HELP! I need tips!

[Recurve-Elk]

 I have been trying to shed hunt for awhile now.  Probably put in a good 9 hours of search and haven't found anything.  I know an area where I see tons of deer, yesterday I saw upwards of 20, but no sheds?!?!  I would kill for even a little dinky shed!!! So what am I missing, I need some tips to put me on the right track. 

Anyone willing to share a few tips?

Edit:  Should I be looking in the thick stuff?  or in the open grassy areas?  Where there is snow?  Or mostly snow free? 

[pjb3]

Gotta look down

[JohnVH]

I think south slopes? I look all over while hunting and never find them either.

[quadrafire]

Could be that someone already beat you to the area?? Seems like lots of folks out there scouring the hills

[vandeman17]

You are on the right track if you are seeing critters in the area you are looking. Just keep after it and try to think about the areas where the animals would go and hide on their winter ranges...

[Recurve-Elk]

haha, dang it ive been looking up!!     Ive been checking most southern slopes. but I think i need to just take my time more to thoroughly scan the hills.  Ill give it another shot tonight.  I want some bone to use in wood making and such!  Ill look for some hiding areas tonight!  Thanks everyone!  Good luck!

[Arteman]

Could be that someone already beat you to the area?? Seems like lots of folks out there scouring the hills

  try to get to the least accessible areas on the map, Google Earth is your friend, most the easy areas in known areas are picked clean.  Also I read once to go by the 3 inch rule, so I try to do that (this could get out of hand) When I first started I envisioned a antler gleaming in the wide open with points sticking up, I've investigated a 100 times more sticks then I've found antlers.  Also, only 9 hours of looking and no shed yet would not sound off any alarms just yet.  Stick with it, you'll find them.  With this said I am far from professional, but I'm learning everytime out, this is the first year I've devoted any major time for deer sheds.

[Shed Stud]

What species are you concentrating on? Hundreds of miles on the boots and weeks behind the glass is what I contribute to my success.

[elkh8me]

I will preface this with "I am no expert".  Shedstud is the man and I agree with him.  I asked the same?  When I started.  Two of the most important tips were 1. Walk a long ways 2. Look at the ground.  Sounds simple but that is what I do.  Obviously you have to have animals in the area you are looking.  9 hours is just a blip on the radar for the time I put it.  Just when you are ready to quit look a little more and it will pay off.  Best of luck to you.

[coachcw]

try looking on garages and tool sheds 

[Camp David]

I practice all year by looking at the ground all the time for anyting that could be a shed. This will train your eyes to pick them up (a tip, a beam etc...) the ones in the open are easy, but being able to locate a tip is where it all starts to pay off. Most likely the hidden ones will be in the shade and often look like a wet stick without the bark.

[Recurve-Elk]

What species are you concentrating on? Hundreds of miles on the boots and weeks behind the glass is what I contribute to my success.

Mule deer right now, elk once the winter closure is lifted. 

Thanks for the extra tips guys, ill be looking for smaller parts of the antler.  I think ive been looking for a whole antler haha.

[fair-chase]

I'm having the same problem Recurve. All of my sheds have been accidental finds. I have yet to find a shed while actually shed hunting. This year was the first year I've gotten serious about it and put on a lot of miles. Still empty handed.

The other day I watched a buck who was bleeding profusely from both pedicals. Thinking I was on to something, I watched him for a while through the binos. Luckely a coyote pushed him out of the area so I could move in before dark. Did a complete grid search of both his bedding and feeding area and everything in between. NOTHING!!!  Not sure what I'm doing wrong but this is proving to be harder than actual hunting.

[Shed Stud]

For mule deer, the steeper the better. South face is good but in my experience the big bucks like a north slope snowy bed. Good luck!

[Arteman]

Also another thing, if your trying to find new shed hunting ground don't look for the obvious.  Don't Google where to shed hunt or anything like that, people are tight lipped and you'll won't find any info.  I suggest looking for wintering areas where they are more congested right now, I live in a area where winter doesn't affect the animals and sheds are few and far between and hard to find.  In one short week I researched a area I never been to and been picking up sheds everyday I've gone.  Animals live by one law that will never change and that is to survive, find areas where snow has pushed them down for feed from high altitudes, then download maps of the areas you find with elevation charts, public lands, then google earth it.  I've found info in odd places like construction zoning around muledeer wintering grounds with maps, or biologist studies on radio collared deer migration patterns from summer locations to winter locations.  Then it just takes getting there and figuring out what elevation the deer are hanging in and dropping, then learning the area.  I learned this year I was about 3 weeks late, all the deer were dropped, and i was finding sheds around tons of boot tracks.  Next year ill be on top of it, and know some key areas to check first.  I'm confident I've also got a good muledeer area located, just haven't been there to check it out yet.