Moose shed hunters

HappyHorn · Dec 15, 2013

Alright moose shed hunters...tell us what you know.

Specifically:

1) When do moose drop in your area (do the big guys drop first)?

2) Do you find moose sheds in the exact same spots year after year like muleys or are they more weather/snow dependent like elk?

3) What sort of vegetation do you mostly find them in? Mostly think willows or more open grassy marshy spots, etc.?

That's a start. Let's hear what everyone thinks!

mntman · Dec 16, 2013

probably don't help much since my info deals with Minnesota...

1. Don't know where we go in MN we have to wait till spring and most of the snow is gone. Its too deep other wise.

2. Yes, they are in the same area each year (MN again)

3. Young aspen.

I would think it would be in the same area though even here out west. In the winter they spend most of their time in around food, so percentage wise most likely they will fall in the food supply area then.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

HappyHorn · Dec 16, 2013

Thanks for the info!

Are the young aspens in bottoms/hillsides/both? Do you think they're using them to knock their antlers off?

mntman · Dec 17, 2013

They browse off the young trees. Here in CO there isn't exactly an ass ton of that young aspen though so they hang out more in the willows, which they browse on too. Moose in the mountains are a different breed though cause they hang out on the ridgelines and benchs too. I never really looked for moose sheds here in CO.
Been wanting too, I'd put on some snow shoes in early spring as the snow is starting to melt and hit the large willow patches as a starting point. Follow the sign and hit their bedding areas too.

If you wait till the snow starts to melt a little they will be sticking out of the snow more making them more visible.

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

Let me guess, you drive a 1 ton with oak trees for smoke stacks, 12" lift kit and 40" tires to pull a single place lawn mower trailer?

HappyHorn · Dec 17, 2013

Awesome! Thanks for the pointers! I'll post up if I'm successful.

Anybody else have any input?

mulecreek · Dec 31, 2013

I went riding in Western Wyoming on the 28th and found my first ever moose shed. It was only a day or two old judging by the snow. It was on my place which borders National Forest, at the edge of a timber patch. Tracks all over the place. Saw a bull that had dropped both sides a short distance away but judging by the number of tracks I am assuming there are several around. The moose were spending most of there time in the dark timber and aspen pockets.

I did not get a pic of it. He has very heavy bases for a Shiras but absolutely no palms to speak of. When I first saw it I thought it was an elk but it is a moose. I left it at the cabin and when I head back in a week or two I will snap a pic.

HappyHorn · Jan 2, 2014

Nice! You got it just under the wire. Can't wait to see a pic!

What elevation were you at? The only moose shed I've ever found was in Colorado at almost 9,000'.

I scouted the spot that I thought would be full of moose and I only saw one. I'm confused about where moose over-winter. I figured they'd be much lower than 9,000' this time of year. Do they migrate, or do the bulls just hang out in the same spots year around?

Anybody?

pheaz · Jan 6, 2014

Bigger first, mostly mid December - early January, general same area depending on snow depth and pressure and mostly near mahogany trees. Hope this helps

HappyHorn · Jan 7, 2014

Thanks Pheaz!

I'm not sure what Mahogany is. Something like a Juniper?

pheaz · Jan 9, 2014

Similar to a juniper, I believe the correct term is mountain mahogany.

hunt30 · Jan 28, 2014

Where I shed hunt, moose tend to winter at very high elevation. South facing slopes in some pretty nasty country. I've picked up different years sheds from the same bull touching each other.

HappyHorn · Jan 29, 2014

Cool! What do you mean by 'pretty nasty country'? Pine, brush, rocky, aspen, etc.? I only think of moose hanging out in marshy, willowy, nasty bottoms.

monkey6 · Jan 30, 2014

>Alright moose shed hunters...tell us what
>you know.
>
>Specifically:
>
>1) When do moose drop
>in your area (do the
>big guys drop first)?
>
>2) Do you find moose
>sheds in the exact same
>spots year after year like
>muleys or are they more
>weather/snow dependent like elk?
>
>3) What sort of vegetation
>do you mostly find them
>in? Mostly think willows
>or more open grassy marshy
>spots, etc.?
>
>That's a start. Let's hear
>what everyone thinks!

December to January