Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Shed Hunting => Topic started by: Seabeckian on April 06, 2011, 03:13:21 PM

Title: Desert Unit?
Post by: Seabeckian on April 06, 2011, 03:13:21 PM: New to the whole shed hunting game, other than collecting what I find while hunting. I know there are some real bruiser bucks over in the desert unit since my dad pulled a 175gross muley out of there a few years back. But... I have never seen a whole lot of deer over there (mainly cause they are so hard to spot in the terrain), and I'm curious whether or not it would be worth the drive to spend a day or two over there walking around all the sage brush looking for sheds? I'm not looking for anyones honey holes, but just whether or not I could expect to see much. For all I know this could be the highest trafficked area for sheds?! Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: jackmaster on April 06, 2011, 03:20:00 PM: dude i doubt anyone is gonna be honest if its a good spot or not when it comes to sheds, if you got the time and gas money you outta just take off and go, its the best way, good luck
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: RaffleMule on April 06, 2011, 03:31:12 PM: I don't know how far you plan to drive but my advice would be to save your gas money.

There is a trio of shed freaks :chuckle: that can tell you how many sets there are in the unit. And, if you've followed this site you can see their piles.

Of course, there is a sweet dead head lying out there somewhere. ;)
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: 509er on April 06, 2011, 04:10:39 PM: Be prepared to wear out a set of boots to find any amount of sheds out here.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: blacktail luv on April 06, 2011, 04:43:46 PM: I bet you'd be hard pressed to find many out there. I believe most of them are piled up on someones house. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Bigtine96 on April 06, 2011, 04:46:02 PM: Your best bet man is to look at a map and try and find migration routes and start hiking.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: benhuntin on April 06, 2011, 04:59:01 PM: Quote from: Bigtine96 on April 06, 2011, 04:46:02 PM
Your best bet man is to look at a map and try and find migration routes and start hiking.
I dont think they migrate in the desert :twocents:
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Bigtine96 on April 06, 2011, 05:18:53 PM: Not talking desert
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 06, 2011, 05:25:04 PM: When I was working there last year, I saw 4 bucks west of Moses Lake right off I-90 that I honestly thought were elk. I had to pull over and stop hyperventilating.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Seabeckian on April 07, 2011, 01:15:10 AM: Thanks for the insight. Seems to be a lot of land and fewer deer (although their size surely compensates for that). I was figuring there were probably plenty of guys with way more time on their hands than myself keeping a watchful eye over it all. Just wanted to bat the topic around and see what you all thought. Thanks!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Weatherbyfan on April 07, 2011, 08:52:59 AM: Alot of what everyone is saying is true , but never hurts to go look at an area to get fimular with it . Also you nver know what you will find , if you look at all the shed freaks piles including mine they all always have at least half that are from last year so it never hurts to go ive found some ripper horns after ive thought everyone has hunted it dry.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: 400out on April 07, 2011, 08:55:19 AM: Quote from: Bigtine96 on April 06, 2011, 04:46:02 PM
Your best bet man is to look at a map and try and find migration routes and start hiking.
Where do I get a migration map :drool: :dunno:
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: woodywsu on April 08, 2011, 09:12:04 AM: There are no "honey holes" for shed hunting in the desert. You can go on quite a good walk out there without finding anything. Good luck. Post your dads 175" buck if you don't mind.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Seabeckian on April 09, 2011, 03:11:37 PM: Quote from: woodywsu on April 08, 2011, 09:12:04 AM
There are no "honey holes" for shed hunting in the desert. You can go on quite a good walk out there without finding anything. Good luck. Post your dads 175" buck if you don't mind.

Here is the buck he got in 08'. We green scored it at 175 5/8" gross and it had a spread of 27.5".

Weatherbyfan great advice and that was more or less my thought on the matter. Thanks!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Antlerking on April 09, 2011, 06:12:05 PM: Nice buck! The sheds out here dont see the ground very long. The dudes on horses clean them up very quick. I live here and I dont even go out there much. I would rather spend 4-5k on gas and drive 100 miles to find bone, its more enjoyable to hike mountains not sand dunes.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: wilsongideon on April 09, 2011, 06:47:20 PM: killer buck man!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: woodywsu on April 11, 2011, 07:58:02 AM: Nice buck, thanks for posting it up. I recognize this buck. Was Dick involved in this hunt?
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: C-Money on April 11, 2011, 08:22:46 AM: Very Nice Buck! Sure are some real dandys out there!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 13, 2011, 06:59:54 PM: This is one I saw west of Moses Lake last year off of I-90. There were 3 in the bunch, but this is the only picture I got.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Bigtine96 on April 13, 2011, 10:05:00 PM: Thats a nice buck, he has stickers to
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Seabeckian on April 13, 2011, 11:21:41 PM: Quote from: woodywsu on April 11, 2011, 07:58:02 AM
Nice buck, thanks for posting it up. I recognize this buck. Was Dick involved in this hunt?

Just my dad and I. There were a few emails that went around amongst friends so maybe "Dick" received that...? Or if he is a member of the duck club we belong to. It was the opening weekend for duck hunting over there at the same time.

CAMPMEAT: Thanks for posting that pic, what a ball-dragger. Whether ya have a tag or not, there's nothing more exciting than seeing a beautiful buck like that.

Shortly after the hunt ended I was able to see a montage of pictures taken by the regional F&G officer of all the bucks taken that season. It was pretty neat seeing the quality of bucks from the unit. Probably 3 out of the 12 (if i remember right), were of my dads quality, and all but one of the rest were still wall-hangers. At least to my standards.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: woodywsu on April 14, 2011, 09:19:34 AM: A lady took a good buck out of that area that same year. Did you ever see that pic? I have most of the pics of all the bucks killed in the desert over the last 10 years. Pretty cool when you look at the genetics over a 10-year period.
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: C-Money on April 14, 2011, 09:26:19 AM: Woody, you need to post up those pics! :drool: I'd like to see if I knew any of those deer!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Bluemoon on April 14, 2011, 09:51:48 AM: I have a very nice 5 x 6 on the wall from that exact area. He was taken before it was called the desert area. Before there were any Walleye in Moses Lake, Back when you could fill a 5 gallon bucket full of Crappie in less then a half hour from the tressel. :yike: O my God! I must be getting old...What a place to grow up!
Title: Re: Desert Unit?
Post by: Seabeckian on April 14, 2011, 11:45:19 AM: Quote from: woodywsu on April 14, 2011, 09:19:34 AM
A lady took a good buck out of that area that same year. Did you ever see that pic? I have most of the pics of all the bucks killed in the desert over the last 10 years. Pretty cool when you look at the genetics over a 10-year period.
From that seasons photo set I have 3 different pictures of deer with woman. But there is one where the buck is caped and sitting on a stool in front of her. I'm sure that's the one your referring to, that mule is a monster. Its one of the top three with my Father's for that year in my opinion. Not as wide, but looks to be a fair share taller.

Bluemoon: Post up a pic of your mount if you don't mind. I love seeing them when they make it to the wall. It's harder for people to embellish size since they cant lock out their arms with the rack 2 feet from the camera haha. How long ago did you take your buck?