Shed hunters?

[LazyKB]

Deer begin to drop their antlers in late January and continue through March, or so I have been told. I have also been told that some individuals drop them at other times. Anyway I have started taking late winter walks through the woods under the pretense of hunting dropped antlers. Yesterday it was warm and sunny and the wife went with me, just for exercise. She spotted the only two antlers we found.....after I walked past them. She also found my $10 arrow that I flung in the general direction of a buck back in November.

Not hard to look at, can cook, puts up with my nonsense, retrieves deer antlers, and finds my lost stuff. I think I have found a keeper.

 

[Berserker]

I read about people teaching their dog to find sheds. I have thought about teaching my German Shepherd to do it. But I am concerned she would chase deer. Plus I am lazy.

 

[5-Shot]

I once lived in a mule deer wintering range and found antlers all over my place. In addition, my Jack Russel and I walked the BLM land surrounding our place almost every day during the winter. He found and attacked countless antlers out there. No training was required. My best friend made and sold beautiful obsidian knives with antler handles. I must have given him 50 antlers. (I got a priceless knife in return.)

Ed

 

[VMI77]

Good finds!
But, I have to admit I started to read this post thinking one of two things had happened:
-someone had shot your backyard shed up; or,
-you had great luck hunting from your shed this past hunting season.
Just never can tell what will turn up next! Another reason I like this forum!

 

[5-Shot]

VMI,

These were just plain sheds. Out there the deer are up in the mountains during hunting season and didn't come down to my elevation until after the season closed. Then they came by the zillions. This old photo was taken through my living room window.

Ed

 

[Faulkner]

I usually run across a number of sheds during spring turkey season.

 

[Brian41]

I've looked for sheds with little luck but have tripped over them while hunting, go figure.

 

[Aticus]

I don't want to start a war here but what caliber do you recommend for shed hunting?

 

[5-Shot]

Bill,
You don't shoot 'em. You trap 'em. Google up shed trap. I actually built one once but it didn't work.

Ed

 

[paplinker]

I saw two whitetail bucks this week and they both still had antlers. Seems late to still have them

 

[kozmic]

I don't want to start a war here but what caliber do you recommend for shed hunting?

I find it's more about proof than caliber. IMO, shed hunts are much more pleasant (although somewhat less productive) with a flask of your favorite libation. For me it's usually a wee bit of B&B.

 

[Aticus]

Now I got it. Use that proof stuff to trap 'em. Why didn't I think of that! Thanks guys.

 

[M3Stuart]

If you're using that 'proof stuff' I'd think the shed would trap you! "Now, where's that door..."

 

[don5]

I make pens with any antlers (shed or harvested) that I get. It really stinks when I make them so I am limited to about three at any one time. Its a good thing I have bad sinuses and have trouble smelling odors.

 

[pete-driver]

Ok a little off topic, but struck me as funny. Thirty some years ago I found an old recurve bow in my grandfathers garage. In showing me (age 8 ) how it worked my grandfather pulled it back and the arrow went into the neighbors aluminum shed. Show and tell was over and never saw that bow again.........

 

[jkc]

I can't recall where, but do recall that some jurisdiction, such as a National Forest, had banned the collection of sheds, as their collection depleted an essential and naturally occurring source of calcium and other nutrients for rodents (and other small animals?). This may seem silly, but, if you're a woodsman, hunter, or cattleman, ask yourself how often you've tripped over the spine and rib cage of dead animals? Doesn't happen, because bones are consumed fairly quickly by small animals. I've checked the sites where I've left behind the boned out carcasses of even fairly large animals --- elk, deer, bear --- and even the substantial hunks of bone ---vertebrae, femurs, scapulas, etc. --- are gone within a few years... Since I leave these bones behind, I don't worry about carrying off the odd shed antler.

 

[LazyKB]

I think I read that shed hunting in some western states, for elk antlers, has turned into a big deal. Evidently there is some money to be had picking up sheds. I seem to remember the boy scouts doing it years ago. At any rate the shed pickers have gotten so thick that on some public land it is against the law to hunt sheds until a certain date. It seems the shed hunters were chasing the bulls around waiting for them to drop. This added additional stress to the animals coming off of a hard winter. Can any of you western guy verify?

 

[fat tom]

Shed hunting is a piece of cake...........IF you own the right piece of property!

f.t.

 

[don5]

Shed hunting is a piece of cake...........IF you own the right piece of property!

f.t.

I could make a lot of pens with those!

 

[macbullet]

VMI,

These were just plain sheds. Out there the deer are up in the mountains during hunting season and didn't come down to my elevation until after the season closed. Then they came by the zillions. This old photo was taken through my living room window.

Ed

Mule deer in Tennessee???