The Hunting Beast

Killtree wrote:I would not bleach it. I would get one of those plastic skull euro mount kits and slap them on there.
Great conversation piece.

2nd that. Way cooler the way it is.

Awesome story! I too wonder how many times I've missed shed antlers that were right in front of me. After a while I get "antler blind" while looking and my shed hunting turnings into scouting for next season. It's nearly impossible for me to keep my nose to the ground without picking out trees and reading sign for next season. Maybe its my ADHD lol

I was just thinking of this yesterday while scouting........after I had just picked up two 1.5 right sides. Probably walked by a lot over the years.

In 2016 I killed a buck I was after for three seasons in Ohio, I searched hard for his sheds from the 2015 season in early 2016 and never found them, I usually do little shed hunting and more scouting but that year I wanted those sheds so bad I spent a bunch of hours searching for his sheds, fast forward to spring of 2017 and I found his left shed not 80 yards from where I killed him right next to the little feeder creek I used to access my stand that I killed him out of, I walked past that shed several times checking my cameras. It probably happens more than you know.

It happens a LOT i'm sure! I found a shed at the base of my tree where I killed my 2016 buck and had walked over that sucker prob five times. Don't know how I didn't step on it. Turns out it was the shed off the buck I killed this year when he was 2.5. I had pics of the same buck last season as a 3 year old, one pic he had both sides, next he has one then he comes back the next day with both sides gone. I bet I have covered that small area for 20 miles and still can't find them! After killing him this year I have a better idea on where to look and i'm going to spend some more time trying to find them AGAIN

I drove or walked past the match of a monster 8 pt that I had been chasing for years. I found the one side a year previous and the other side was was laying in a pine plantation along the side of the access road for close to two years right under my nose. I either drove by or walked past it 50 times. Finally one of the guys I work with found it driving by in a UTV and brought it to the office. After looking at some picks it was the match. After some haggling and a trade he finally gave it to me. Massive set but it was also a mile and a half away from the other side.

SamPotter wrote:

Killtree wrote:I would not bleach it. I would get one of those plastic skull euro mount kits and slap them on there.
Great conversation piece.

2nd that. Way cooler the way it is.

x3

If it’s black people will ask why and then you’ll have a cool story to tell.

Awesome story. I'm sure it happens more than we'd care to admit. I've found two sheds that friend had literally stepped on. I kept asking him "what this one wasn't big enough for you to pick up?" He'd just roll his eyes in disbelief. Many times I've stopped walking and thought to myself I can't believe there's not a shed here to look down and find one within 5 feet.

Whitetailaddict wrote:Awesome story. I'm sure it happens more than we'd care to admit. I've found two sheds that friend had literally stepped on. I kept asking him "what this one wasn't big enough for you to pick up?" He'd just roll his eyes in disbelief. Many times I've stopped walking and thought to myself I can't believe there's not a shed here to look down and find one within 5 feet.

It's amazing how you can just scan right over them sometimes! I found a big heavy five point side one day while out with a couple buddies. After I found it we starting making circles looking for the other side. I was literally 10 feet from it and missed it and my buddy picked it up about 45 min later

Dewey wrote:Wonder how many of those I walk over in cattail marshes? Surprised I never stepped on one and punctured my boots or waders. Last week I tripped over a frozen dead buck in the cattails that I never saw. If I missed that how the heck am I going to find an antler?

We have some wetlands that are great bedding right now, but are spring fed and thaw pretty quickly. I can't imagine how many sheds they swallow.

Dewey wrote:Wonder how many of those I walk over in cattail marshes? Surprised I never stepped on one and punctured my boots or waders. Last week I tripped over a frozen dead buck in the cattails that I never saw. If I missed that how the heck am I going to find an antler?

I was scouting with a buddy and stepped on a antler and it kicked up in the air and I saw it otherwise we never would have seen it so I'm sure I miss allot also

Incredible story OP. Mine isn't comparable, but I had one hiding in plain sight. I had a buck last year that I was chasing and saw his shed laying 100 yards out in a cut alfalfa field on 1/20. Knew what it was and ran to it. Checked cam and saw it had dropped around the first. Last time I saw him carrying the other was the 7th or so. Checked all of the likely bedding around that field and trails headed to a picked corn field. Nothing. Walked back through that cut alfalfa field on the 7th of Feb, and there it was, about 70 yards from where the other one was and within 10 yards of where I had walked twice. Made me lose all faith in my shed finding abilities....