# 2018 shed season



## miked913

I'll start it off, I found my 1st one of the year today.


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## DLarrick

nice, I have thought about getting out here soon. I hunted one day last week and saw a group of 4 bucks. The biggest body one had already dropped.


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## missionfishin

Found one Sunday in Summit county.


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## DHower08

Found first Friday of January


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## miked913

The sun melted the snow on the south facing sides today, I hope we just get a little rain tonight to help the melt and I'll be out in the morning doing a little walking


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## FishThis

miked913 said:


> I'll start it off, I found my 1st one of the year today.
> View attachment 254286
> View attachment 254287


That one looks like a city deer


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## miked913

FishThis said:


> That one looks like a city deer


Oh boy this isn't going to be a "Public vs Private" like the ice fishing forum is it? No deer we're harmed during this particular hunt


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## beetlebailey

miked913 said:


> Oh boy this isn't going to be a "Public vs Private" like the ice fishing forum is it? No deer we're harmed during this particular hunt


ya no ****


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## FishThis

I can careless where you found the shed. From my expierence sheds within city limits are larger.


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## miked913

There probably are some nice ones in the urban areas but I some how seem to luck out and find few big ones at my hunt clubs 1100 acres in Morgan co.


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## DLarrick

As long as it fell off a deer I'll take a look at the pictures. No luck for me out of two quick evening searches. 
Where do you guys find the most sheds? Open field, thick bedding, fence crossings? If this is hijacking the thread we could start another with tips or just what kind of patterns you normally see. Only really been searching the last few years but most of the ones I have found have been in known bedding areas.


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## Flathead76

DLarrick said:


> As long as it fell off a deer I'll take a look at the pictures. No luck for me out of two quick evening searches.
> Where do you guys find the most sheds? Open field, thick bedding, fence crossings? If this is hijacking the thread we could start another with tips or just what kind of patterns you normally see. Only really been searching the last few years but most of the ones I have found have been in known bedding areas.


Bedding areas on south facing slopes near a food source. If they have pine trees mixed in even better. Also look for creek and fence crossings.


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## miked913

Yep just like flatheat said, and take your time you will see them from a distance sometimes but I'd say 75% of the time I'll find them 10' away or less! Several times I've stepped on them! I like to keep track of my distance walked with an app on my phone, one of my best years was spring '15 after all that snow we had, I had walked 44 miles and found 10 antlers 2 sets 1 in the 130's and 1 in the 150's


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## croppie1

Seen 2 bucks tonight with headgear still on


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## miked913

Yep I saw 2 yesterday chasing a yearly doe like it was November 11 both sporting antlers. But a good % of the big boys are already bald.


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## matticito

Do you do anything with the shed antlers? Im just curious


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## miked913

matticito said:


> Do you do anything with the shed antlers? Im just curious


 I will let my dog have a small one here or there, the big ones I hold 'em and pet them and stare at them and love them while I pray to the deer God's that I will be holding next year's antlers while they are still attached!


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## DHower08

matticito said:


> Do you do anything with the shed antlers? Im just curious


Sometimes the dog gets one. Other than that I can't say online what dirty stuff I do with them


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## socdad

matticito said:


> Do you do anything with the shed antlers? Im just curious


I cut them into pieces, drill a hole for a brass tube and turn them on a lathe to make pens.





  








antler pens




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socdad


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Jan 18, 2012




30-06 &amp; rollerball antler pens


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## miked913

couple of pics from Friday and today before the snow ruined it for us. There were 3 of us at camp. My hands, face and top of my bald head are all tore up! That's about 20 miles worth of walking. Get out there its ON!


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## DHower08

Walked for about 4 hours today.nada


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## sherman51

socdad said:


> I cut them into pieces, drill a hole for a brass tube and turn them on a lathe to make pens.
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> antler pens
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> socdad
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> Jan 18, 2012
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> 30-06 &amp; rollerball antler pens


how much for a couple of those pens??? send pm.
sherman


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## OutdoorMediaCo

All the healthy bucks on my cameras are holding bone in central Ohio. 2 injured have dropped. I’m checking cams again in a couple weeks before thinking about doing any serious looking. I like to drive and glass fields now but keep out of their core areas.


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## bank runner




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## catfish_1999

I have been watching 9 bucks from my house almost every day and as of today 7 still have both antlers and are still shoving each other around like pre rut type of sparring. 3 of them are nice size not monster bucks but just good size so hopefully they will drop soon and I can find most of them.


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## miked913

Our biggest buck we have punctured a tractor tire on new year's day when his antler was run over. I believe that the biggest mac-daddy bucks that are worn down, ear torn, fighting, breeders drop way early. Those start around Christmas, you gotta get on them before the neighbors and the squirrels.


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## buckeyebowman

My buddy has the opinion that the harder the Winter, the earlier the antler drop. I don't know if I buy that. I do like the idea that the heavy breeders drop early since they kind of get "used up" during the rut(s).


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## miked913

buckeyebowman said:


> My buddy has the opinion that the harder the Winter, the earlier the antler drop. I don't know if I buy that. I do like the idea that the heavy breeders drop early since they kind of get "used up" during the rut(s).


I would have to agree with your buddy hard winters seems to pop them earlier. Without a doubt the past couple mild winters our deer held way longer. The other thing that we now realized that we were completely wrong on, was a mild winter would produce bigger racks the next fall because of less stress better browse etc. When once we really looked at our buck antler growth; average age vs gross score they actually went down. It seems as though the longer they held their antlers during the mild winters we experienced the shorter growing period the antlers had. They still were hard horned in the fall at the same time and had weeks less time to grow we figured. What we noticed most was smaller mass measurements this fall and the fall before, it was really evident in a few of the deer that we just picked up sheds from that we knew were 4 yo's and we had lots of debates and scouring through pics and scrutinizing body features to confirm age. I guess this coming fall and winter we can really see if our theory is correct. I know we are running a small scale test here in the grand scheme of the deer world it is just shy of 1100 acres of Private ground that has been managed for mature deer for 15 years but we are pretty particular in record keeping with dates, body weight, age, and antler growth. It's pretty amazing the kind of info that a few guys can scribble down over 15 years in the hands of a competent computer person (not me) can produce.


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## bobk

miked913 said:


> Our biggest buck we have punctured a tractor tire on new year's day when his antler was run over. I believe that the biggest mac-daddy bucks that are worn down, ear torn, fighting, breeders drop way early. Those start around Christmas, you gotta get on them before the neighbors and the squirrels.


Total opposite at my place. All the small bucks dropped weeks ago. The bigger deer still have headgear.


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## mattlecon

My boys 1st she'd! He was pretty proud!


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## Muddy

miked913 said:


> I would have to agree with your buddy hard winters seems to pop them earlier. Without a doubt the past couple mild winters our deer held way longer. The other thing that we now realized that we were completely wrong on, was a mild winter would produce bigger racks the next fall because of less stress better browse etc. When once we really looked at our buck antler growth; average age vs gross score they actually went down. It seems as though the longer they held their antlers during the mild winters we experienced the shorter growing period the antlers had. They still were hard horned in the fall at the same time and had weeks less time to grow we figured. What we noticed most was smaller mass measurements this fall and the fall before, it was really evident in a few of the deer that we just picked up sheds from that we knew were 4 yo's and we had lots of debates and scouring through pics and scrutinizing body features to confirm age. I guess this coming fall and winter we can really see if our theory is correct. I know we are running a small scale test here in the grand scheme of the deer world it is just shy of 1100 acres of Private ground that has been managed for mature deer for 15 years but we are pretty particular in record keeping with dates, body weight, age, and antler growth. It's pretty amazing the kind of info that a few guys can scribble down over 15 years in the hands of a competent computer person (not me) can produce.


QDMA just recently published an article about this. This particular study found that late antler drop caused a decreased amount of antler growth the following year. The earlier the antlers shed, the sooner that new growth could begin.


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## buckeyebowman

This is a good point, and often overlooked, especially by me! I once read an article that detailed antler growth in whitetail deer. As soon as the antlers drop, the pedicles scab over, and new antlers erupt from them soon after. It's a year round process. The earlier that process can get going, the better for the next year.


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## bobk

Muddy said:


> QDMA just recently published an article about this. This particular study found that late antler drop caused a decreased amount of antler growth the following year. The earlier the antlers shed, the sooner that new growth could begin.


I’m not trying to be a smart arse. But did that need a study. It’s common sense that the sooner you start new growth the better the outcome.


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## miked913

bobk said:


> I’m not trying to be a smart arse. But did that need a study. It’s common sense that the sooner you start new growth the better the outcome.


Maybe not but nobody said we were real smart,. The old adage that a mild winter will produce good healthy deer and large racks the following fall turns out to be completely false and now we have a study that shows why we were so wrong for so long. I find things like that interesting, twin fawns are usually not fathered by the same buck I thought that was interesting too. I never claimed to be super smart but if it hurts me or my wallet I do pick things up eventually. If someone smarter than me did these studies on these subjects to figure out a way to make a living in the outdoors I applaud them, I'm at work reading about them on breaks between busting knuckles.


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## bobk

miked913 said:


> Maybe not but nobody said we were real smart,. The old adage that a mild winter will produce good healthy deer and large racks the following fall turns out to be completely false and now we have a study that shows why we were so wrong for so long. I find things like that interesting, twin fawns are usually not fathered by the same buck I thought that was interesting too. I never claimed to be super smart but if it hurts me or my wallet I do pick things up eventually. If someone smarter than me did these studies on these subjects to figure out a way to make a living in the outdoors I applaud them, I'm at work reading about them on breaks between busting knuckles.


Oh I wasn’t directing it at you. That study just seemed rather silly to me. I’m quite interested in learning as much as I can on the whitetail myself.


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## miked913

No problem Bob, I never felt it was directed to me. You always post pertinent info I enjoy.


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## Muddy

The study also focused on the severity of the preceding winter on antler growth like miked913 mentioned. I always figured mild winters equal healthier deer which in turn equals more antler growth the following year. I physically saw the opposite happening though. This research confirmed what I was noting, just like miked913 was noting. I just like studying deer. When I'm not outside hunting, fishing, or doing farm improvements I read about deer studies. Then I go to bed and dream about deer.


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## socdad

sherman51 said:


> how much for a couple of those pens??? send pm.
> sherman


I sent you a PM, best to contact me via email / [email protected]


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## DLarrick

anybody else having issues posting pictures from the app?


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## DHower08

A few from the other day


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## chris1162




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## buckeyebowman

I just had a thought. Maybe harder Winters eliminate some of the weak, allowing the more fit greater access to food and more breeding opportunities. I'm sure it's more complex than that, but it could be a contributing factor.


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## miked913

buckeyebowman said:


> I just had a thought. Maybe harder Winters eliminate some of the weak, allowing the more fit greater access to food and more breeding opportunities. I'm sure it's more complex than that, but it could be a contributing factor.


Maybe but we always seem to find the same amount of dead ones while shed hunting 1-3 every year, you'd think that'd be different.


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## Scum_Frog

dang that is a daggerrrrrrrr


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## Snakecharmer

Scum_Frog said:


> dang that is a daggerrrrrrrr


That's the same thought I had! Great minds think alike....


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## DLarrick

Been having issues posting pictures so let's see if this works. Found a couple weeks ago......never did see him alive.









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## DLarrick

These four were from six people walking one morning.









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## DHower08

Dlarrick if you ever need another guy to walk just let me know !!! Got out for an hour after work at a new spot didn't find any. Will be back this week though


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## DLarrick

Will do DHower, what part of town you stay/look in?


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## Shaun69007

far be it for me to judge and i am quite sure most of people out there don't understand that you must have a kill permit or something attached to a full deer. Sheds are okay but a full deer will be seen and considered Poached unless tagged. I learned this the hard way by a colonoscopy by a game warden in Licking county years back. Luckily all mine were small deer found while rabbit hunting but larger deer will cost you money and possibly your licences. Colonoscopies by game wardens are terrible they have huge knuckles..


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## DHower08

DLarrick said:


> Will do DHower, what part of town you stay/look in?


Live in canton look in all surrounding counties


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## DLarrick

Might be a little far off man....im down here by Cinci.


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## DHower08

DLarrick said:


> Might be a little far off man....im down here by Cinci.


Yeahhh that's pretty damn far lol


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## Frostbite

I have found a few last week in portage county. Hopefully this snow melts soon !!


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## buckbob

i got a trail cam pic on march 4th had a buck on it still sporting both sides thought that was odd


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## OutdoorMediaCo

buckbob said:


> i got a trail cam pic on march 4th had a buck on it still sporting both sides thought that was odd


Very common. Now May 4 would be odd. I see antlered deer well into April every year.


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## Muddy

I got out for the first time yesterday and found this one.


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## miked913

Awesome do you have and pics of him?

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## Beepum19

Anyone from the Danville area missing a deer?


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## Muddy

miked913 said:


> Awesome do you have and pics of him?
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


I don't have any pics of him. I have numerous pictures of every buck around. This must have been a new deer to the area. I also got some pictures several weeks ago of a new 10 point. I have the same old bucks on film over and over all year, I've seen a lot of them from the stand. Now all of the sudden a couple of strangers showed up.


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## Junebug2320

Beepum19 said:


> View attachment 258595
> Anyone from the Danville area missing a deer?


Wow what a shame. 


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## miked913

Made it out for a little while today, picked up 2 more, 1 was a break off from fighting I guess, pretty cool I've never found one like that.









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## miked913

Took me a little bit of searching but I found a pic of the broken antler buck. I can't wait to see what he does with those brow tines in a couple years!









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## Muddy

I found one this week that I've walked by probably 10 times off a mowed trail. It stuck out like a sore thumb on a dark rainy day this week. The brow tine broke off some time ago, it was somewhat rounded off and worn.


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## OutdoorMediaCo

Nothing fresh yet for me.


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## juggerman

How come all I see is a white box and no picture... I'm using my Android to view if I go up to the three dots in the right hand corner click in open in browser then I can open with Facebook Messenger that seems like a whole bunch of BS to view a picture anybody have any ideas


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## miked913

juggerman said:


> How come all I see is a white box and no picture... I'm using my Android to view if I go up to the three dots in the right hand corner click in open in browser then I can open with Facebook Messenger that seems like a whole bunch of BS to view a picture anybody have any ideas


Are you using Ohub? That doesn't work any anymore, I downloaded the Tapatalk app and everything works perfect now

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