No Sheds, No hunt?

[NYBackcountry]

I think most of us here would agree that when you're picking an area to hunt, or even a spot within that area, there are many pieces to the puzzle. Where do sheds fall into the decision making process for you? Shed hunting seems to have turned into a craze the past few years. I personally don't find many, and have never really dedicated anytime to truly looking - so naturally I don't put much weight behind it when deciding where to hunt.

Do you care if you find sheds in the areas you hunt? If you don't find any, will you write a spot off?

[Lockdown]

I don’t find many sheds at all. Some years I don’t find any. If I do find one (in bedding) all it means to me is it’s likely a decent late season spot.

Shed, buck bed, big track, big poop, it’s all just sign to me... just in different forms.

I’m not big on the shed craze either, but I understand how/why people get enjoyment out of finding them. I just don’t want to find a big dead head. They’re nothing more than sadness to me

[Jdw]

Sheds are not something I take into account when looking for hunting areas.

[Grizzlyadam]

I have always had more success trying to find antlers still attached to the deer than laying on the ground.

[seazofcheeze]

I dont put much weight on it at all. However, if I found a big antler, I would definitely be putting in some time checking out the surrounding area and put in some glass time the following summer.

[Crazinamatese]

Not finding sheds does not play a part in whether or not I hunt an area.

[Trout]

I dont even look for sheds. If I find one, awesome, but it has no impact one way or the other.

[Hawthorne]

I don’t put much stock in it. Most sheds I find are yearlings or 2 year olds. Deer could be miles from their winter range in fall

[Dewey]

Most of the stuff I hunt it's almost impossible to find sheds so I never avoid an area just because I didn't find any. I focus on other sign much more and trails cams where I can use them are easily the best evidence of what kind of bucks are around. You can’t kill bucks if they ain’t there so you need to find some type of buck sign if you want to up your odds of ever killing one. I found two matched set from the same buck over the last three years and that's like winning the lottery to me. You can bet I will be focussing on that area this coming season a bit more than I usually would. I missed that buck in January 2018 just before he dropped the first set I found so I feel I really need to settle that score.

[vtbuck]

Sheds are great but I put a lot more stock in buck beds, doe bedding, rubs, scrapes, food, water, and security cover.

[may21581]

Sheds are not something I take into account when looking for hunting areas.

X2

[Twenty Up]

The animals are constantly shifting around bedding in most instances. Very few places in the country hold enough natural resources (security cover, water, constant food from January-January) in one small area. In most instances you’re going to see a 1-5 mile shift from Summer to Winter bedding areas.. I generally see a 1-2 mile shift in most instances.

So if I were to base where I hunted in September off of where I found a shed antler that probably dropped in February/March, I’d probably be wasting my time

[Moose]

I dont even look for sheds. If I find one, awesome, but it has no impact one way or the other.

X2

[Kraftd]

The answer to this question is also very location specific. Some areas a buck may use the same general bedding areas all year. Other areas where he is when he drops may be literal miles from where he spends most of his hunting season time. Sheds are cool, they can certainly be a key part of the puzzle, but not if you ignore other pieces.

[may21581]

By the time an buck drops his antlers you are at the end of late season and into spring. The pressure has dropped off and they have sought out the best food sources and shelter for them to survive. It's cool finding sheds and their nice to show and tell.
I did chase a good buck several years ago. He was prolly in the 150s. Where I seen him in the summer and where I found his sheds were about a mile apart. I never seen him during the rut or the fall. The only time I could figure out why the buck was at those locations was simple. No pressure, top food sources, good bedding, does. If your area has this during hunting season then I would keep an eye out for him.