SHED HUNTING, April 2006

Dec '05 ~ Jan "06 February '06 April "06 May & June '06 Dec '06 Montana '06

April 27, 2006 Went out today again in hopes of finding a couple more sheds before everything greens up. Tundra and Kodi knew what they were looking for when they found this old shed covered in leaves below a tree. Another garden variety antler.

Aaron and I drove to a couple different areas, and weren't having any luck, and the country wasn't looking very moosey! We went back to another area we'd walked in the winter where Kodi  had found an old antler buried in the snow. We were hollering at the dogs, when I spotted this little freshie. Some critter got a hold of it all ready this spring as the top is pretty chewed. But an antler is an antler, and this makes my goal of 20 for the season! Can't complain about that!

It wasn't much further on that I spotted this year old antler glowing white against the brown ground! Aaron couldn't believe my luck! Not a bad little old one.

April 26, 2006

Aaron and I went out this morning, excited since it was a beautiful day. We decided to cover some ground we walked last week since  a lot of snow has melted, and we really want to find the match to my big antler we found in the area. After awhile of walking in country that was familiar we were getting a little frustrated, wondering if there were any antlers to find! I was so excited when I saw this antler laying in the sun! Too bad it had to sit out there for  a year! The top was a little chewed, and it smelled pretty ripe, but it is a beauty!

We walked on a little further and were discussing what direction we should be going since my GPS was telling me to go one direction, and we both thought we should be going another. At that moment, Aaron looked up and sitting in a patch of snow was Tundra with antler she had apparently found in the woods buried since only one tine was dry, and it was sitting on top of the snow.  We wondered how far she carried it! What a good shed dog. She wasn't ready to give it up. We carried this one home for the flower garden.

We did a long sweep, and then were heading back for the day. I was coming over the top of a little hill and saw this dandy just resting on the snow, probably it has been buried up until a week ago.  A long little paddle for this guy! A fine way to end a day shed hunting with a freshie!

April 22, 2006 Another after work walk with the dogs. We covered more ground tonight, but didn't find anything fresh. We were walking back when Kodi started digging in some fairly deep snow. Kodi never digs unless it is something good. Sure enough, I went to investigate and there was at least a year old antler. Kodi didn't care much about it after that, but Tundra thought it was great. She carried it the remainder of the way back to the truck! Gives us hope that if she ever finds one she'll bring it to us! This is number 5 for Kodi this year! April 21, 2006 After a 12 hour shift at the hospital I called Aaron and told him to pick me so we could at least go on a little walk in the woods, with the chance of finding a moose antler.

We were out walking areas we walked all winter, covering ground fairly quick since we didn't have a lot of time. I spotted this little antler through the brush and couldn't believe how many times I'd walked near it in the winter. I wasn't expecting to go home with an antler. The pressure is on, this is our 8th day straight of finding antlers.

April 20, 2006

What a day!!  I was hoping to redeem myself after I hadn't found any the day before. Aaron and I had looked at lots of shed photos the evening before and in the morning, and again I dreamt about antlers. Aaron and I would love to bottle the feeling one gets when they set eyes on a shed!!!

So Aaron and I decided to comb a few new areas before went searching for the other side to our big antlers we found this year. We'd noticed some prime country the day before and decided to do a quick sweep. Literally 4 minutes into my walk and not 50 yards from the road I spotted this massive antler tine down! He had enormous brow tines, nearly four. He was definitely brow heavy, his paddles nice but not as heavy. I was so glad the pressure was off me now! I knew I could leave the woods knowing I'd rescued another antler from spending a year in the sun and rain!

So then we split back up into our areas and continued our sweep. Probably 8 minutes later of slow easy combing, I heard Aaron holler at me. I went running through the trees not believing our early morning fortune! Sure enough, tine down again and heavy with brow tines...it had to be the match!!! This comes as the seconded easiest match we've found.

I wish all moose would drop within such a short distance! Aaron's side has three brow tines and long distinct top points. 1 tine is broken off the paddle.

We spent the rest of the day walking looking for the match to our bigger antlers from the year with no luck. We should have quite while we were ahead!!! (grin). You never know what you might find in the woods though!

April 19, 2006 Aaron and I were out for most of the day today...eight hours in all.  It had to have hit 50 degrees today! The snow was melting like crazy. We walked for a couple hours when Aaron hollered at me. I had been watching Tundra digging at something in the grass, and noticed that Aaron had taken a turn from the path he was originally heading on. Apparently he saw a white "something" and was going to investigate...His investigation ended when there was a nice brown shed on the other side of the bush he was traveling behind. The white "something" was nothing, but it led him to this dandy fresh antler. We likely would have walked on by.

So then I had to go investigate what Tundra was excited about. I don't usually get too excited because Tundra finds all sorts of things in the woods. She walks around with moose hooves in her  mouth, wings from birds, sticks, gloves, etc.   She had his the jackpot though today. She was frantically trying to get this little antler out of grass. It wasn't 15 feet from Aaron's antler.

I think she was claiming it as she sprawled out over it.   It was a dandy antler from last year that was nearly being swallowed by the grass it lay in.  It is in great shape. A nice little 6 pointer.

We did some exploring today in different areas. Not 5 minutes out of the truck and Aaron hollered at me. A nice year or two old shed with lots of character. The top point bends sharply forward.  It is in pretty good shape too.

April 18, 2006  Just fifteen minutes into our walk, Aaron almost stepped on this shed.  It appears to be the match to the older one I found not far away.  Now we just have to find this years side to match the fresh one I already found this year.

Aaron and I walked probably two and a half more hours with no luck. We were in great country, but in some places the snow is really deep yet. I was just thinking to myself we can't leave until we find a freshie when I spotted this little guy. Had I walked around the tree in a different direction I surely would have missed this little bugger. A real treasure to find in such big country!

April 17, 2006 Aaron and I went for a walk after I picked him up from work today. We walked from about 7:15 to 9:00 pm. We covered a lot of the country we walked earlier in the winter, but with the snow melting we were hopeful! We were just getting ready to head back to the truck, when I saw the butt of an antler peaking through the snow! I couldn't believe it!  Nice to be able to find a freshie on an evening walk with the dogs.

Went out on a jaunt today in hopes of finding some antler on Easter. We walked for about five hours. There's a lot of snow in the deep woods yet, but the edges open to the sun were dry and nice walking. I nearly walked by this antler, but saw the tip as I walked passed a tree that was hiding it. A year old, but still in great shape!

We took the dogs for a walk this evening since they'd been cooped up for much of the day. We were walking along when Tundra came running up with a spike in her mouth!!! That is one heck of a smart malamute. Watch out Kodi, Tundra is catching on quick!

April 2006

Another day shed hunting with Ryan, (aka Shoot2Kill). Not twenty minutes into the walk I spotted this antler through the woods. We were cutting through the trees to get to another clearing. I took the right route I guess! Finally a freshie!

Ryan found a match to one of his antlers he'd found two years earlier. For two years old this shed was in excellent condition. This is his first legitimate match that he's found both sides to.

And then we walked a lot with no one spotting anything. We were sweeping through the area we walked the day before and it was slim picking. Toward the end of the field I spotted this beauty.  Ryan couldn't have walked more than thirty or forty yards from it the day before. I was so excited....hollering and yelling. Both Aaron and Ryan were a good walk across the field, but they came running.....and it was a whopper moose shed.

One of the largest sheds I've ever found. Rough score is 73. That makes two fresh sheds for the day.

And then we split up again, the guys back across the field and I continued on my walk.... Not 5 minutes later I was walking along and saw two rubs in the trees, and below them was a fresh moose shed! I was hollering and I think I heard Aaron and Ryan grumbling as they trudged back across the field. I've always wanted to find a shed below a rub since I've seen pictures of sheds like that. What a dandy! That makes three fresh sheds for the day.

We all started walking again. I was hauling my two recent fresh sheds on my pack frame. I decided to take to the woods since the sheds I'd found for the day hadn't fallen in the field, but closer to the woods.  I was out trudging in nearly knee deep snow with enough crust to hold me for a minute then sink in. It was exhausting.  We all walked for about thirty minutes. I was heading back from the woods to the field to see where the guys were....Then I saw this beauty sitting in the leaves!! I was freaking out....Number 4 for the day. I'd never found more than 2 antlers in day, and they had never been fresh.

This monster had a lot of mass in the palm. Rough score is 69.

My pack was getting heavier. It wasn't bad, but the snow was a real pain. I sank on every step. I figured it was my good luck pack.

And then it was Aaron's turn. We were all out stomping around the woods. There were monster rubs everywhere, trees literally torn to shreds, and lots of trees eaten bare by moose. The snow was pretty deep in some areas, but it was melting. Aaron let out a whoop! A perfect fresh antler.

About two minutes after we walked from Aaron's find, Ryan and I were about 10 yards apart splitting in our directions when I spotted those lovely brown tines just to my right! I let out another whoop! Ryan couldn't believe my luck. Aaron hadn't made it very far, hauling my antlers now. That makes five fresh antlers for the day!!!!

April 2006

 Fellow shed hunter, Ryan ( aka Shoot2Kill) flew up from Minnesota to spend some time tromping in his old shedding grounds.  He had covered a lot of ground over four days, and on the fourth day found the monster antler he'd been dreaming of. It was the same antler side from the same bull he'd found a year before.  He needed some help finding the match....the more eyes the better!!!

Not twenty minutes into our walk......I saw those large brown tines sticking up through the brush!!!

It was definitely a match to the one he found two days before, but it had a lot more character. The brow tines were wild...there were four brow tines and two were somewhat folded under the other two. It had a small tine coming off the back of the palm. It was enormous! The largest shed I'd ever found by far, and under the circumstances....I couldn't keep it. A shed like this belongs with it's match...and since Ryan found the match, it would be a shame to split this set.

Ryan holding the match to the side he found two days before. He says that the other side was about 75 yards away!

Aaron walked right past this on our first sweep through the area. Then on our way back through to the truck, he spotted it right in front of him.  Just goes to show how easy they are to miss!

So after I found the match to Ryan's shed, he decided to take us to the "Honey Hole". It was a perfect shed spot...the moosiest of moose country!!! We were driving along and Ryan hollered...."I Saw One!!!" His first ever shed from a car! And a dandy at that! A self stander! Not five yards from the road! What a way to start a hunt in the "Honey Hole".

Kodi found this dandy two year old shed...Ryan walked right over this one a couple days before. Not an easy one to spot unless you trip over it! This is number four for Kodi this year!!!!

Aaron found this year old shed shortly after Kodi found his two year old antler. The back of the antler still had pretty good color.

We were sweeping through prime moose country and I was hoping it was getting close to my turn again! I looked over to my left and saw those long tines!!  Once we pulled it out of the snow, I realized it is the same side from the same bull I found this year, just it is last years shed.  It has 2 brow tines last year, this year it had 3.

Aaron's first find in the water! A nice little freshie, just hoping to be found before it started stinking!!!!
 

Ryan and I spotted this antler nano-seconds apart. He hollered just as I started to holler! Lucky dude!  If we weren't following the shedicut book, I might have fought him for it!!!  It was a beauty...Tine down. Had it been tine up I probably would have found it before him.

Ryan found #10!!! It was what we had hoped to find in the "Honey Hole" Once he hollered at us...we heard...."Wicked".
Pretty wild antler with a nice elbow point. The antler was a year old shed. This was his second year old shed! I kept asking him where he was walking last year when he covered all this ground!

Another year old shed that Ryan missed last year!!!!!!! (grin)

Down in a little hole. The front kept it's color well!  The back a little bleached. This makes number 11 for the day. Can't end the day on an odd number!

We were making our way back to the truck, after nine hours of walking all I could do was think of setting the antlers down and resting, Ryan was die-hard out beating the brush even though he was holding two nice sized antlers. Aaron and I were making our way out of the brush when we heard Ryan holler! We couldn't believe.  I guess you shed hunt from beginning to end, until you set foot in your vehicle.

Aaron and I beating the brush. It is hard to walk through thick brush when you have points sticking out all over!

The last shed of the day. We were driving to a spot for photos, talking about sheds on the side of the road. I started to speed up so Ryan wouldn't find anymore sheds from his window seat, when Aaron yelled, and then Ryan right after him.....Aaron must of seen it nano-seconds ahead of Ryan!!!  Not two feet from the road. Number 13 for the day!

The haul for the day!

This is the best day any of us have every had shed hunting. How awesome to be able to share such memories together. Something so simple as a little antler can bring people together and make for  some of the best times ever!  Thanks Ryan!!!

April 12, 2006

Fellow shed hunter Ryan Hoffman made a trip to AK to fill the shed hunting void since he moved back to Minnesota last fall. He was out for four days with no luck when he found the big one he was looking for. Last year his largest shed was from this monster as well, luckily this bull only got bigger. Ryan called us and said, "I need help finding the match!" We were all about it.