2012 Blacktail Shed Hunting Thread

[TheProvider]

Well hiked up to check my cams today. Absolutely no snow there anymore and the cam pics weren't too interesting.

Although its early for bt's to be dropping there headgear(feb). I got lucky with no snow. I took lots of video but am making a movie so you only get a teaser :D Here's to the start of the 2012 Blacktail Shed Season

Jan 6th 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ln6PKIfyyA&feature=youtu.be

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390502_10151132251265313_794810312_21982400_801054 328_n.jpg

[quadrakid]

I found a fresh shed on dec28th last week. I guess some drop early.

[TheProvider]

I did hear reports of them dropping on Vancouver Island already

[adder]

i have found 5 so far on the island, no fresh ones yet though. Im only trying new spots so i dont spook the deer in any of my good spots

[hunter1947]

I was out the other day nothing so far ..

[killer]

Had a buddy call me to say he saw two large bucks with no horns yesterday

[TheProvider]

Had a buddy call me to say he saw two large bucks with no horns yesterday

On the island or main land?

[TheProvider]

Sheds found within 1.5km. Give or take 200' of elevation

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/385491_10151136246240313_794810312_22002316_166158 1822_n.jpg

[TheProvider]

Differences between a lengthy 3pt with mass or a stubbier 5pt(4 up top for you none believers in browtines).

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408964_10151136246405313_794810312_22002317_975823 218_n.jpg

[TheProvider]

3pt goes 41 2/8'' and the 5pt goes 46"

The 3pt shed is a 2yr old shed. 5pt is last years shed. 2 more years and they should be nice and gnarly

[killer]

it was on the island nanaimo

[MOUNTAIN MAN - TOYOTA/ATV]

Nice shed antlers.

[fuzzybiscuit]

I saw a decent two point in Campbell River today, still wearing his head gear.

[TheProvider]

Nice shed antlers.


Thank you. Need to find the matching side to the 5pt. Heading out tomo to scout a new area. Maybe add to the collection.

[TheProvider]

Went out to check out a new area today... FOund two old ones.... I'll dedicate these ones to proguide as he likesgnarly bases... I'm thinking possibly same deer different years. Definately going downhill

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/393402_10151143146295313_794810312_22031480_146785 440_n.jpg

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https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/408351_10151143147175313_794810312_22031488_182789 8249_n.jpg

[TheProvider]

A little bit of mass. Prolly going downhill in antler growth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cQsYWs_StM

[hunter1947]

Nice find on the matching set if that deer is still around he will be a cranker of a buck thanks for posting your outings....

[TheProvider]

Shed with big base scores 50 3/8" and thats with a chewed off main beam. Guess I try and find the other side :P

[moose2]

Congratulations to a great start on your shed hunting. The low or no snow conditions should give all us die hard shedders quite a bit more productive time in the bush this year.
Mike

[91Jason91]

nice shed hunting

[TheProvider]

Congratulations to a great start on your shed hunting. The low or no snow conditions should give all us die hard shedders quite a bit more productive time in the bush this year.
Mike

Thanks, Definately makes it easier to find the old ones. The bt's around here still carrying their headgear. Most the bucks in my areas are up higher in snow still

[TheProvider]

Was just thinking this morning I haven't found a 2pt or spike shed yet. Well found a matching set today as I was looking for the matching big guy. THey were about 4yrds apart the second one was 90% underneath moss

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/401375_10151151074480313_794810312_22055854_136773 9885_n.jpg

[greenhorn]

Found a honkin fork horn blacktail shed. First pic is a buck I took in 2007. Next pics show the shed next to the antlers of the 2007 buck!!

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/2007buck.JPG

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/125scale.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/128scale.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/129scale.jpg

[TheProvider]

Pretty big fork. Heading out tomo to check cams, maybe get to see if the bucks have started to dropped their headgear here yet, still think its a lil early

[hunter1947]

Nice find yes it is time to start putting on some boot leather..

[greenhorn]

Nice find yes it is time to start putting on some boot leather..

Yeah, I think that deer must be a cranker!! Hopefully when I head back into the area where the shed was found I'll find the other side. Might be tough though the timber in that area is real thick!!

[kennyj]

Yeah, I think that deer must be a cranker!! Hopefully when I head back into the area where the shed was found I'll find the other side. Might be tough though the timber in that area is real thick!!
Thats a HUGE fork greenhorn. I hope you find the match.
kenny

[1980skywalker]

So to all the diehards out there, and you are obiviously out there... when do you think is the best day to start seriously hunting for this years sheds. I have trail cam pics of 5 deer with 5 points or better on at least one side in a small area and I am dying to get out there and look for their sheds. Just not sure when to start looking???

[TheProvider]

So to all the diehards out there, and you are obiviously out there... when do you think is the best day to start seriously hunting for this years sheds. I have trail cam pics of 5 deer with 5 points or better on at least one side in a small area and I am dying to get out there and look for their sheds. Just not sure when to start looking???

I'm in the Sea to Sky area, prolly the second week of Feb I'll start seriously shed hunting unless before that I'm getting trail cam pics of bald bucks.

[TheProvider]

Well went to check cams and get and idea is the bucks are dropping there headgear.

Jan 27th with head gear
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/429309_10151260871745313_794810312_22406514_650961 602_n.jpg

Jan 31rst... no headgear

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/394091_10151260871905313_794810312_22406515_600532 890_n.jpg

Feb 5th... no head gear

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/422589_10151260872290313_794810312_22406518_122530 1925_n.jpg


Followed the ridge up past my cam and of course 100yrds from my cam there tracks all over from the old bugger I've been trying to get a pic of. He's still eluding me. Cple mins later found the first fresh shed of the year for me. Young but nice to see it with a browtine. Still blood on it.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/422872_10151260861540313_794810312_22406503_385531 _n.jpg

[fuzzybiscuit]

I saw three bucks in a yard in Comox yesterday and they were all still packin' head gear. Two 2's and a 3x4.

[Tikka270wsm]

Right on! Good luck in your search of the head gear from that old buggar you've mentioned.

[TheProvider]

Thanks I'll be looking till I find them even if it takes all summer. He's been coming off a ridge higher up but I'm staying off of it until I'm certain all headgear is dropped. I figure another week and a half and I'll go up there.

[TheProvider]

Only one old shed found today, all the tines and main beam chewed off it. #14 of the 2012 season

[proguide66]

Cool pics , chunky bugger. My neighber found a freshy 2 days ago.I'm going to wait a month. To get to my 'spot' is absolute HELL...would hate to go to that effort to see a rack hoping away !

[WesHarm]

glad you had a better ay out shed hunting then i had!!

[TheProvider]

Cool pics , chunky bugger. My neighber found a freshy 2 days ago.I'm going to wait a month. To get to my 'spot' is absolute HELL...would hate to go to that effort to see a rack hoping away !

I have a feeling a lot are stilll carrying their headgear. I was in a few spots today that were just trambled with big tracks and the huge tracks from the same bugger this season and there was nothing, gonna lve it atleast another week. Did find a few more ridges and bluffs areas above my honey hole however. And also a well used trail right above a massive washout(a few hundred feet straight down) that leads onto another section of mountain. I'm guessing thats where they head at the first sign of danger. Great place for a trail cam :D

[TheProvider]

dont feel bad wesharm- its still early for sheds like I just said I think alot are still carrying them. if I didn't get a cple pics on the trail cam of a cple bald bucks then I'd swear they were still packing them. I only went out today on short notice after a cple plans changed.

[WesHarm]

nice! yeah... i blew out my oil pan >.< lol i actually didnt even get into the bush.... haha

[TheProvider]

thats a $hitty deal right there

[greenhorn]

They're still packing antlers on the south island (around me anyway), found a few more though which I'll post sometime soon....

[greenhorn]

Some more finds - hope it's ok to post up antlers from found animal kills:

Busted this weird set off a kill that was way up a bluff, looks like he broke one side off:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/EditedIMG_0010.jpg

A few days later found another kill. The skull still had alot of gunk on it so I cleaned it up:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/EditedDSCN0233.jpg

More recent find was a big 2 point or 3 point depending on your definition, this was also a kill:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/EditedDSCN0186.jpg

Some gnarly bases on the last find:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/EditedDSCN0238.jpg

Here they all are, with another little spike shed in the mix as well:
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/EditedDSCN0236.jpg

[TheProvider]

lots of kills you found, I found about three different kills in a cple months, all old and all antlerless

[greenhorn]

lots of kills you found, I found about three different kills in a cple months, all old and all antlerless

The area I've been searching is very interesting. The bush is very thick and the terrain very steep. Every once in a while I'll come across scat piles with deer fur in them. I can't tell whether they are wolf or cougar, but something is eating the deer.

The size of antlers I've been finding make me excited about the genetics in this area - I'd consider the big fork shed and the kill of the 2 point to be above average blacktails for sure (on the island anyway).

[Squire]

dont feel bad wesharm- its still early for sheds like I just said I think alot are still carrying them. if I didn't get a cple pics on the trail cam of a cple bald bucks then I'd swear they were still packing them. I only went out today on short notice after a cple plans changed.

I agree that it is still a bit early. I have seen good bucks in my most productive shed area into early February. I usually start looking the first weekend after Valentine's Day. This is in the Pemberton area so they may drop sooner in a slightly warmer climate? I scouted out a Squamish area last fall that I'll likely be checking next weekend.

By the way, nice finds Provider.

[MOUNTAIN MAN - TOYOTA/ATV]

Nice find on your sheds.

[TheProvider]

Itching to get out again but know I gotta wait

[TheProvider]

Went out saturday. The first time in along time as the snow the past cple months have played havoc. Only found a cple old chewed ones. Better than getting skunked though.

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