Someone gathered up all of "MY" sheds.

dleonard3 · Mar 4, 2009

I've been watching a large group of bucks from a distance for the last few weeks. February 21st, one of the bigger, older bucks had lost both of his antlers. Feb 28th, I saw four of the bucks had shed both sides, but the rest were still packing. I finally went in this morning to gather some up. My son and I found a total of 10 sheds in this area. Two small 2 point freshies, and the rest were small, old, & white. I wasn't sure why we couldn't find any of the bigger ones I knew were in the area, until I got back to the jeep and my son said he had talked to someone on the road that claimed that he had been in the area for two weeks chasing the bucks around trying to get them to drop their antlers. He claimed he got most of them gathered up over the weekend. He proved it with pictures on his cell phone.

I completely understand this guy's drive to get them before someone else got them. But I don't understand why he would risk losing them by running the bucks around. I thought they would leave the area if they were continually harrassed. That's why I always kept my distance and used 20X binoculars. I wanted them to drop right there without being hassled. I think I'll give his name to the local game warden to see if he has his Antler Gathering Permit.

ELKOHOLIC · Mar 4, 2009

That don't surprise me a bit. Happens all the time. If you play by the rules you lose out.

Ungulate · Mar 4, 2009

Elkoholic... that comment doesn't seem to advocate playing by the rules... Dleondard I sympathize for you and for the deer that may have been chased out of the area. Fortunately down south the pressures of winter don't hit those deer as hard as the northern herd. Good luck on your future shed hunts...

dleonard3 · Mar 4, 2009

Ungulate, you're right. These bucks are fat and healthy and they're not in any danger of winter kill from being pushed around a little. My biggest disappointment was that the antlers were scattered. I had a feeling that someone else would find these bucks, but I was hoping that by watching them closely, I would have first chance at the sheds. My plan would have worked out, but someone pushed it and forced them to drop a little earlier than nature intended.

toughshed · Mar 4, 2009

idiots...

NVMTNMAN · Mar 12, 2009

"Ungulate, you're right. These bucks are fat and healthy and they're not in any danger of winter kill from being pushed around a little."

WHAT?! That is absolutely ridiculous and upsetting!!

dleonard3 · Mar 12, 2009

NVMTNMAN, Don't get too upset. This is in Southern Utah where the temperatures have been in the 70s and 80s. There is no snow and everything is green. The deer have plenty of energy and fat reserves.

It is still much better to not push them, but then - I haven't been pushing them. Someone else has gone in there and bumped them to the north end of the valley, then they hunted for sheds on the southern end. Then, they would sneek out and around to the north end and push them back to the south end. I wish they would have left them alone so I could go in and find all of them in one place - but some people can't wait.

MiLLiCRAZY · Mar 14, 2009

D. Leonard, I just got back from arizona hunting for elk sheds and it was crazy with all the people on wheelers , they would drive right up and talk to you, and then blaze right thru the trees in front of you and this was 1/2 a mile from any road, they were crying that there was no elk sheds, but they didnt get that they were pushing the herd right out of the area,I wish the fish and game would give 1/2 the fine money to the guy who reported the violator.

dleonard3 · Mar 16, 2009

I wish the Fish and Game would give a rats a** about violations. That would be a great start.

MiLLiCRAZY · Mar 16, 2009

I sent the arizona fish and game an email ,they replied back today and stated they dont look for people driving around thru the trees , but if they were in the area and saw someone the would site them,and told me to contact the kaibab national forest district, You can see why people can get away with driving around because no one is checking, that leaves it up to the die hards that dont want all of us to have a bad name to turn people in , all for no reward, I believe that if the fish and game and forest service want to stop this they will have to offer rewards to the ones who turn in , 1/2 the fine would make it worth the time theres some people that would make it a full time job.

BoneJunkie · Mar 16, 2009

That crap happens everywhere. Even on the strip people are to lazy to walk aound and look for sheds. I wished the game and fish would actually do something.

bobcatbess · Mar 17, 2009

WHEN THE HELL YOU GUYS GONNA START TUNING MACHINES???

THE LAZY ASS FOREST SERVICE IS NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING FOR YOU & NEITHER IS THE DWR!!!

"I'M NOT COMPLAINING,I'M TELLING IT THE WAY IT IS,SOME OF YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,THATS O.K.,SOMETIMES THE TRUTH HURTS & YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT IT,OR YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTS ARE,STAND UP & VOICE YOUR OWN OPINION,THIS IS STILL AMERICA THE LAST TIME I CHECKED"!!!

REMEMBER!!!

THERE'S ONLY ONE bobcat!!!

dleonard3 · Mar 18, 2009

It's not worth going to prison or getting shot over a few antlers. Don't mess with ATV's. Just take down the information and turn it over to the DWR. That's all you can do.

jackrussel · Mar 20, 2009

Sounds to me like you should have started earlier. Just because someone beat you to the sheds doesn't make them law breakers. You don't know that they chased them, unless you seen them. You snooze you lose.

dleonard3 · Mar 22, 2009

jackrussel, go back and re-read my posts. It will explain the situation to you. I didn't wait too long - most of the bucks still had their antlers.

Also, I didn't say they were breaking the law, I only said that my son talked to them and THEY told him they were chasing them around trying to get their antlers to fall off.

onthehunt · Mar 23, 2009

Regarless of the condition of the big game. Its still harassment when they are being pushed around. This is why we keep seeing more states implement shed hunting seasons!

dleonard3 · Mar 23, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Mar-23-09 AT 07:42PM (MST)[p]onthehunt, you are exactly right. It is harrassing the game to push them around. But evidently nobody cares about it except me and you and a very few others. If no-one obeys these laws, and our law enforcement officers are too busy with other things to enforce these laws, what good are all these new laws? They are completely worthless. They aren't worth the paper their written on.

I'm starting to think that like MiLLiCRAZY said, a hefty fine for those convicted, and splitting the fine money with the person who turns that person in, is a good idea. Turn us all into volunteer "neighborhood watch" type people carrying video cameras and filming every bit of evidence we come across. It doesn't sound like as much fun as shed hunting, but until we thin the herds of shed hunters down a little, shed hunting isn't much fun anyway.

onthehunt · Mar 23, 2009

dleonard3-
A few people here and there continue to ruin it for the rest of us. They must think they are in a higher class than the rest of us ethical folks. I couldnt agree with you more. We dont need shed hunting seasons. We have harassment laws on the books already. Just not enough people to enforce the laws we have. Not that I will make it my secound job, but if I see something thats not right I'll do my part.