I've been getting this buck on my trail cams for 2 seasons. I probably have 200 pics of him from this season. Through the use of trail cams I was able to determine when this buck shed. I found that he shed both antlers on either 2-3-11 or 2-4-11. I went out yesterday (6th) and found his right antler in 1 hour. We got about 3" of snow during the week and were up to another 1/2"as I went out to look. I went to my cam location (food) and picked 1 of 6 or 7 trails to follow. I got lucky and picked the right one. The snow was deep, about 16" total, but the trails were well defined. The trail I decided to follow had a large set of tracks heading toward the cams. I say cams because I have 2 cams set up at 90 degrees to each other, over some food. That way I get a lot of good pics of the animals. Anyway, further up the trail the tracks branched off. Now it seemed that there were several sets of tracks coming and going, all made by the same deer. It led to a bedding location under some pines part way up a ridge. A trail also led out of the bedding location and headed up the ridge. The trail went across the top of the ridge and led down to the bottom of a hollow. It was totally tore up down there. It was a grove of white oaks. As I was searching the tore up area, I spotted tines poking up through the snow. Wouldn't you know it, it was the antler off the buck I was looking for!! I searched for the other one but no luck. I will come back to this area when the snow melts. Here's a couple pics. Still with antlers. Now he is shed. It's kind of funny how he lost his dominance when the horns were gone. Shed...... rough scored 69".
Very impressive, hope you find the other side. You know, Dr. James Kroll says that deer drop their antlers in the same six day period every year. I don't know if there's anything to that theory but if you don't kill him next year, you might begin looking for his shed about the same time. By the way, great use of your trailcam! Blessings.....Pastorjim
Great finds and series of trail cam pictures, I appreciate the share. Sounds like they are tearing up the accorns, smart buck. Dave
Congrats, Greg. I actually did the same thing...first year I've tried it, pretty cool! and last my nephew the future shed hunter
I remember this buck from before. He was the one you were after If I remember right. Congratulation's on the shed. Looks to be a 160 Inch class buck there. Awesome!! My brother did this exact thing yesterday. We put out some alfalfa for the deer last Monday to help get them through this bad winter were getting. He put my Reconyx trail camera on one of the 3 alfalfa piles we put out. He checked the cam yesterday and saw pics of one of the 8 points I had passed on 4 different times. The 1st pic he had both sides, 3 hours later he showed up again but this time he lost his biggest side. He called me up and told me the 3.5 year old heavy 8 dropped his one side and that he was going to go out and look for It. Sure enough 2 hours later he found It. Probably a 50 to 52 Inch shed. We've always wanted to do this, my bro beat me to It as I was working yesterday.
Greg that is so cool, I did the exact same thing over Christmas break this year. Dang that buck looks very nice, he's gonna be a big ole boy next year. Its been fun watching the history you have had with this guy since you bought that land.. that buck of mine I too have pix of him fully antlered..then he shedded one in the t/c pix..then he shed both.. all within 2 days.. I picked up his one side but still havent found his second and I know its not far.. somebody else may have got mine though.. Cool cool stuff Greg, good luck in locating his other side.
Thanks for the comments guys. I will deffinatly be out there looking for the other side. Shed and anyone else who has done this, please post pics if you have them.
cool story, I have 200 pics of a nice buck this year too with a 4 hour gap between pics with both sides to pics with only one side. once the snow melts I'll be out and looking for them.
