Binos? To find shed antlers

[bugleboy]

What's the best methods to finding sheds? I'm just curious on how many of you find sheds with binoculars as compared to just hiking around randomly over the hills.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[MiLLiCRAZY]

i take my binos with me everytime i go. i find 98% of my horns hiking around but if i find a chance to use my binos i do and i occasionally glass up a horn or two. But id rather hike im impatient

 

[Longun]

When you get to be an old fart.....bino's are good rest time....I find a lot with mine along with randomly hiking..

 

[one_dryboot]

any time i come to a spot i can see a hundred yards to a mile away i always take a minute and glass. you will find Alot more Glassing then with just your eyes. i think the saying hunt smarter not harder applys. the same goes with real hunting

 

[Dawgs]

Glassing depends on the country, most of the places I hike here in Nevada have way too much tree coverage to glass very much. I could glass a little, but I'd just be checking out pinon and juniperss.

 

[bonepicker]

I glass some when I'm out shed hunting, especially when I'm looking across a draw to the opposite ridge. I usually find the most when I'm just walking. I use my binos the most when I'm scouting in January and February. I've got a few high spots I like to go to and glass for animals and tracks, it helps me get an idea of where the animals are and where to go in March and April.

 

[tinehunter]

I use my binos probably 98% of the time. I think it's important to really check out the areas that I can't see from a long ways off, Yes I am getting older and my eye sight is not very good at long distances. I use swarovskis, I really like them. I can find sheds a long ways off. It also saves a lot of walking time looking at those antler sticks.

 

[ARCHERYBUG]

I USE BINOS ALOT. FOUND THREE ELK SHEDS WITH THEM LAST SUNDAY !!!

 

[theox]

to impatient for binos. i always pack them but i cant use them for long . ill usually glass a hill or two, but id rather hike to find them. way funner to step ariound a tree and have one sitting there! but maybe thats why im not a great shed hunter?

 

[fatrooster]

My bino's are always with me while shed hunting and I always find a few every year with then. I found my best deer shed with them last year. I glass anything that can be glassed. This year my dog even started glassing for sheds with my spotting scope. fatrooster.

 

[ElkSniper]

If I dont have my binos I feel naked out there. I just glass open fields and look to see sticks sticking up and I really study it before I go get it. About 5 out of 10 times its one. Good luck.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Being completely surprised by a shed by walking by it is exciting, though I'd rate glassing one up pretty exciting as well. There's the anticipation of not knowing just how big it is. Sometimes you will be disappointed, sometimes you won't. Case in point: A number of years ago I was hiking in some particularly nasty country on the timbered side of a big canyon. Crossing the canyon was a difficult task, and I wouldn't have done if I hadn't glassed part of shed on the south slope across from me. It was hard, and so was packing out a set of 350" bull sheds. In another case I was looking for the sheds of a similarly-sized bull in fairly heavy cover. I glassed one side up only about 50 yards away across a small draw, and all that was visible was the tip of the dagger above the brush. I might have eventually found it, but I might not have. I glassed the other side up about 300 yards away in a small meadow. Utilize the glass and you will be rewarded more than you think.

 

[TheKnack]

Always take binoculars....I would say 60% found hiking and seen by eye first 40% with the glass.
Almost always the ones I spot with binos would have been passed by for sure if not seen with the bino's.
Best,
Jerry

 

[downsouth]

I think the binos and spotting scope are a key element to looking for sheds, even in thick country. This year I picked up two really good deer sheds from a distance that were spotted through the binos. One of them ended up going over 90-inches. Four of us had been looking for that antler for about an hour before I finally spotted it from across the canyon. The biggest elk shed I've ever picked up came from the spotting scope. That jewel is a six point antler that scores a little over 188. Unfortunatly I was never able to match it up. Needless to say I think the binos and spotting scope are invaluable when shed hunting.

 

[tworivers]

I use them whenever i am going if I am looking at one 40 yds away or across a canyon.... I usually find more than most...

 

[muledeernuts]

bugleboy i use my binoculars as much as possible. I recently bought some Vortex and love them. I found my best whitetail shed this year from 100 yards, it was a typical 6 point and the only thing sticking out of the snow was the very tip of the main beam. just like everyone else said above, if there is an opportunity to use them it is almost a must.