Big Game Hunting
Antler Sheds
Flat featureless woods...just walk the trails. Any thicker brush, look there...bedding if you have any. Walk on a overcast day, sheds seem to be easier to spot.
If the deer are wintering in your area, there will be sheds. If you don't have food on or neighboring properties, I wouldn't bother beating your head with it. walk the trails, nothing, move on to a different property. Ask a farmer that had crops standing or alfalfa fields.
I've walked 40 hours and found nothing here in WI. Even where there were deer wintering.
You mention scouring the south hills, but what are you typically looking for in flat, featureless woods? And I get it's not likely that there's anything that attracts deer to a particular spot like fish relate to structure, but do you just walk trails and hope for the best?
Welder Guy, that may be a good approximate date, but it's truly a random thing. Last year there was a 180 class deer down in Iowa still holding both sides in April. The buck was seen crossing the road. They also had a big 8 in the 150's that had both sides on cam March 23. On the flip side, they had already picked up about 20 by that valentine mark as far back as middle of January. Every year is a different hunt. Scour the south hills, same bedding grounds 20 times and the 21st time there could be a 80 inch side. I find shed hunting fascinating how you can walk past a shed within feet and not see it somehow. It never gets old that's for sure....I love how my heart skips a beat when you first lay eye's on it and you KNOW. priceless.
