Whats your ratio of number of miles walked compared to number of sheds found so far this season? Mine is 36.25 miles to 1, chewed up year old shed Im hoping to find some more when I get back out again, I found the shed and a doe skull within 10 minutes. But of course, when it starts getting good I get rained out
Its got its ups and downs, gets me back in shape, and I get to see all the stuff I have been missing since hunting season ended :D 15 of those miles was in 1 day, and my friend found the only shed that day (seems to be just my luck lately)
Funny, I was thinking about this today... After I'd walked another three or four miles without finding anything. I think aliens grab 'em... I mean, I've walked through some of the best-looking spots you can picture, crawled through brambles and honeysuckle vines, everywhere. If it looks like a big buck hideout, I've been in it. Probably logged over 12 miles so far, if I were to be honest with my guess. I've got two sheds to show for it so far, both off a 90" or so 8-pointer, but they're not from the same buck even though my 6-year-old swears they are.
About 3 miles and the only thing ive found was 2 dead bucks. A 120" 8 point and a 156" main frame 8 with kickers.
I have walked about 6 or 7 miles and have found a 7 point and an 8 point rack, and 1 matching set of antlers of a 7 point ,and 2 small 4 point singles.
Miles... I have no idea. I seem to average about 1 shed per 4 hours looking. I don't think thats too bad really.
0 miles 0 sheds...Been recovering from surgery since Jan.18th. I will start getting out next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I never measure it by miles, instead, hours walked. I am averaging just over 1 shed per hour hiked right now. 9.5 hours with 10 sheds to show for. I ride my quad into or near the areas I know bucks winter and or live. Once I find one shed I expect to find more in that immediate area.
I don't keep track. All's I know is I am tired at the end of the day when we get back to the truck. I would have to keep a log. I sneak out for shed hunting during dinner breaks from work, after work, a day off from work, weekends or pretty much ever chance I can get. Heck I start snooping around before bow season is over the first weekend in January and don't stop looking until June. Then there is scouting to see where the deer are wintering. Scouting to see when they start dropping. We find a lot of sheds but we put in a horrid amount of time doing it. Kind of like hunting. Love it and it keeps me out of trouble. Tim
Good stuff, Tim... years back, I admired what you were doing but didn't totally understand the addiction. Now that I'm peeking down the rabbit hole, I see myself getting sucked in deeper and deeper; I really like this so far. Finding rubs that I didn't know were out there, hidden scrapes, where animals have died, and the occasional bit of bone has been very cool. And it's almost as much fun to caress an antler that you've found as one that's fallen to my arrow... to guess at the stories it has to tell and what it's seen and endured. The walking and fighting through all the briars and brambles is great for my conditioning ... I'm digging it.
I will go by hours, so far I have logged about 30 hours and have found 2 sheds, and 2 heads (I count buck heads, it makes me feel better about the walking part), Many old bottles, a crow decoy, and the whereabouts of many bucks, and their beds. So if I count the heads a little over 7 hours per find.
It can get in ones blood! of course its not for everyone either...as in all things.. personally, I have as much fun shed hunting as hunting. Always have, always will. Its amazing what you find out there about your hunting grounds and or new ground even when U dont find a shed. Sheds are always the bonus. Over the years I can say that I am much better at picking the right kind of habitat and areas based on the winter, feed and shed hunting pressures than I used to be.
I got serious about shed hunting on account of Tyler. He was hooked on finding them ever since the very first set I let him find when he was 6. At first I really enjoyed it more for scouting new land for trapping and hunting. Granted it was fun finding a shed but I got more out seeing Tyler find them. At the end of the second shed season with not much to show for it. Tyler would tromp all day only to be waking you up early to tromp some more the next day. I decided to get serious about so he would have more sheds to show for he dedication. We started scouting the next winter to see where the deer herded up and I got more permission from landowners to take advantage of that. The 3rd year we had a very good season. We went from finding just a few to 70 some that year. Tyler loved it and I was getting into it too now plus gaining a lot more land for hunting and trapping. It was also a great time to teach Tyler about deer and every other critter out there. Unlike trapping or hunting where you don't want to disturb an area... shedhunting you can tromp all over and snoop. I don't think there is a water hole that we didn't stop and look at tracks to see where the mink and coon like to run. Finding fox/coyote dens. Now Britney is running with us so the teaching continues. Heck I have learn a lot on account of shedhunting. Kind of a win, win situatuion all the way around. Tim
