Well it's almost that time to start looking for whitetail deer sheds in Wisconsin. In my experience, most bucks lose their antlers in late January, but this all depends on location and buck stress levels. I have put on many miles shed hunting in the past and believe that it is a great way to scout the area you hunt without disturbing the deer too much and figure out what bucks are in the area. I have a few basic strategies for finding sheds:
1. Go to the bedding areas. Bucks will bed down in the thickest areas with branches or brush to knock those antlers off. A thick patch of pine trees open to the south is an ideal spot to check.
2. Find the watering hole. In Wisconsin winters, most rivers, streams, or ponds freeze over, but I have found numerous small springs or holes that somehow stay open. These spots will draw the most deer and be a great spot for finding shed antlers. My uncle has found a ton of sheds this way. Here is a picture of one of these waterholes with all the snow around it packed down...
3. Follow the trails. This seems rather obvious, but a good snowpack will force the deer on trails and narrow down your area to search. This will allow you to maximize your success rate.
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