Colorado sheddin yet?

[ColoradothinkinIdaho]

Just moved to Colorado last summer. I was usually finding sheds by now.... but in a new area. I guess my question is I started to find my whitetail sheds about the middle of December but did'nt find too many muley sheds. Got all muleys around me now but still packin...when do the muleys start to drop around here? Just wondering...I live just west of Fort Collins in the hills and still seeing lots of bucks..anyone shed hunt around my neck of the woods? Love the area but just not the same as Idaho. Good luck to all the shed hunters this spring and hope to here from you guys...thanks

 

[HiMtnHntr]

You won't find much in the way of muleys until late next month, and more than a month after that for elk, aside from some rare exceptions. I've seen deer and elk around here hold on to em until April.

 

[ColoradothinkinIdaho]

Thanks for the input...I read the other day about someone finding muley sheds already that is why I was kind of wondering. I'm going to head out next weekend to do a little scouting if the weather holds up..I'm getting pounded with snow now at about 8,000 ft hopefully she will dry up a bit soon. I see alot of game here in town but I want to head down the hill and do a little searching and see where they are hanging out. Thanks again..good luck!!!

 

[HiMtnHntr]

The deer are doing their best to survive right now with the cold temps and snow. I'd advise waiting until the weather warms up in a few months. You could find one early, but primarily all you will do is stress them out and the majority that still have them on their heads will move to other areas. The weather around here usually flattens out by March, but even then we could get a heavy snow. The bottom line is that those antlers will still be on the ground when the weather breaks and the critters have moved off of winter range areas.

 

[ColoradothinkinIdaho]

Thanks for the information but I guess I left that last response open too much...I've been horn hunting for about seventeen years now and in no way would I got out and split all the herds up and run them all over the place. I use my best discression when I go out. When I say I'm going scouting I should have said I'm going to grab my bino's and scope and go out to check things out. If I go out walking I try to walk in the areas where I don't see any game and if I do I try not to spook them. I hope you don't take this the wrong way but I think you can go out and hike around in the woods without spooking all the animals to death...that is if you use your head. Thanks for the response.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I agree! There's definitely a difference between what you describe and some of the guys that would just as soon sell their first born child to get there hands on a horn. There are few areas around here where deer congregate in mass numbers like they do in other winter ranges. Mostly deer are spread out between 5 and 8k feet in the winter. In many areas, you might hike all day and not see a deer. Compared to other regions, there are not very many deer. I suspect that where you are from in Idaho there are a heck of lot more deer. Deer numbers are OK in our lower foothills, which is the best winter range, but that is mostly private ground. In many public areas, you'll find more elk antlers than deer. I've hiked around plenty this time of year and I don't recall finding a fresh deer or elk antler before Feb 1. This is likely partly due to the fact that most don't shed before that time, but also because there is snow on the ground.

 

[elkantler75]

i used to hunt sheds like it was my religion. maybe not so much for the finding but for the serenity of being out there alone. not so much anymore. it really gets old seeing 10 vehicles parked at the same elevation and knowing i will run into someone crazier than i was.... and as far as early season stomping through the snow crap, i have done my share and it ain't worth it anymore. just give the critters their space and be patient.

 

[wybhtn]

what you cut and paste this from whinesup?

 

[elkantler75]

i'm one and the same.

 

[Squirrel]

Watch from a distance, it doesn't start till mid march, (the hunting not the dropping). This will fall on deaf ears and you'll go anyway and chase them all over the far hill but now you know. Lots of bucks carry them till early march, little ones till early april. Elk starts 5-10 same reason. For some reason people think if they don't rope 'em and ride'em for the full 8 seconds they didn't "disturb them". I know that YOU are the exception, just talking to all theose OTHER guys.

 

[ColoradothinkinIdaho]

Yea Squirrel you are right... I am deaf. At least I'm not a TOOL...