Hunting Shed Antlers

The question that often arises around this time of year is, "When should I start looking for shed antlers?". It has been my experience that it's never too early. I have found sheds in the past as early as January 5th. That is only four days after the last day of deer season in South Carolina. One memory that stands out is a set found in early January by my Dad and I.

Dad and I set out on an afternoon stroll one Saturday or as we like to call it, "a walk in the woods". We decided to walk the fence line that bordered the pasture behind my Dad's house. As we started out we fought through a thicket of small sweet gum trees and a briar patch that was too thick for the slickest of cottontails. We some how managed to squeeze our way through and found ourselves in a young stand of pines. We found a well traveled deer trail and began to follow it. It wasn't long when we spotted one side of a nice eight point rack. I had just read an article not too long before our "walk in the woods" that stated that the more mature dominant bucks often loose their antlers first due to their increased energy output during the year to maintain their dominance. I'm not a biologist but this makes sense to me. I also read that often a deer sheds both sides of its antlers in the same general area. So we continued our "walk in the woods" and followed this deer trail. As luck or fate would have it, we stumbled on the match to the shed we found earlier. It was only approximately 200 yards away from the first one we found. Not a bad day for just a "walk in the woods".

To me these sheds are a treasure. Although they hold some value if you search an auction site like eBay, it is more than just a price tag. It is like finding a lost piece to a puzzle. It offers a glimpse of the unknown, because these animals are so elusive. The shed that I found that day was from a deer that I had never seen and haven't seen since, but it's this clue to the unknown that keeps me hunting. So don't hesitate to take that "walk in the woods", because it's never too early to find that treasure.

Fishing: One Pond with a Million Memories

For as long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for fishing. This passion was instilled in me by my Dad who got me involved in the sport at a very early age. I was lucky to have a small pond located on the family farm. I can only imagine the number of times that I cast a line across that pond. Millions of memories fill my head of those days. Let me see if I can paint a picture with words of just a few of them.

The sun peeked over the horizon and transformed my bedroom walls from baby blue to bright orange. The chirping of the robins in the yard signaled that the days were getting longer and warmer. One deep breath of the spring morning air and I was up and at 'em. The one thing on my mind was getting Dad's shovel and finding a few worms to dangle in the small pond that sat within view of my bedroom window. When I think of fishing, I often think of those mornings of spring fishing fever.

Dad always found time to take me on an adventure to the family pond. In my younger days, Dad and I would grab the cane poles and dig a few worms from the pasture behind the house. Then we would set off for an hour or two of fishing. The trek to the pond was an adventure in itself. A long winding trail sliced through a thick forest of oaks and pines. One day that is etched into my memory is a day in which I persuaded Dad to let me ride on his shoulders. We headed down the path humming a tune that Dad made up and singing a song from the "Wizard of Oz"..Lions, Tigers, and Bears 'Oh My'..Well, lets just say at about the time my Dad said "Bears", a snake decided to show his head on the trail. I think my Dad hit mach two and lost his shoes. I'm not sure how I stayed on his shoulders. I never cross that spot on the trail without thinking of that day.

My fishing memories of that pond are endless. These memories include the early years of chasing tadpoles and minnows to more recently watching my son catch his first fish. I used to pretend to be Hank Parker. I would set up a scenario which put me a fish down with only a few minutes remaining in the Bassmasters Classic. I seemed to always find a way to catch that fish. Whether it took me a few hours or not. As I got older, I would always try out new baits in the pond. I can remember catching two bass with one cast on a new rattletrap. I was amazed. I learned to throw a baitcaster, tie different knots, site fish, fish topwater baits, fish the carolina rig, and on and on and on.

As I look back on those memories, I understand now the impact that being outside and with my Dad had in my life. Now that I'm a Dad, I try to strive to teach my son those same things. Take a kid fishing. The impact is priceless.

Hunting Cut-Overs

As the sun sets over the distant treeline, a breath of steam floats like a ghost through shadows created from a maze of new growth. A lane of opportunity stretches through this maze and offers me a quick glimpse of what created the steam that caught my eye. As I sit perched high in my stand, I am amazed at the ease that these deer move through the woven undergrowth.

Over the years I've hunted various locations within this tract of land. This location has always produced a good number of deer but never to this extent. The increase in activity can only be attributed to the cover created in the third year of this cut-over. I am centered in a funnel of mature white oaks that split two agriculture fields. The fields have been planted with soy beans this year. In front of me is approximately 30 acres of cut over. I had a shooting lane cut that extended from my stand out across the cut-over. Beyond this cut-over that I'm looking at sits another tract of 30 acres that was clear cut approximately eight years ago. This clear cut was replanted with pines and now is a dense jungle of 15 to 20 foot trees. The deer that I've seen have used the cut-over as a shield as they can disappear in a blink of an eye.

Morning hunts are tricky because of the soy bean fields and oaks. I was only able to get to my stand once during the year without moving deer on the way. On this morning, I saw one of the biggest deer ever seen on this tract of land. Afternoon hunts seemed to be a little easier. Deer would move out of the distant growth of young pines and into the cut-over often in the early afternoon. They seemed to hang out in the cut-over until last light and then move into the fields.

What I Learned.
1. Shooting lanes are a must. $150 got me a 15 x 400 yard shooting lane.
Create these lanes early as new growth takes over quickly.
2. Hunt the funnel areas and entry points to the food source.
3. Sit tight because it seemed the deer moved throughout the day.
4. Hold on because the action is fast!
Good Hunting!

Welcome to the Huntshack!

Welcome to the Huntshack! A virtual cabin filled with memories of my hunting and fishing adventures.