Spring Scouting & Sheds

With March coming in like a lion, my trips to the woods to do some scouting and search for shed antlers had to occur between snow storms. Even so, I was anxious to get out of the house and spend some time in my favorite archery spots from last fall. With snow still on the ground, it wasn’t hard to see where the deer had been spending most of their time.

A well-concealed deer bed beside a thick swamp; This spike was still carrying his antlers in early March.

The majority of the tracks I found were located in thick bedding areas, and it was nice to venture into the swamps and thickets I normally wouldn’t dare disturb. My spring scouting trips always seem to lead me to hiding places that I’ve overlooked during the season. The deer are often using the same areas that allowed them to avoid heavy hunting pressure a few months ago.

A nice sunset after an afternoon of scouting; Not exactly what I was hoping to see on my trail camera

In my opinion, this is the best time of year to do some serious scouting and stack the odds in your favor for next fall. Deer sign really seems to stand out in the spring and it’s easier to put together the pieces you might have missed the year before. I even carry a little notebook with me and keep a log of what I find, because it’s easy to forget the little details when hunting season rolls around. You never know when one of those details might help put the buck that’s been avoiding you into shooting range.

A tall rub that I missed during my fall scouting; Deer trails are very visible during the spring.

One of the benefits of spring scouting is that it’s the best chance you’ll have to find the shed antlers of any surviving bucks in your area. All of the sheds I’ve found so far this year have been pretty small. You’d think that the big ones would be the easiest to find, but somehow, they’ve eluded me. I keep telling myself that the big boys might still be carrying them around on their heads.

This white antler was an easy find, standing out against the dark leaves.

This year, my best luck finding sheds has been on trails between feeding and bedding areas. I also check fields, stream crossings, and any other places I think deer might spend a lot of time. It’s even better if these areas are located on a south-facing slope, as deer naturally spend more time in these areas to soak up what little sun we get during the winter.

This shed was partially covered with some ground ivy that had sprung up among the dead leaves.

I’ve found that overcast days are much better for shed hunting than sunny days. It also helps to hit the woods after a good rain, because the light-colored sheds stand out against the dark color of a wet forest floor. But the bottom line is that you just have to get out there and cover as much ground as you can. Don’t get discouraged, because shed hunting in PA is tough. Remember, this isn’t Iowa or Wisconsin, so don’t expect to find a dozen sheds in an afternoon. If you find one or two, you’re doing really well!

The Bruiser and I strike a pose in my front ‘yard’

I also thought I’d share some photos of my ’07 archery buck that I just got back from the taxidermist. If you’ve been following my field journals, this was the buck I nicknamed “The Bruiser” because his body was so huge and he came running to my rattling horns looking for a fight. The mount was created by Ron Wenner of Emlenton (814-797-5133), and I think he did an excellent job. I highly recommend his work if any of you are thinking about getting something mounted.

This angle shows the size of the buck’s body

Taxidermist Ron Wenner with the mount in his studio

As you can see, the bruiser had quite a few scars on his hide from doing battle with the local bucks. I have every intention of meeting up with some of his opponents this fall. I figure if they’re willing to square off with this guy, they’re probably sporting headgear worthy of a trip back to Ron’s taxidermy shop. And that’s a trip I’m quite willing to take.