What a crazy winter we’ve experienced this year, especially after last year’s ridiculously snowy winter in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin. We’re talking a 180. But a gentle winter is exactly what our struggling northern deer herd needs right now.
This breeding season promises to be unique and challenging. And unfortunately, sheds will likely be a little more challenging this spring for a few reasons.
One of the problems, of course, is that we simply don’t have as many deer as we used to. Between intense predation and harsh winters, there are simply fewer bucks, and if there aren’t many bucks, there aren’t many sheds.
Second, while the gentle winter was a blessing for deer, it will be a curse for hunters. Since there was virtually no snow for most of the winter, finding food was uncomplicated. We had one miniature frost in January, and when it got frigid, there were deer hanging around my bird feeder every night – sometimes even during the day. Once the temperature calmed down, they were mostly gone.
Instead of congregating in deer runs, this year they are widely dispersed. I find very few signs in some areas that usually look like a backyard. The deer just aren’t forced to dig in the trenches and fight, which is a good thing. But the raccoons will be scattered because of this.
My theme for this year’s shed season is “lower your expectations.” I don’t expect to find many fresh antlers for the reasons mentioned above.
I expect to find a higher percentage of venerable sheds. As I said, there are relatively fewer bucks in survivors today than there were 10-12 years ago. But last year’s prolonged winter will also aid find venerable sheds.
In the north, sheds were filled in until April last winter. Last year there was only a miniature window between deep snow and spring greenery. The breeding season was quite miniature.
I got to some of my favorite places, but I just didn’t have time to visit many of the places I wanted to visit. This year I was able to give up hunting for the entire season and I plan on visiting many of the places I missed last year and hopefully adding a few to my list.
I’m hoping other coon hunters haven’t discovered these areas and I can bring back some fresh ones from this year as well as a bone from last year.
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One thing that hasn’t changed this year is the pull of good food sources. If you have access to a field of winter wheat or some type of crop that has not been harvested, you should find good concentrations of deer. Even better if these fields are surrounded by evergreens or dense thickets such as dogwood or alder.
I absolutely drool as I drive and see a row of pine trees along the northern end of the farm field. Deer feed in the field and then lie under the evergreens, taking advantage of the southern exposure to absorb heat.
In the woods, the venerable shed hunting adage of “miles for stacks” will be more true than ever. Since the deer are not as concentrated this year, signs will be sporadic and you will have to cover more ground. The landscape is more even and deer can cover more ground than in a year with deep snow.
That being said, don’t be afraid to hit wintering spots like southern hills, cedar swamps, and dogwood thickets. The deer will be there, although maybe not as concentrated. However, they may still contain venerable sheds from previous harsh winters.
Location or mobility can be key for winter timber hunters, which typically attracts deer to the logging area where they feed in the treetops. I heard of a logger in southern Ashland County cutting cedar on a 40-acre plot of land who saw only three deer on the job this winter.
These low deer numbers may be due to the open winter, but cedar tops are to winter whitetails what Halloween candy is to trick-or-treaters, so timber hunters will have to move around to find the pieces that hold them deer.
As I write this, it is still early in the season and some bucks will still be wearing antlers well into March. In fact, it’s not unusual for bucks to carry antlers into March, and more may do so this year due to the lack of stress from frigid, deep snow.
So far I’m exactly 50/50 when it comes to finding fresh sheds versus venerable sheds. I suspect that by the end of the season the venerable sheds will outnumber the novel sheds.
Be persistent this year and keep racking up the miles. With few deer numbers and a scattered deer herd, shed hunting will be tough. But there are still those waiting to be discovered.
