Post by: RoyBoy on April 05, 2014, 03:10:23 PM
Post by: Alan K on April 05, 2014, 03:14:06 PM
Post by: notellumcreek on April 05, 2014, 03:49:06 PM
Post by: shedted on April 06, 2014, 08:23:36 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on April 06, 2014, 08:32:23 PM
Post by: RoyBoy on April 08, 2014, 12:45:55 PM
Post by: birdstew on April 08, 2014, 02:31:23 PM
Post by: pat2bear on April 08, 2014, 04:00:14 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on April 08, 2014, 06:50:57 PM
How about you sharing with us what you have tried so far?
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on April 09, 2014, 09:10:44 AM
Are you wanting to shed hunt the areas you hunt? or looking for new areas? If you already have areas to hunt with animals, and you know those animals habits, I would start there. The next piece I would put together is where those animals winter. While you may not be in a "migratory" area, and many of areas you hunt will still hold animals. IMHO many animals adjust their core areas slightly based on food preferences. Obviously as with most sign this is most readily seen in elk, due to their size and nature, but I believe Blacktails do it as well.
BT buck sheds are my most prized, as these are the hardest for me to find. Not Benchies, or klick bucks. But the bucks that live in clearcuts, alder bottoms, fern covered hillsides, and blackberry choked draws covered in ten year old reprod. The guys I know of that do very well use a dog.The next best is running trailcams year round and locating prime food sources in jan/feb time frame. From there branch out to locate bedding areas. Remember bucks are very active at night, so hunting sheds in areas you have never actually seen a buck while hunting can be beneficial if the buck is using that area at night. It can also be difficult to mentally shift gears, until you find a couple sheds in open cuts, roads and ridgelines. Where you would swear no self respecting blacktail would ever be caught. I find that timing with blacktails is less important than knowledge of area and persistence.
Elk are a little easier since they are generally more visible. Again use your hunting skills to map out feeding and bedding areas around the time the bulls will shed. In this case strategy comes into play. If the elk are fairly visible and known, (think popular wintering areas) then timing becomes important. Because pressure will have antlers picked and/or animals moved to different locations. If they are less visible and little chance others will shed the area. Watch and wait. if you can keep tabs on the bulls all the better, if not wait until you are sure they have shed to go in and risk bumping them. As the antlers will be close. Again trailcams are a huge benefit, and several guys I know that use them have excellent luck. Good luck to ya.
Post by: Bonedar208 on April 10, 2014, 11:42:31 AM
Post by: bear nature on June 21, 2014, 08:51:38 PM
Post by: Halo on June 21, 2014, 09:36:13 PM
Post by: Dbax129 on June 21, 2014, 10:29:40 PM