I am new to shed hunting this will be my 3rd season. I always started around mid to late march to let the elk also drop their sheds and let them begin to leave the winter ground even if I knew deer sheds had already hit the dirt. But in the areas I like to go the hunting seasons now push the animals until jan 31. So their are already deer sheds seen coming out of the hills mostly small whiteys but got alot of the shed hunters worrying about (their spot) so they are hitting the woods earlier than normal. I think I will wait even if it cost me a few of the meager sheds I do find.