Deer Sheds yet???

[shedfreak]

That seems pretty high i think. Given a 20 inch spread i estimated MAYBE 170, 20 is a pretty big number too. COuld have been less than that. Its basically a 5x5 with like an extra point but the nontypical point is what... 2 inches? Theres no way it goes 182. A friend of mine has a shed he found in saskatchewan that scored 78 and some odd inches. Its noticeably larger than that one. And by far more massive. The G2 on his was 14 6/8! theres no way the ones pictured can have that length! Im not sold on the 182 score.

So if you took 78 times 2, assuming the match to my friends was about the same size, you get 156, and then add a 20 inch spread andyou come up with 176. I still have this one MAXED at 170

[shedfreak]

I wouldnt even be suprised if it scored below 160, the first two tines have solid length, but thats about it, the remainder look to be about average. Unless the main beams are like 30 inches, 180's is very unlikely. However, pictures ARE hard to judge. all this set aside, its one hell of a set! Nice find!

SHEDFREAK32

[shedfreak]

I fell almost ashamed to post these pics after looking at the size of that last set! but these are of my sheds so far, and then a pic of JUST my "bigger" sheds, then a pic of all my matched sets, and finally a few of the weirdest one I have found. Cant even figure out what side it is!

Oh and the first one is the last shed that I found. # 15 for the year.

SHEDFREAK32

It has ni curve, its lays completelyflat on the ground, cant tell whats the main and whats the brow, or what anything is with this one.

[Monks]

I have to agree with shedfreak on the score, 160's MAX who ever said 182 is crazy, they have no mass just decent tine length but anyway still a beutifull find!!!!

[MNDeerhunter]

Alright...update time...he had them scored by the guy at Archery Specialists in Osseo, and it came out...(insert drum roll here please)...164 5/8 gross. Like I said, I was skeptical of that 182 number, and if you look in my OG post, I said mid 160's...I guess I can guess better than that first guy can score huh?

[shedfreak]

oh my god.... im dont know what to say.. im SHOCKED!! haha

how can someone be off 20 inches?? eyeballing a pic and scoring it, is hard, but... maybe there is an opening for official scorers, huh? I wonder what the gave him for a spread?

[shedfreak]

I guess mid april is not too late to look. 2 today, one ok size, one kinda small. Both had good color, no chew marks, and one still had the skin underneath the base, meaning it was not dropped too long ago. so keep at it guys. I found them past spirit mountain off of the hiking trails. WAY off the hiking trails! # 16 and 17.

SHEDFREAK32

[jkcmj]

I went down to Southern Iowa shed hunting a little bit this weekend and ended up with 9 antlers. Saturday night I found a really nice 8 point set with no chews, but some fading. The G2's were an incredible 12.5 inches each. I also found a nice Main frame 5 point side this morning that scores roughly 70 inches. The rest were scrubs or last years chewed up pretty good. Brings my personel total to 19 so far this year.

This one is from this morning.

[jkcmj]

A pic of the 5 we found in 1.5 hours on Saturday evening. This included the nice 8 point set with the big G2's.

[shedfreak]

I went out for just ONe hour today, and it was all I needed to get to 20. I found 2 halves withing 40 yards of one another. Gotta love fencelines! I was up at thompson hill past proctor. There is like a 400 yard fence up there by the rest stop back in the woods. I walked the entire thing. One was right on the other side of the fence, one was about 20 yards off(spike) and the last one, the biggest of the bunch, which i think may possibly from last year. was about 40 yards off it. It is really faded from the sun and has one minor crack from weathering going up the g2. But no chew marks, cant figure that out! here are pics of the three today. one of how each was laying, one of each after i picked them up, and one of the two bigger ones. I set the 2 big ones down to call my wife and tell her the good news... and right where i set them, there the little spike was!! I talked to a guy today and showed him the sheds and where i found them, and he said he thought there was a 14 pt killed on the highway this winter by there. thought possibly it was the big one i found. its possible i guess. Lets hope not though.

[shedfreak]

The bigger one also has a 2 inch sticker coming right off the base not seen in the pic, so it, as well as the other one have 7 legal points. The bigger one also has 3 that arent quite an inch!

[jlm]

Great sheds! It has been so wet in my area, it has been really tough to get out. Hopefully over the next couple of weekends for sure though. 0 so far for me this year! They will come soon though...I hope!

[shedfreak]

Yeah once i got to 13, i set my goal at 20, and i just got there. I put in a lot of time this year though, roughly 90 hours looking. But it answers some peoples questions about when is too late to look for sheds. I found one last week that fresh, still had the skin around the bases. I plan on going strong into may, until the woods start to get green. Outta town this weekend to the north american shed hunters convention in Mauston, WI. Looking fwd to it, but it does kill me inside a little bit knowing there are still sheds to be found and im not out there!! BUt im not complaining, my best year for sheds was 4 prior to this year!!

[Monks]

Alright now you made me have to get back out their buddy!! But nice work too . I've been to busy down at the lester steelhead fishing don't ask about the fishing cuz its horriable Looks like I have some work to do now

[EatSleepFish]

Okay, this is gonna sound like a stupid question, but a lady I know is trying to tell me that you need to have some kind of license in order to "hunt" for antlers. I told her she was full of crap and I didn't believe her, but she was willing to bet 50 bucks on it since she says her sister looks for sheds alot and she thinks she has to get a license in order to do so. So back me up guys, Am i right? do you need to buy a license in order to look for sheds? Or does she not know what the heck shes talking about.

[shedfreak]

I have never heard something so ridiculous! It would be like needing a license to look for agates or something. Put your 50 bucks on it, and ill take 10 for talking you into the bet, haha. This lady is either really gullable or is confused. It doesnt even make sense! I dont even know what to think of it, I just wanna find this lady and bet her the 50 before you do!

Shedfreak32

[kaz2611]

its possible you'd need a state park sticker to be able to look for sheds in a state park otherwise I'd say no i don't believe you would have to have a licsense.

[tealitup]

You must have a "tealitup" license - please pay me $20 before you pick anything up.

[Nightcrawler]

no lic... but a dem. state rep. from bemidji area was trying to make a law on the subject. haven't heard any thing lately.

[shedfreak]

Dont have other things to worry about, or anything better to make a fee for? Looking for shed antlers? I mean come on. And how would they enforce it? They find you walking in the woods, more than likely empty handed and ask to see your shed license? What proof would they have you are even looking for them, unless you happen to have one in your hand? Seems like you can just say your out for a walk enjoying the beautiful day! I wouldnt put it past them though for passing a law so stupid. Did you know that in Texas it is illegal to take more than 3 sips of beer in a row while standing up?! Theres your proof right there!

SHEDFREAK32

[shedfreak]

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

SHED HUNTERS, BE AWARE OF NEW RULES PDF | Print | E-mail

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Daily Herald

With spring just around the corner, it's an exciting time for those who enjoy gathering the antlers and horns shed by big game animals each year.

As you're having fun searching for antlers and horns this spring, please remember that there are regulations you must follow regarding possessing such items.

Also, remember to give the big game animals you encounter plenty of space, and don't take off-highway vehicles off designated roads and trails.

Taking OHVs off of roads and trails can cause serious damage to the habitat that big game animals and other wildlife and fish rely on.

According to a recent report issued by Mark Hadley, of Utah's Divison of Wildlife Resources, shed hunters need to be aware of the rules.

New this year in Utah, there is a shed antler gathering season. This season applies to Northern Utah only.

You may not gather shed antlers in the DWR's Northern Region from Feb. 1 through April 30. This closure was put in place to prevent big game animals from being harassed during the time of year when they're in their poorest health because of the stress of a long winter.

In addition to the closure in the Northern Region, the Utah Wildlife Board has directed the Division of Wildlife Resources to study the effects antler gathering is having on big game animals across Utah. Board members want to learn if a shed antler gathering season should be implemented statewide.

According to Utah law, a person may possess antlers or horns from legally taken animals, as well as "shed" antlers and horns.

A shed antler or horn is one that has dropped from a big game animal (a moose, elk, deer or pronghorn antelope) as part of its life cycle.

Shed antlers have a rounded base, commonly called a button or burr. The horns shed by pronghorn antelope are a hollow sheath. (Pronghorn are the only big game animals that shed their horns.)

A deer sheds its antlers during February and March. Elk shed later than deer and at higher elevations.

Shed antlers and horns may be possessed at any time. There are no restrictions on their barter, trade or sale.

In contrast, antlers or horns that are attached to a skull plate must have been taken legally or purchased from someone who took the animal legally.

The person who buys antlers or horns attached to a skull plate must keep a transaction record. The record must include the name and address of the hunter the antlers or horns were purchased from, the hunter's permit number and the date of purchase or sale.

Antlers, horns and heads of legally taken animals may be purchased or sold only between Feb. 15 and July 31 annually.

After a long winter, the energy reserves that big game animals have are already low. Those reserves are taxed even more when antler gatherers enter the picture.

Careless shed antler and horn hunters can tip the delicate energy balance, and that can contribute to more big game animals dying this time of the year.

The worst threat to big game animals usually comes from irresponsible OHV use. Off-road travel is illegal and should not be practiced at any time, especially when gathering antlers.

The DWR has received reports of OHV riders chasing deer and elk through trees to knock off their antlers. This practice is extremely damaging and illegal. Anyone caught harassing wildlife will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

When you're collecting shed antlers and horns, please pay attention to the body language of the animals you see. If they appear to be nervous or begin to move away, give them more space by backing off or traveling in another direction.

Shed gathering can be a great family outing. Please remember the following as you gather shed antlers and horns this year:

Avoid picking up antlers that are attached to a skull plate. Instead, mark the area and contact your local DWR conservation officer.

Respect the space and needs of wintering big game. Give them lots of room.

Don't take OHVs off designated roads and trails. In addition to causing animals to flee, taking OHVs off-road can cause serious damage to the animals' habitat.

Good luck and have fun!

Dallas John can be reached at 344-2972 or at [email protected].

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C2.

[shedfreak]

That article was of course from utah, but who knows, maybe its coming our way soon. Sounds like there is no license or anything, but a "season" for looking for sheds... hmmm, looking for sheds still seems harmless to me. As long as people are not trespassing or walking around with rifles, whats the big deal? Its simply a hobby and a form of scouting for the next seasons hunt.

Shedfreak32

[Jameson]

I know the Sherburne NWR just north of the cities is off-limits this time of year. I would think their is other refuge areas in MN off-limits as well. The off-limit time allows the land and animals in a critical time to exist with-out humans for a little while. Not such a terrible idea. Especially critical for the deer fawning now or very soon.

But walking fence lines, back yards near feeders, food plot areas, etc....I don't see much harm in that. Good luck!

[GerrySchoolcraft]

The only reason for needing a license for shedding is because the state see's people using them as income and wants a peice of it. Look at some of the furnishings that are made from antlers. The state wants their piece too.

[shedfreak]

I know some people use them as income, but people use other things for income as well. I know antlers can fetch a pretty good profit compared to some of them. But people sell agates that they can go down to the lake and find. Maybe i am just bias because i enjoy shed hunting so much. There are only a select group that profit from them. To most people, like myself, its a hobby. I can see a season in the works though. I would not mind paying for a license because I enjoy it, just like i enjoy hunting and fishing and you need a license for that. I just see problems with them enforcing the rule if it was ever made.

[Coach1310]

I am not a shed hunter, but would like to become one soon. Anyway, I don't quite understand the "push to regulate" a shed season. We are already lacking the amount of Conservation Officers to patrol our waters and woods. If we start sending them into the woods in March to check shed hunters, they will miss checking those on area lakes with too many panfish. The officials in Utah say it has an effect on the wildlife. That is true, but so do developments, removing of fencelines in farm country and regulating water flow in rivers in lakes. The bottom line for me is that shed hunters(like I said before I am not one) are just picking up what has been left behind. They aren't "harvesting" anything. If the state wants a piece of the pie they should mandate all those who buy and sell sheds (aka Shed Dealers) to meet a requirement and have a permit or license to make money off of them and charge the normal sales tax on all transactions. Until shed hunters start destroying our woods leave them alone. A lot more negative things are happening to our woods during Deer season than shed hunting. Just my 2 cents. Best of lucking with whatever is left of shed season!! Keep those pics coming!

[slimngrizzly]

They cant keep me from going for a walk. If the state wants to profit from sheds, TELL THEM TO TAKE A HIKE!!! Literally... well see how profitable they find it then. If I figure out the dollars/per/hour on my 500+ sheds, I think id make about 10 cents and hour! Ive never bought one, never sold one, and Ill be damned if I have to PAY to walk around in 3 feet of snow to pick up one of natures treasures that would otherwise be chewed up and forgotten! If it happens they'll never be able to enforce it!

[LOTWSvirgin]

Does anyone ever hit the State and Federal Managements after they start burning them its hard to find any clean sheds but is very perductive. Its something to look at when you think the season is over

[Shoot2Kill]

Quote:

---

They cant keep me from going for a walk. If the state wants to profit from sheds, TELL THEM TO TAKE A HIKE!!! Literally... well see how profitable they find it then. If I figure out the dollars/per/hour on my 500+ sheds, I think id make about 10 cents and hour!

Ive never bought one, never sold one, and Ill be damned if I have to PAY to walk around in 3 feet of snow to pick up one of natures treasures that would otherwise be chewed up and forgotten!

If it happens they'll never be able to enforce it!

---

Exactly! Prove that I'm shed hunting - I'm on a walk. I just happened to find this piece of bone on the ground - prove that I'm actually shed hunting. That Utah law is (Contact Us Please). Just restrict the use of off road vehicals in that area during that time frame instead of restricting shed hunting. Good grief what is next........

"this just in - the state legislature is looking at ways to restrict and make you get a permit to take a piss in your own backyard due to increased PH levels in the soil from years of men being men".

[Scott K]

Shhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Dont tell them we have been peeing in the back yard, or there will be a tax on it!