ours." Shed hunting on a buddies land where I can't/ won't be hunting : The sheds go to him and his camp, unless they insist that I keep it. Shed hunting on a buddies land where I can/ will be hunting : I would expect that I could keep what I find unless he wants them. This is my thinking. It's not flawed right?
Always followed the general rule that the sheds go to who ever's property it is, unless they do not want them. When I first started looking for sheds on a buddies land, anything that we found we gave to him, he was the one hunting them, it is nice to have an idea of what is out there. Now, I look primarily on the property I hunt, the land owner does not express any interest in keeping any of the antlers I (we) find, so I hang onto them, but if at any point he wanted them? well finding them is the fun part, he can have them if he wants them......
I'm actually surprised by some of these answers. For me.. if you find it.. it's yours. Why on earth would anyone want to keep a piece of bone that they didn't find.. is beyond me. That's the whole FUN of it.. finding it. Take that away.. and it's just something that will sit in your home (or a bin like me) and collect dust. That's like not doing any of the work to kill a buck.. then taking all the credit after your lucky enough to kill it. As though the end result is better than getting there? If you didn't find it. Why would you want it? For JZ and I it's pretty simple. You find it.. it's yours. If anyone kills the buck.. then you give it to that person. If you find the first half of a set.. I can see it being meaningful that you should get the other half. Other than that.. let the guy who found it do what he pleases.
Duke, quite honestly, if you are shed hunting on another man's property, one that you have no chance to hunt, your quote about "it's just something that will sit in your home and collect dust" rings more true for the guy that found the shed and can't even hunt those woods. For example: If I'm up shed hunting with you guys, on a piece of ground I won't get to hunt, but you guys have a chance at killing this buck, why NOT give you the shed? You have more history with the buck. You have the ability to kill the buck. And therefore, if the buck gets mounted on the wall, why not have the shed to add to the story? It isn't going to do me any good looking at it in the pile in the basement, knowing you have it mounted on your wall. I can take some pictures, cherish the memory all the same, and know that I was lucky enough to have a friend invite me to shed hunt on THEIR property. (This is all an example....) I agree, sometimes it is tough giving away a shed you found. If I stumble upon a shed Ray Charles could find, it doesn't replace the fact I found the monster. But I wouldn't feel right taking something you would have had a chance to find, if you hadn't invited me to shed. Overall, I am slowly starting to understand both sides of the equation more. I am also starting to note, the shed isn't why I am out there. It's all about the journey. If I continually set myself up with, I need to find a shed to have fun in the woods, I'll lose everything pure and sacred about hunting.
Me and Mike had this exact convo I felt by him letting me come out to where he goes if he wanted it he could have what I found. He nipped that right away. Made sense why would he want what I found unless it matched one he already had.
My sense of etiquitte would be it is kept by the person who finds it unless they choose to give it to their host.The exception to that would be if it was established up front and agreed to by the guest that any sheds found go in to the host's collection. Some good common sense and decency come in to play with things like this.I wish so much that people didn't concern themselves with "who get's" and just enjoy what they are doing and who they are doing it with.
Exactly, the fun is finding it. If I find a shed on someone else's property that I know I'm never going to hunt, they can have it. If I know there is no way I will ever kill that buck, why would I want that shed? I get the most satisfaction out of a long day of shed hunting and finding a bunch of bone. Once I get back to camp, most of the sheds go in a barrel and I never look at them again. Unless I have multiple sheds or a history with a particular buck.
Bols We just shed hunt our area but if I were to shed hunt someone elses area with them... if they want all the sheds they can have them. It would be great just getting to tromp new country and sharing the day with a buddy. Now if someone wanted to run with us for a day or two of shed hunting... they can keep the sheds they find. Well maybe not Troy after what he pulled on me when he was hunting here at the end of bow season. The slease bag!! Shed hunters just don't do that to other shedhunters. There's a big shed he hollers!! I go into shed hunting mode. Where!!! Where !!! Heart is racing as I scan where he is looking/pointing. Big shed my arse!!! That was just cruel!!! :d Tim
Bols.. what I'm trying to say is.. if you come shed with me.. and find a shed on 1 of my pieces.. I don't want it. I didn't find it.. I don't want it. If I kill the deer the next season or whatever.. then I'd ask for it.. yes. But if I didn't find it.. I don't want it.
When I say that I'd give up my sheds when I'm hunting with someone else doesn't mean I would expect them to give them up if they come up to camp and shed hunt with me. Just making sure you know that Tim, before you plan a trip up! :d
Well the way me and my buddy always do it is if we're searchin on his land, he gets the sheds, and vice versa. Now here's a question, say one of your hunting partners finds a shed, big or small, and you find the other side; who gets the shed(s)?
Duke, I completely smell what you are stepping in man. Quite honestly, I know how you feel and I respect all sides of this conversation. If you insisted on me keeping a shed I find from your property, I would indeed respect your wishes pal. And likewise, I understand the other side of the equation and why someone "wouldn't" feel a strong desire to keep a shed if it is from a property they couldn't hunt. The bottom line is, I started on my shedding journey last year with the feeling, if you find it, you keep it! Period. Slowly, over time, I have come to appreciate how generous, honest, genuine, and passionate people are about hunting. Just one aspect of hunting, namely, shed hunting, is no different! People are generous enough to give up sheds, honest enough to share their opinions on this topic, genuine about making friends and sharing the outdoors with others, and ultimately, passionate not only about sitting in a tree, but putting in the time outdoors just for the simple fact of being in the woods and learning about the game they pursue. I am starting to understand this forum has so many great people, we are "fighting" (I use the term loosely, since I haven't felt a drop of angst when writing in this thread) over what "shed etiquette" means. Basically, both sides of the coin show just how generous and p
