I am sorry for not writing sooner, but I have been dead tired at night.
Well, as we all know it has been one of the snowiest winters on record andthis means BAD news for our Whitetail herd. Those deer whom were not getting supplemental feed in our wild areas had it really bad.
As I write this it is April 28th and in the Lake Sunapee area there is still snow deep enough for snowshoes in some areas of dark woods! The fields are open though and that is good.In the last few weeks I have taken a few excursions out into the woods sohere is the low down.
March 12- I took time to follow some deer trails on my hunting grounds. The snow was waist deep and following the pellet laden trails through theHemlocks was a snowshoe affair. I found 2 dead does that apparently starvedto death as there was only evidence of Ravens picking the carcasses. NO antlers
April 2nd - I was checking out another section of my hunting area and came across a definite Coyote kill. parts strewn everywhere. Not much left but the head, vertebrae, 1 front leg, 1 rear leg and lots of hair. It was a doe fawn
April 14th - We searched a 5 mile section of hemlock swamp that follows the highway. More deer sign than I have ever seen. Found two dead does real quick in a small deer yard. One mature and one a fawn. Went about a mile and found another dead doe, then yet another. This last one had a half eaten unborn fawn exposed through the doe's side. The infant was a buck fawn. Rob, my friend, found a nice right side antler that has 4 points. Looks like the buck got hit by a car and sent this antler flying out intothe pucker brush down along a swampy area. It was broken off at the base. Hope to get a photo of it for you.
Spent my next couple days off either out in the woods around home or up onthe farm woodlot and zilch, no antlers.On April 17th I had some inquisitive does literally follow me around the woods. Must have been yearlings without adults.
April 27th - I found an antler, FINALLY. It's a big one. Found it in a drainage between two big fields. The drainage leads downhill slightly intoa Hemlock swamp that follows a stream all the way down to a lake. Big four point shed, lots of mass and a bladed browtine. Looks a lot like "theDragon" sheds but a little different too. I also found a yearling Bull Moose "fork" antler and another dead doe!
Well, that's it for now. Going out Thursday at the farm and I'm on vacation next week!Remember Turkey season opens Saturday. Great opportunity to find antlerswhile whacking a big Tom.
Good luck and hope to hear of other's successful antler hunts
Well, as we all know it has been one of the snowiest winters on record andthis means BAD news for our Whitetail herd. Those deer whom were not getting supplemental feed in our wild areas had it really bad.
As I write this it is April 28th and in the Lake Sunapee area there is still snow deep enough for snowshoes in some areas of dark woods! The fields are open though and that is good.In the last few weeks I have taken a few excursions out into the woods sohere is the low down.
March 12- I took time to follow some deer trails on my hunting grounds. The snow was waist deep and following the pellet laden trails through theHemlocks was a snowshoe affair. I found 2 dead does that apparently starvedto death as there was only evidence of Ravens picking the carcasses. NO antlers
April 2nd - I was checking out another section of my hunting area and came across a definite Coyote kill. parts strewn everywhere. Not much left but the head, vertebrae, 1 front leg, 1 rear leg and lots of hair. It was a doe fawn
April 14th - We searched a 5 mile section of hemlock swamp that follows the highway. More deer sign than I have ever seen. Found two dead does real quick in a small deer yard. One mature and one a fawn. Went about a mile and found another dead doe, then yet another. This last one had a half eaten unborn fawn exposed through the doe's side. The infant was a buck fawn. Rob, my friend, found a nice right side antler that has 4 points. Looks like the buck got hit by a car and sent this antler flying out intothe pucker brush down along a swampy area. It was broken off at the base. Hope to get a photo of it for you.
Spent my next couple days off either out in the woods around home or up onthe farm woodlot and zilch, no antlers.On April 17th I had some inquisitive does literally follow me around the woods. Must have been yearlings without adults.
April 27th - I found an antler, FINALLY. It's a big one. Found it in a drainage between two big fields. The drainage leads downhill slightly intoa Hemlock swamp that follows a stream all the way down to a lake. Big four point shed, lots of mass and a bladed browtine. Looks a lot like "theDragon" sheds but a little different too. I also found a yearling Bull Moose "fork" antler and another dead doe!
Well, that's it for now. Going out Thursday at the farm and I'm on vacation next week!Remember Turkey season opens Saturday. Great opportunity to find antlerswhile whacking a big Tom.
Good luck and hope to hear of other's successful antler hunts
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