1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. Hey everyone, welcome to the wire to Hunt 4 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: Foundations podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Tony Peterson. In today's episode, it was 6 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: all about why shed antlers are just playing cool. It's 7 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 1: hard to believe it, my friend, but we're at the 8 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: time of the year where we should probably be thinking 9 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: about looking for some shed antlers. There are a lot 10 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: of reasons to shed hunt, and I'll probably cover like 11 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: ninety nine of them in the next few weeks with 12 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: this podcast, but for now, let's focus on what causes 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: antlers to fall off, the timing of the whole thing, 14 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: and why. I don't know. Well, like shed antlers are 15 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: just pretty damn neat. When I was in high school, 16 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: my uncle and cousin showed up for a visit. They 17 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: had driven down from the Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota, 18 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: where most of our remaining wild moose population hangs out, 19 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: and where most of our wolves hang out, and where 20 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: the fishing is still nearly Canada level good without the 21 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,199 Speaker 1: hassle of having to cross the border and where very 22 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: few white tails live compared to most regions of the country. 23 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: They had with them a shed antler that was, to 24 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: put it bluntly, a freaking giant. We measured it for 25 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: the hell of it, and it went somewhere in the eighties. 26 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: I can't remember exactly how much, but big, big, big. 27 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: Suffice it to say that that antler fell off of 28 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: a buck that was a legitimate north Woods booner, the 29 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: kind of buck that makes people want to go hunt 30 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: in the boundary waters or maybe waited out a fresh 31 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: snow in the northeast and try to cut a set 32 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: of huge dragging tracks with the hopes that they can 33 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: catch up to the deer as he traverses miles of timber. 34 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: That antler wasn't just fascinating due to its overall size, 35 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: which included ridiculous mass. It was cool to me personally 36 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: because I couldn't find an antler to save my life 37 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: at that time. I mean I really couldn't. I could 38 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: barely kill a live deer of any shape or size, 39 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: and certainly couldn't do it with any consistency. I knew 40 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: people who did that, just as I knew people who 41 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: found antlers frequently, and they were both a mystery to 42 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: me what I couldn't do. I was just figuring out 43 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 1: how they were doing it. It wasn't for a lack 44 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: of effort on my part either. I shed hunted quite 45 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 1: a bit then, and aside from finding deadheads every year, 46 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: which was a guarantee, I never found a shed. In fact, 47 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: I didn't find one till I was in college, and 48 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: that was an accidental fine. While I was turkey hunting 49 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: in May, it felt like a lot of people knew 50 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 1: something I didn't know, which was true then as it's 51 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: true now. A lot of people had access to spots 52 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: where dear wintered, which is something I didn't really understand 53 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: or have access to back then. I also, i know now, 54 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: focused a lot of my shed hunting a little bit 55 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: too early. This is kind of like right after the 56 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: ice goes out and you get that first really warm 57 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,639 Speaker 1: March or April day where the sun has just got 58 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: a lot of power to it. It's like easy to 59 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: believe then that the croppies will be up in the 60 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: shallows because they want of the first fish to move in, 61 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: But often the water temperature is just way too cold 62 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: at least in my part of the world, this happens 63 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: a lot. Sure, like you might catch a few specks 64 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: in the shallows if the conditions are just right, but 65 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: the good fishing will take a few weeks. A warm 66 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: weather that really gets those temps up, gets the bugs 67 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: and other potential food sources moving, and just positions the 68 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: whole underwater ecosystem to be at the right spot for 69 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: those croppies to be there. That might seem like a 70 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: weird analogy, bear with me. Deer preyed off of photo 71 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: period is um just like most game animals, game birds 72 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: and fish. Hell, I can't prove this because I'm not 73 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: smart enough, but probably every wild creature out there does 74 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: to some extent. Humans probably do too. But we know, 75 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: dear do We know that photo periods M, which is 76 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: the amount of daylight and the given day, plays into 77 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: the timing of the rut and has vast implications on 78 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: a buck's testosterone levels. We know that fawns need to 79 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: hit the ground in a relatively short window in the 80 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: spring in big numbers to achieve a successful drop. We 81 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: know that after the rut is over, a buck has 82 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: a lot of work to do to recover, and it 83 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: doesn't pay to carry around apparel weapons on his head 84 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: that only cause him to burn more calories with each step. 85 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: He doesn't need to fight his buddies because the competition 86 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: for doze is gone, and the benefit of having some 87 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: stabby things poking out of his forehead in regard to 88 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: fighting off predators, it's juice that just isn't worth the 89 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: old squeeze, So they fall off of his head, and 90 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: then idiots like me spend weeks and weeks looking for them, 91 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: and even train their dogs to look for them. It's 92 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: kind of weird, but it's also cool. The thing about 93 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: antlers is they dropped for a variety of reasons that 94 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: all produce the same result. As testosterone decreases in the 95 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: post rut phase, the tissue in the buck's pedicles begins 96 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: to weaken, eventually causing the connection to break and the 97 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 1: antlers to fall off. Most folks say this doesn't hurt 98 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: the buck, and I have no reason to believe it does. 99 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: But I also wonder how the hell would we know 100 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: if it's stung a little. I don't think deer would 101 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 1: give much indication that it hurt at all. This kind 102 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 1: of reminds me of that off stated fact about domestic 103 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: dogs that says something like, dogs look at us when 104 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: they're pooping because they feel vulnerable and they're looking for 105 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: us to protect them. I mean, that's cute, but couldn't 106 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: it also be that when dogs bowl up to drop 107 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: a deuce in your yard, they also just have a 108 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 1: very few options as what to look at. And if 109 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: we just happened to be there, they just happen to 110 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: look at us a lot. And since we've got like 111 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,239 Speaker 1: five thousand years at co evolution, some of those looks 112 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: happened to produce eye contact. Maybe they aren't thinking, Man, 113 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: I could be attacked here any second. I sure my owner, 114 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: who's also my hero, protects me. I better make serious 115 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: eye contact with him to make sure that he knows 116 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: I might need him. It could just be damn, he's 117 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: watching me again. What's the deal with this guy? Does 118 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: he like watching me poop? I love him, but he's 119 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 1: kind of a creep sometimes anyway. I don't know. Maybe 120 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: it hurts the dealer when the antlers fall off, or 121 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 1: maybe it doesn't. It does scare them. We know, because 122 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: there's a few really cool trill camera videos out there 123 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 1: of that. It's also something that's not really easy to 124 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: pin down time wise. Of course, we know stressors like 125 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: an injury during the fall or an early super harsh 126 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: bad winner seemed to contribute to deer dropping their antlers early. 127 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: The bulk of the drop happens every year between January 128 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: and March. This isn't based on anything but personal experience, 129 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 1: but I kind of feel like where I tend to 130 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: shed hunt the most. The third week of February is 131 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: when I need to get really serious about pounding the 132 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: snowy trails in search of antlers. From that week until 133 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: it's time to think turkeys, I tend to find most 134 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: of my antlers, but I also find some of my 135 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: biggest antlers. In January. Before Wisconsin shut it down, their 136 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: grouse season in the North Country used to run all 137 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: the way through January. This was awesome for me and 138 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: my buddies because it mostly felt like we were the 139 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: only people out there during that month. I mean, honestly, 140 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: in like ten years of hitting the January grouse pretty hard, 141 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: I never saw a single hunter on public land who 142 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: wasn't a part of my hunting party. That's like probably 143 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: sixty or seventy days total, not another person out there hunting, 144 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: but they shut it down to save the birds, which 145 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: as far as I can tell, didn't really do a thing. 146 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: But I'm also bitter because I don't like losing hunting opportunities, 147 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: especially when I get the impression they're being taken away 148 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: for emotional reasons, not biological, and and I know when 149 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: they take away our hunting opportunities don't give them back 150 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: very easily. Anyway, That's a sore subject with me and 151 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: not germane to this podcast. Except for the fact that 152 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: the January grouse season put an awful lot of really 153 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: big sheds in my trophy room and extended my personal 154 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: bird season by a month, I don't recall ever finding 155 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: a small shed during those hunts, which probably has something 156 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 1: to do with what dear really drop in January and 157 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: the reality that finding a spike shed in the snow 158 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: is a hell of a lot harder than finding the 159 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: side off of a mature buck. Every single year, while 160 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: we followed our dogs through the north Woods looking for roughs, 161 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: we found big antlers. We find a ton of them, 162 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: because after all, we weren't in the kind of place 163 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: where there are a ton of big bucks, but we 164 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: found them very consistently from every year now. I often 165 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,679 Speaker 1: go back and shed hunt there in March if the 166 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: snow allows, and rarely do I find big ones then, 167 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: although I do tend to get luckier when it comes 168 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 1: to smaller antlers, the exact hall for each trip doesn't 169 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: really matter. Although finding antlers is fun, what does matter, 170 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: at least to me is getting into the woods to 171 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: walk around and just look at places I either currently 172 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: hunt or might hunt in the future. There will be 173 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: plenty of this on future episodes of this podcast, and 174 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: I should also this should come as no surprise say 175 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,319 Speaker 1: that I just love finding antlers as well. I remember 176 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: a former magazine editor who lives near me. He hit 177 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: me up in February to go shed hunting several years ago. 178 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 1: I suggested a spot of mine that is usually pretty productive, 179 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: but he said he doesn't like to shed hunt where 180 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: he can't deer hunt, so we went into Carlos Avery, 181 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: a gigantic tract of public land near where I live 182 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: in the Twin Cities. It was a lost cause, mostly 183 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: because the deer population there's pretty low, the shed pressure 184 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: is really high, and it's mostly a game of getting 185 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: super lucky in those conditions. But those miles were a 186 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: good way to look around on some ground that we 187 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: actually could hunt, so it wasn't all bad even if 188 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: the miles per shed found ratio is skewed in a 189 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: not so fun direction. Now here's where I'm going to 190 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: say something that I often say when it comes to 191 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: outdoor opportunities. Shed hunting is actually a lot more difficult 192 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: than it looks. Just like with actually killing big bucks 193 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 1: or catching thirty inch walleyes or whatever outdoor space you 194 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: pay a close attention to and count as one of 195 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: your addictions, shed hunting for most of us is a 196 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: really low return endeavor, at least in the interest of 197 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: finding actual antlers. It is, but that's not the sole 198 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: reason to shed hunt. Just like we don't bow hunt 199 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: all fall solely for the purpose of killing a big buck. 200 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: That result is a powerful motivator, but it sells the 201 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: pursuit way short. The same goes for shed hunting. After all, 202 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: what else do you gotta do in the winter. Granted, 203 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 1: there's plenty of white tail work to get accomplished, but 204 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: we've got time for that for now. Looking for antlers 205 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: is a great reason to spend time in the woods 206 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: and time in the woods. Lots and lots of time 207 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: in the woods is one of the best ways to 208 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: become a better deer hunter. It puts you where deer eat, obviously, 209 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 1: but also where they walk, where they bed, where they stage. 210 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: It puts you where they live. And that's not nothing, 211 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: my friends, and yes, I get the argument for spending 212 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: time in the woods where you can hunt. After all, 213 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: what good does it do you to find a whole 214 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: bunch of rubs or pick up a side in a 215 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: park that you won't ever be able to hunt, or 216 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: at least until I don't know, the zombie apocalypse rages 217 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: through and re arranges us into small tribes of gritty survivors, 218 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: and we don't have to follow the laws anymore. Well, 219 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: for starters, these kind of finds in places you can't 220 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: hunt tend to dispel or at least nullify, the notion 221 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:47,839 Speaker 1: of quote unquote our dear. We love to say things 222 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: like my dear, do this or my dear never do that, 223 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,440 Speaker 1: which refers, of course, to the deer that live on 224 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 1: the places we hunt, and more importantly, what we believe 225 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: about them. Those statements are shortcuts to thinking, which is 226 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: why we love them so much. If we know one 227 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: are harder. Hearts that are dear, do not visit scrapes 228 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: in daylight, or never travel through a certain swamp. We 229 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 1: can dilute the whole process of hunt planning down, but 230 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:19,839 Speaker 1: exposure to new ground other dear and exactly what they do, 231 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: tends to reinforce the opposite mindset that dear dear no 232 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: matter where you live or where you hunt them. A 233 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: lot of folks don't like that thought, because they believe 234 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: that their dear are smarter and their dear are harder 235 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: to hunt than the other guys. Dear, And of course 236 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: that may be true in a micro level, but it's 237 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 1: not as true generally as we love to believe. And 238 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: if you get over that, you start to understand that 239 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: it will make you a better hunter everywhere. I promise you, 240 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,439 Speaker 1: when you're shed hunting a tract of public land to 241 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: get some exercise in a late January day, you might 242 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: get rewarded with a shed, or you might find some 243 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: buck beds in a swamp that show you an overlooked 244 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: tidy hole, or maybe just gets you thinking a little 245 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 1: bit more about where the bucks actually bet on the 246 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: farm that you actually hunt. I've said it a million 247 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: times but I believe this so much woodsmanship doesn't come 248 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: solely from the single minded pursuit of big bucks. It 249 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: comes from time in the woods, learning about all critters 250 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 1: and often not really caring about what you're doing. I 251 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: can't tell you how many times grouse or pheasant hunting, 252 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 1: or squirrel hunting, or rabbit hunting, or turkey hunting, or 253 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: just during a cabin fever induced February shed hunt with 254 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: my little girls that something has clued me in to 255 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: something about deer. It happens all the time, and the 256 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: benefit is partially that shed hunting and all of those 257 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: other pursuits take me into the wild places that I 258 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: wouldn't go if I was just hunting deer or just 259 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 1: solely scouting for deer. Shed hunting specifically also ties into 260 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 1: something else that will make you a better deer hunter. 261 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 1: Work effort, physical effort. If you're shed hunting in the 262 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: real world, we're finding a bunch of cast antlers is 263 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:10,319 Speaker 1: far from a guarantee. Then you're going to have to 264 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: put on the miles. In my world, in years where 265 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: I shed hunted a ton, and in years where I 266 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: shed hunted not a ton, but a decent amount I'd 267 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: average one antler every couple of weeks. That's piss pour 268 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: from a specific results standpoint, but that also might mean 269 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: thirty or forty hours spent walking through the places dear live. 270 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: The learning curve from time spending woods doesn't only bend 271 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: in your favor with dear habits and behaviors either. I 272 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 1: shed hunt mostly on public land, just like I hunt 273 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: all critters mostly on public land. There's nothing more obvious 274 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: during winter shed hunts than spots where people like to hunt. 275 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: There's still going to be stands in the woods, whether 276 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: they are supposed to be there or not. You're gonna 277 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: find cameras that are left up. You're gonna see tax 278 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: trails that are super obvious. Flagging on trails that's real obvious. 279 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: The spots hunters frequent, they're easy to find. They just 280 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: like the places deer frequent, start to become obvious. Pattern wise, 281 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: If you think that filling your brains database with the 282 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: most likely spots for your competition to set up in 283 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: isn't valuable, I've got some news for you. If you 284 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: hunt pressure deer, that is a huge component of being 285 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: successful and a constant reminder to do things differently. Which 286 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: not coincidentally contributes to success. This is one of the 287 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: things that justifies the work and the miles walked. You 288 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: become a better woodsman because of it, and it will 289 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: condition you to think about where the deer live, where 290 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: the other hunters usually try to kill them, and how 291 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: much work you're going to have to do to be 292 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: successful from season to season and year to year. Now, 293 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: while you're doing that, you might just spot a wall 294 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: of times poking out of a snowpack or the yellows 295 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: all grass. That's pretty damn sweet, and it's kind of 296 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: like muskie fishing, and that one bit of success in 297 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: a long day and mostly failing can carry you a 298 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: long ways. It lifts your spirits, keeps the fire burning. 299 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 1: It prompts you to make another ten thousand casts or 300 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: put on another thirty miles of shed walks next month. 301 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: So to wrap a nice bow around this, I'll say 302 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: what we all know, shed antlers are cool. Shed antler 303 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 1: hunting can be a hell of a lot of fun, 304 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: and even if it's not, it can be a great 305 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: way to go from a white belt to a purple 306 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: belt and deer knowledge or something like that. Of course, 307 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: it's not all about walking through the woods like a 308 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 1: Disney princess while bluebirds land on your shoulder and all 309 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: is right with the world. There are tucked into those 310 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: shed hunts, and better yet, those sheds you actually find 311 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: plenty of lessons on how to kill the bucks that 312 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: live out there in the woods where you'll hunt them 313 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: in about nine months. What shed antlers teach us is 314 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: what next week show is all about. And you're gonna 315 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: want to give it a listen because every antler you 316 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: find tells you a story that you want to hear, 317 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 1: even if you've got to fill in a few of 318 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: the details through just sheer imagination. That's it for this show, 319 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,360 Speaker 1: My white tail loving brothers and sisters. I'm Tony Peterson 320 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: and this has been the Wire to Hunt Foundations podcast, 321 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: which is brought to you by First Light. As I always, 322 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 1: thank you so so so much for listening, and if 323 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 1: you want more white tail advice, head on over to 324 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: them Eat eater dot com, slash wired and check out 325 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 1: our Wired to Hunt YouTube chat.