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| Jay searching for another shed |
Better late than never so here is the post I've been wanting to do since last weekend. As Luck had it this past Sunday was a beautiful day here in West Virginia, most of the snow had melted off by now and the temps were in the low to mid 40s at midday. Since Jay is preparing to leave for Florida till mid-April for work we decided with nice weather still, before the brunt of winter hits us, we should make a trip around our hunting ground one more time. This is always great time to do some late season scouting, inspect the safety of your tree stand or to tear them down, and if you're lucky (in our case) or practiced at shed hunting, you might even find a few. As luck had it, I was setting up my trail camera over looking my food plot and mineral lick when all of a sudden I heard Jay yell, "Holy Shit, come here and look at it," well with my back to him and Jay being a pretty excitable guy, I wasn't sure if I should both acknowledging him. Haha. Not more than 30 seconds before his screaming excitement, we had been talking about trying to start shed hunting. Neither of us were experience at this nor had we ever found a shed by ourselves. Boy was I glad I decided to pay attention to him this time, because as I turned around he was bending down to pick up his very first shed. It wasn't the biggest shed, but his first one is something special for one, and two we also have had pictures of this deer all year. It may just be me, but I always find it interesting to be able to watch a deer full cycle and the shed only makes it that much more of an entertaining process.
After finding that first shed, we were primed and ready to walk anywhere and everywhere to find more. It was a good mind set to be in considering we were planning to walk over to Jay's tree stand and food plot as well as head back towards the top of the property and find out how the deer entered the property from the fields. After we got to Jay's food plot we went over that area with a fine tooth comb in hopes of finding another shed, but no luck there though. Normally, this is where Jay would set up his camera, but with him heading out to FL for the next few months, he decided not to bring it up. Most of the deer had worked their way in behind Jay's stand in season and we wanted to do more investigating than we got to in rifle season. We started up a deer trail towards the top of the property. Close to the line we examined a Pine tree to hang a double-stand in next year so we could video each other hunt next year, not to mention it looks like a four intersections of deer trails. We decided after looking at the tree and the trails to head to the field to get some great pictures and do a little more scouting before we left. We didn't find much more that day that we hadn't known, but we did manage to find a decent sized, fresh buck trace on the walk back out. Now to leave you with a beautiful view that is simply described as why I refer to West Virginia as West "By God".
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| West "By God" Virginia |
After finding that first shed, we were primed and ready to walk anywhere and everywhere to find more. It was a good mind set to be in considering we were planning to walk over to Jay's tree stand and food plot as well as head back towards the top of the property and find out how the deer entered the property from the fields. After we got to Jay's food plot we went over that area with a fine tooth comb in hopes of finding another shed, but no luck there though. Normally, this is where Jay would set up his camera, but with him heading out to FL for the next few months, he decided not to bring it up. Most of the deer had worked their way in behind Jay's stand in season and we wanted to do more investigating than we got to in rifle season. We started up a deer trail towards the top of the property. Close to the line we examined a Pine tree to hang a double-stand in next year so we could video each other hunt next year, not to mention it looks like a four intersections of deer trails. We decided after looking at the tree and the trails to head to the field to get some great pictures and do a little more scouting before we left. We didn't find much more that day that we hadn't known, but we did manage to find a decent sized, fresh buck trace on the walk back out. Now to leave you with a beautiful view that is simply described as why I refer to West Virginia as West "By God".
Very Cool! I started shed hunting a couple of years ago and really love it. I now have an excuse to be gone pretty much every day of the year hunting. I have found that most sheds are close to places where deer or elk (whatever your looking for) have to jump over something like a fence or ditch or where they eat on a consistent basis. I always start on the fence lines and work my way to water holes then to feeding areas. I bring my 8 x 24 binos because it might save you a few steps. Mostly though I just cover country where I saw big bucks before the rut and good places where I have found good sheds before. Ok I have officially ranted and I'm done. Happy Hunting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips Jake! I wish I was about to have elk around here, but I'll have to be suffice with Whitetails. I plan to get out there and start hunting more once this snow leaves our area, it has dumped at least 6-8 inches in the last 24 hours, on top of what was already on the ground..
ReplyDeleteI've never found a shed yet! Look and look and look but not yet. Maybe this year will be the year. Anyways, it sure looks like fun and certainly in that beautiful country you're in!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kari, it is beautiful up there, and I know what you mean I look forever and can't manage to find that first one.. Heard it gets easier after the first one though.. Hahaha
ReplyDeleteJusting that last pic is just unbelievable! I've been through West Virgina a time or two and it's definitely a beautiful state!
ReplyDeleteAs for shed hunting I've never found any when I actually went out to look for them but I've picked up two or three while doing something else. lol
That should read Justin.....lol
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