Blacktail Sheds

[AKBowman]

When do backtails typically start dropping antlers?

How many trips on average does it typically take everyone to find a shed?

Personally I've never found one but I've never really looked specifically for BT sheds until this yr. I'm hoping to find a couple of this yrs for a set of rattling antlers.

[jess]

I used to start realy looking for blacktail sheds around mid febuary... I found most of mine in 15-20 year old dog hair.. Lots of cover and food and that is where you find big bucks... Another good spot is the timber along a creek below a clearcut bucks like to bed there... But you got to put in the miles.... Blacktail sheds are hard to find...

[sirmissalot]

I have also never found one. The few people I know who have only found them by accident. My goal this year is to find a blacktail set.

[bobcat]

I've found several over the years, but have never gone looking for them. I think I am going to try it this year though. I've got a few spots in mind to look. I would mainly concentrate on areas with lots of feed. This time of year blackberry would be one of the main food sources to look for.

[muzbuster]

I have found a few BT sheds over the years but they have always been 1/2 chewed up.

[AKBowman]

Sounds like most people are in the same boat as myself, found none or very few but have never really specifically gone out looking for them.

I'm going to make a valid effort this year to did some between now and April. It'll be a good excuse to grt out there and ramp up the scouting. Finding shed zones in Jan/feb/march should tell a lot about what the bucks are doing/where they are hanging in late December.

[bobcat]

I really would like to find the sheds of the bucks that I have trail camera pictures of. I've still got a couple cameras out there, and have been keeping them baited with apples, but it seems the deer really are not moving like they were a month ago. At one spot I have pictures of seven different bucks since about the middle of October, and now in the last week or two all that's been around is one little spike.

[headshot5]

I've had the best luck in later February/March.  It is a bummer when you get out there too early and search all your best spots and then move on.  Then, you come back 6 months later and find some that are from that year but have been chewed on (you checked before the antlers came off).  I've found 3 sets so far, and 6 or 7 singles, although one set took me 3 years to complete, and the one side was in rough shape when I finally found it. 

After I find one shed, I can spend hundreds of hours looking for its match.  Every time I pass through the general area where I have found one shed,  I pay attention to the ground as much as I can.   

15-20 year old doghair has been the best for me as well.   

[lewy]

I bet I put on about 10miles per bt shed, have found most in or near beds (were a bt buck spends most his time) although I have also found em on game trails and in clearcuts. kind of are were you find em. I also like hiking long timbered ridges that animals use to get from higher elevations to lower elevations. cant wait to start here pretty soon!

[lewy]

Also as bobcat said blackberries are a huge winter food source for blackies and always have a ton of sign in/near them. Another thing ive noticed is that i have found alot of sheds in the salal, it can be tough to horn hunt because it really swallows up the sheds but for some reason the deer and elk like to hang out/bed in it

[blacktail luv]

I find about 60 blacktail sheds a year but I spend every spare minute in late febuary and march looking for them.  I found my first (well the dog did) on febuary 13th last year but I don't stat checking my good spots til march first when I know 99% of the horns are on the ground.  The dog really helps.  She was definitely worth the work I put into her.  She found 20-30 on her own last year and she was only 9 months old, I can't wait to see what she can do this year.  We also got a new pup that is 7 months old that shows a lot of promise with the training I've been doing with her. 

[Arteman]

The answer to your original question is that some can start dropping now.  My uncle is really into finding and making things with sheds and he's found fresh bloody drops this time of the year.  Of coarse we all know they are hard to find as it is already so finding one now would just be by chance with them few and far between.  Best advice I've ever been told was to look on south facing slopes and its obvious why with this being the warmest side and first to melt off.  I found a nice 3 pt last year on a heavy game trail just over a log it had to jump, now i realy look for things similar that may cause the animal to jolt it off, idk.  Good luck, im going Friday and Saturday.

[Turner89]

I bet I put on about 10miles per bt shed, have found most in or near beds (were a bt buck spends most his time) although I have also found em on game trails and in clearcuts. kind of are were you find em. I also like hiking long timbered ridges that animals use to get from higher elevations to lower elevations. cant wait to start here pretty soon!

 
  The first sheds i found was a set. Was out in Jan. scouting. I stopped to take a leak, and saw them laying about 10ft apart. Only set I have found.
  I have found about a dozen since then, in all the locations Lewy mentioned. I have the best luck in 10yr min old clearcuts on top of big moss covered rock out croppings. 

[wt]

what is 15-20 year dog hair? reprod.

[AKBowman]

 

I've heard that term before too but dont know what it is referring to

[grundy53]

what is 15-20 year dog hair? reprod.

Yes. reprod is dog hair.

[Arteman]

what is 15-20 year dog hair? reprod.

Yes. reprod is dog hair.

    but surprisingly a lot of people don't know the term reprod as well, reprod short for reproduction timber.  Basically timber that is still in the early stages that is not mature enough for harvest.  I call the smaller stuff, Christmas tree size stuff Jackfurs.  A term used by loggers and other folks that work in the woods etc.  I have found sheds in Jackfurs as well, but they are harder to find with most the ground still exposed to the sunlight so more underbrush.  Reprod mostly drowns out all the underbrush so the ground vegetation isnt as bad but the branches are still low to the ground, but once in it its not that bad for looking.

[Buckhunter24]

I used to start realy looking for blacktail sheds around mid febuary... I found most of mine in 15-20 year old dog hair.. Lots of cover and food and that is where you find big bucks... Another good spot is the timber along a creek below a clearcut bucks like to bed there... But you got to put in the miles.... Blacktail sheds are hard to find...

Areas like this have been most productive for me. Ive picked up a set of blacktail sheds december 15th but thats by far the earliest sheds Ive found 

[wt]

Thanks for the ed, now I know Dog hair and Jack furs. Happy Not hunting

[Kowsrule30]

I've seen BT bucks with head gear into mid March while shed hunting several years ago...... But when I did shed hunt for BT I had the best of luck about mid March when almost all the deer should be antlerless by then.....

[Ridge Roamer]

I 've had a little luck on fairly level creek beds in the timber (mostly cedars & ferns) but blacktail sheds have been very difficult to find for me. I don't look for them much till late february,

[Rainstorm Hunter]

I have yet to find a Blacktail shed while out looking for them.  I usually find one about every other year during hunting season.  I have found most of my sheds in the timber, but I have found a few on old logging roads that are overgrown with vegetation.

[mholzngel]

I have also never found one. The few people I know who have only found them by accident. My goal this year is to find a blacktail set.

i was horn hunting over here on the west side and stumbled upon a 2x3 set but other then that only one other blacktail horn. yes very hard to find!

[blackveltbowhunter]

   I have found several fresh drops while hunting late season in december. And go out whenever I can starting in january. For me they are the most time consuming and hardest sheds to find.... but very cool when you do I find alot, on trails within a few hundred yards of clearcuts or inside timber edges. Also gridding reprod and doghair turn up some. This past elk season I was calling for the guys and was looking for something to rake a tree... looked down and voila a nice 4 point blackie.     I will take lucky over good all day when it comes to sheds!!

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

I walked a quater mile the other day specifically looking for sheds and found one I've been back three times an cant find any others let alone the match but I'll keep looking. 

[Grazer]

I have rounded up quite a few blacktail sheds and I always look for the nastiest and thickest terrain.  Good luck.

[IslandStorm62]

Hi All,
    Never did any shed hunting, but have recently thought of doing so.  I am around the JBLM, Lacey/Olympia, WA area and was wondering when would be a good time around here to start looking.  Basically, I plan on searching the areas I like to hunt (tree rubs).  I suppose these are as good a place to start.  Don't plan on spending too many hours out there, mostly just want to refine my hunt areas with more detailed scouting and brush prep (create quiet way in).

Anyway, I've read a lot of Late FEB / Early MAR time-frame  but no specifics on what state or area they are at (WA, OR, CA, ID, etc...  Or is it presumed that all the BT's shed around the same time-frame?

[headshot5]

I've found fresh sheds as early as Christmas time for Blacktails in South West Washington... and have seen bucks with antlers on as late as Feb 15th same basic location.   I personally don't really start focusing on looking for sheds until the middle of February.

[IslandStorm62]

MID Feb it is.  I think that is usually when we actually get the sticky stuff

[Tbob]

IM headed out tomorrow for my first day out of the year. Going to a brand New area and havent ever seen a buck out there, but I’ve seen does and plenty of rubs here and there. Theres some great looking habitat out there. I’ve never really ever hiked through the “dog hair” stuff so I think that’s where I’ll focus my time tomorrow. Not gonna lie , hiking through that stuff doesn’t really look to fun though.

[Tjv28]

Its not. Bring rain pants and jacket