Sweet Redemption

I’ll start off by telling you about my experience with shed hunting – I found a chewed up shed antler in May of 2018 – and that’s all. The one 4 point side I found two years ago was definitely from a previous year; it wasn’t even a fresh drop. Despite being a novice in the field of shed hunting, it is always something I have been interested in.

I have always felt that as hunters, we spend all summer and fall prepping ourselves and pouring out our entire beings chasing whitetails. Yet, when winter and spring come along, we “hibernate” and re-couperate from the previous months spent afield. While Spring Turkey season can “scratch the itch” from months spent inside, I have always wanted more ways to get in the woods during the offseason.

A few years ago, I started fly fishing mainly for native brook trout, allowing me to head back into the woods I hunt in the fall. I have always had an interest in shed hunting for added time in the field, and was determined to get out and try it this year.

I pointed my truck north this weekend with camp as the end destination. As my mom and I made the drive, I couldn’t help but reflect on the previous year spent in the field. I had spent more time in the woods hunting than ever before, yet all I had to show for it was two missed bucks.

As I got out of the truck Saturday morning and walked down our normal trail, I found it hard to actually “shed hunt”. My eyes kept wanting to veer up looking for game. I knew that if I wanted to find a shed I would have to keep my eyes down, but that is so polar opposite from what we always do in the woods. My practice of keeping my eyes up and alert was going to make this difficult. At least doing so helped me to see the two grouse I flushed and 3 deer I spooked.

I walked out the trail and into the meadow, and I began to relive the last time I was there a few months prior; Uncle Rob and I were there looking to our right at the buck I missed. I decided to venture in the direction of my missed buck, not exactly sure what I was looking for. I realized that over the course of a few months, the scenery changed so much that it took me about 30 minutes to find the spot that I shot at the deer – a spot that was etched into my head.

After about a half an hour of scouring the area, I think I got back what I had hoped. I hadn’t found a single ounce of evidence that the deer I shot at had died. I searched where I shot, I searched where it ran, I searched beyond where it ran and…nothing. A sigh of relief dropped over me.

While I have always thought/ known deep down that the deer I missed the last day of rifle was still alive, I have longed for some closure, as we all do when we miss a deer. While walking down the hill I hoped to stumble upon a shed antler of my missed buck, but the comfort in knowing he was still out there was a success in itself.

I continued my way toward our creek-crossing spot, soaking in the beauty of the rising sun in the mountains. As I got to the creek, I spent a few minutes debating whether or not to cross. “This is why you came here” I thought. I dropped the bridge and walked across.

I headed up the first finger with my eyes glued on the ground. I said a prayer to Saint Anthony, hoping that he might help me to find a shed.

As I topped the first finger, I made my way over to where I had hunted the first day of rifle season. I found myself thinking, “Even a shed from last year would be awesome” No sooner did I take 2 steps and looked down to the ground and saw a spike sticking out of the leaves.

Adrenaline rushed through me. I walked over and began to pull the antler out of the ground and felt more coming with it. Initially I thought it was a “dead head” of a spike buck, but soon realized that wasn’t the case. As I brushed off the leaves, I uncovered a beautiful long 5 point side. I couldn’t hold back the smile from my face.

I looked around a little bit for a matching side, but honestly I couldn’t have cared less if I found it. I was ecstatic that I found even one. I sent out a text and pictures to our “Guy’s Weekend” group text, wanting to share the experience with them. Many ensuing texts came about who would get that spot next year.

I continued my way out the first finger and into the little saddle. I was originally planning on making it much deeper into the woods, but with one antler in hand and trying to be back for lunch, I decided to make a shorter loop. I dropped down into the jeep trail valley, near where I shot my buck from “A Shot In The Dark“. I walked along a few creek bottoms, thinking an antler may have gotten dis-lodged from a buck crossing, but didn’t find any. I made my way along the ridge, heading out toward the bridge.

As I walked along the ridge further and got between my spot from last year and where I set up this year, I happened to glance up and there it was just 20 yards ahead: “White Gold”. I walked up to find my second antler of the day, this one a fresh drop. I picked up the unique 4 point side. It had a main beam that was long and rounded off and decent mass to it as well.

I couldn’t believe it. I was now holding two antlers, from two mature whitetail bucks. Immediately, I felt as though this was sweet redemption. I had missed two bucks in the 2019 season; a wall-hanger buck in archery and another nice buck in these same woods on the last Saturday of rifle season. As I stood there, I couldn’t help but think that finding an antler for each buck missed the previous year somehow made up for it.

I continued my walk along toward the bridge with one antler in each hand. I was hooked – I already couldn’t wait for my next shed hunt.