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Post by ICMCumin on Jan 26, 2004 22:53:01 GMT -5
I have a tree stand on my hunting lease and keep a pair of deer antlers in it to try to rattle bucks in. Well a few weeks ago I went to the lease for an afternoon and noticed something had crawled in to the tree stand and had knawed up one of the antlers - almost all the way through.
Also noted that something had crapped in there - probably the same thing that did the teeth work on my antler.
What would have done that??
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DoeNob
Full Member
Houston, TX
Posts: 45
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Post by DoeNob on Jan 26, 2004 23:49:17 GMT -5
Any rodent or rodent like animal will chew up sheds to sharpen thier teeth and also for the vitamins and minerals bone contains. Thats what happens to most sheds every year, they get eaten up.
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Post by chukarlover on Jan 27, 2004 3:11:16 GMT -5
Ya I have seen things like that happen. I have found sheds were chipmunks, and other rodents chew on antlers just to get the vitamins,minerals. Its weird finding a half knawed on antler .
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Post by BobR on Jan 27, 2004 6:21:30 GMT -5
ICMCummin, Like the others have said, lots of critters eat sheds. In your case, the culprit was probably a squirrel. In our area, sheds that fall out on an open ridge never get chewed on. This is because of the hawks, falcons, owls and eagles. Sheds they fall in the timber and cover, get eaten. We often find elk sheds that have laid out one or more years, that have serious chews. These antlers are still bleeding. There will be blood on the floor after they have laid there a day or so. The inner part of an antler has marrow like bone. That is what the critters are after. Bob
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Post by jdickey on Jan 27, 2004 8:43:40 GMT -5
:)Hey ICM... most likely you had coons in yer stand! Perhaps even a possum, both will knaw on antlers and bones, and their DEPOSITS are not pellets.... if ya know what I mean. So, that would rule out squirrels and wood rats. Elk will eat anlters and bones, but don't think they'll climb trees!
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Post by BobR on Jan 27, 2004 10:17:18 GMT -5
JD, Pine squirrels do 90% of the damage to our antlers. Just about every other critter is on the endangered list due to our high cat population. It is early in the morning here, I have not caught on to the elk climbing trees and eating bones yet. ;D Bob
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Post by ICMCumin on Jan 28, 2004 22:23:07 GMT -5
thanks, guys.
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Droptine
Full Member
North Central Texas
Posts: 29
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Post by Droptine on Jan 29, 2004 8:04:02 GMT -5
ICM, yall have any porcupines? Them critters are bad about knawing on anything they get around Drop
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reloader
New Member
Moosomin Saskatchewan CANADA
Posts: 11
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Post by reloader on Jan 30, 2004 19:05:19 GMT -5
Sounds like a porky pine to me ,the little smoker he left you is his calling card.He will be back.
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Post by ICMCumin on Jan 30, 2004 21:11:53 GMT -5
ICM, yall have any porcupines? Them critters are bad about knawing on anything they get around Drop Hey DT - have seen a lot of critters on the lease, but haven't seen any porcupines as yet.
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