Learn How Sheds Helped This Hunter Harvest A Trophy Buck

Mike Versland used clues from shed antlers dating back at least four years to pinpoint his trophy buck, which netted 198 4/8 as a non-typical.

I began shed antler hunting in January of 2006, and I was lucky enough to find six antlers that year. Throughout the next summer I kept returning to one thought: I wonder if I can harvest one of these bucks? Little did I know I was about to experience one of the most difficult but rewarding challenges in hunting. On September 28, 2006, I was lucky enough to harvest my first Pope and Young deer, a 130-inch, 214-pound buck. When I got home that night, I grabbed my shed antlers and discovered that, for the first time, I had shot a first deer whose shed antlers I had found before the season.

After finding an antler and then harvesting that buck the following deer season, the winter could not get here fast enough. I spent a great deal of time looking for fallen bone that winter, but as March was coming to a close, I had only three small antlers. I have to admit I was pretty disappointed. On the morning of March 31, 2007, I set out once again. I had only gone about 150 yards into a stand of pines when I raised my foot to step over a fallen tree. I still remember looking down and seeing an enormous antler leaning against the fallen log. At first, I just stepped back and stared. I sent text messages to my brother Jim and my friends Chris and Matt describing how I had just stumbled on a 70-inch antler. Soon after picking up the antler, I realized it was much bigger. Then panic struck me and my thoughts started racing. Where is the match? Did someone else already find it?

PERFECT MATCH
A week later, when walking a steep south-facing slope with one of my students, Brandon, I heard him say, "Hey, Versland, is this one big enough?" I looked up to see Brandon pulling a giant 5-point antler out of the leaves. I ran up the hill as fast as I could, but within the five seconds it took me to get there, I heard Brandon say, "It's not him, it's too small." As it turned out, Brandon had just found the buck's left antler from 2005.

Several more days passed and I kept on the hunt. I was finding antlers on a daily basis, but not the one I was hoping for. Just when I thought my luck was about to run out, I stopped to get permission from one more farmer to look on his land. We talked for quite some time and before I left, he granted me permission to look on his property. As soon as I stepped out into his field, I saw giant tines poking out of the grass. I could not have been happier as I sprinted toward my newfound prize, but as I approached the massive antler I could see it was not the deer I was looking for. Rather, this was an antler from a 150-class 8-point. Now I had a real dilemma. "How am I going to find the match to this one too?" Soon after picking up the massive 4-point shed, I noticed the farmer's white pickup heading my way. Next thing I knew, he was handing me a giant bleached-white antler. My only thought was, It's him! The farmer proceeded to tell me how he got in his tractor just 10 minutes after I left, and as he was driving along the edge of the field he noticed the antler. I was not only surprised that he found it, but I was speechless when he handed the 89-inch beast to me and said, "Now you have the match." A couple days later, I also found the match to the giant 8-point. My 2007 shed antler season could not have been better.

I decided that summer that I was going to hunt one deer during the coming season, and if I didn't see him, I was not going to release an arrow. During the early part of the 2007 season, I had two encounters with the giant 150-class 8-point and another with a beautiful 10-point. Then, on the night of November 3, while sitting in a thin row of trees along a cattail swamp, I had another 145-inch 8-point approach my stand. I watched and videotaped him for more than 20 minutes as he rubbed a tree only 25 yards away. Just after shooting hours, with the 8-point still at 15 yards, another deer approached. This one was bigger yet. He came so close that he actually sniffed my tree. He was a mainframe 10-pointer with more than a 20-inch inside spread and nearly 12-inch G-2s and G-3s. I did not think it was the deer I was looking for because it did not have the distinctive 5-inch splits on the G-2s. Him or not, it was after hours and I was not going to shoot. I never saw either buck for the rest of the season.

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SPLIT MYSTERY
In March of 2008, I found the giant's right antler. My first thought as I pulled it from the frozen ground was Where are the split G-2s? My second thought was It was him sniffing my tree on November 3rd! The good news was that I had discovered a very important clue to where this buck was living. The bad news was that I never did find his left antler from 2007. However, my brother did find an old antler that we believe this buck carried in 2004.

In June of 2008, I quickly moved my Cuddeback to the tree line where I saw the deer November 3, 2007. I only checked my camera once every 60 days and was totally scent-proof when I went into this buck's core area. I got several pictures of him throughout the summer. My adrenaline was pumping when the 2008 season began, but after more than four weeks, I still had not seen him.

Finally, on the night of October 26, I looked up to see the magnificent giant emerge from the cattails and start heading my way. Before I knew it, he was 40 yards out and broadside. With the camera rolling, I stood and stared -- not so much at the deer, but more at the one small twig that partially blocked my shot. I never even drew my bow. I kept hunting him hard for the next two months, but I never saw him again. I started thinking he knew more about me than I knew about him.

It was a cold winter day on February 8 when I went out to check my trail camera. Without the prior intention of doing so, I got the urge to walk up and down some nearby deer trails despite the knee-deep snow. I was absolutely surprised when I looked down to see a massive antler sunken in the snow. I could not believe he had dropped his antlers already! I found the matching antler two days later. I hadn't walked 80 yards that day when I looked up and saw a giant antler right in the center of the trail. I called my brother immediately. I was on the phone with him as I wal

ked the last 30 yards to pick up the antler. Although we were 300 miles apart, I was glad to enjoy the experience with him.

In 2009, I waited all summer for more pictures of that buck, but found nothing. I was beginning to worry something had happened to the great beast. The start of the 2009 season was unseasonably warm. Finally, a cold front arrived, and on August 31 I headed out for my first evening hunt. With about 20 minutes of light remaining, I saw a deer moving away from me on the far side of the swamp. I swung my binoculars up to take a look and found quite a surprise. It was not a doe I saw moving, it was antlers! The giant buck was walking tall with his antlers sticking above the cattails. I had mistaken his rack for an entire deer! I was so happy he was alive!

I stayed up late that night pondering what to do next. I had watched the magnificent giant walk right down the trail where I found his antler last February, and like the buck I killed three years ago, I knew he was going to follow the same pattern until the weather changed. After a quick check of the weather, I realized I was going to have to make my move fast.

MOMENT OF TRUTH
On the afternoon of October 2, I showered and headed for the woods. I assembled all my gear, sprayed down with scent eliminator and walked down the hill to a spot I had never hunted before. At first, I had trouble singling out a tree on which to hang my stand, but eventually I selected a tree and carefully assembled my ladder. It took me more than 90 minutes to hang the stand. I worked as slow as I could because I expected the buck was lying in the cattails less than 100 yards away. I was in my stand and ready to hunt at 4:50 p.m. At 6:13 a doe walked into the cattails. Minutes later, I saw the enormous set of antlers rise above the cattails once again. I quickly started my video camera and glassed the monster with my binoculars. The does moved off to the northeast right into the wind, so I thought he would follow. Instead, he disappeared back into the cattails. I stood, frantically glassing for another glimpse of him, hoping he might be circling my way. Then I heard a loud series of grunts 60 yards to my left. I cannot begin to describe how big he looked standing there. Almost instantly, the giant started walking my way and I could see that I had to act fast. I quickly exchanged my binoculars for my bow and decided I did not have time to fool with the video camera. As the buck entered my shooting lane, I drew back and slowly placed my site pin on the backside of this shoulder. I was able to give a perfect "braap" to stop him at 30 yards, slightly quartering away. I slowly squeezed my release and heard a loud "crack" as the giant spun over his left shoulder and attempted to run. I could tell instantly that he was hit hard. Although he was running, he was struggling to keep on his feet. After 40 yards, he slipped behind some brush. I knew he was down right there. I slowly backed into my tree and hung up my bow. I turned on my video camera and with a very rattled and shaky voice started giving the play by play of events. I kept saying "I know I put a hurtin' on him, I know he's down right there." I didn't say much else. At that time, all I wanted to do was rush down and get him, but I knew I had to give him some time. I called my parents, then my wife, and then my friends, Chris and Matt. After a few conversations and even some pleading with Chris that I was not pulling his leg, I sent a few text messages and got out of the tree. Once I was down, I felt I really had to go look. I turned on my video camera and headed to where I thought he fell. I no more than stepped over the fence and there he was, bigger than he had ever been before. He had a 190-inch 5-by-5 gross typical frame with four non-typical points. His final non-typical score was 198 4/8 and he dressed out at 280 pounds.

If it had not been for shed antler hunting, none of this would have ever happened.