After a while . It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Some habitat types to accomplish this goal include tall grass plantings or frozen, thick cattail swamps. All of these factors make an area with evergreen cover preferred winter bedding for deer, and thus a great place to scoop sheds. It makes sense then that deer are more likely to shed antlers in one of these two areas since thats simply where they spend most of their time. Once considered a fun, recreational activity for families or the source of a unique medium for artisans, shed collection is now a major business. I find a few antler sheds is all but my point is there are just too many elk to worry about a mouse getting enough calcium. Finding an antler in the woods may seem like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. The Labrador retriever is by far most popular, but Dokken says that any breed with a strong instinct to retrieve can pick it up quickly. Required fields are marked *. Use a good pair of binoculars to scan fields and woods for antlers that normally would have had to been walked up upon. Maybe you know what Im talking about. Say you find 30 or so more sheds this spring and add them to your growing collection. Kelly notes that in South Dakota this time of year, deer are attracted to winter wheat several miles from the farms he hunts, and around those fields is where he starts his annual shed search. COLORADO. Antler Obsession: Can the Search for Sheds Threaten Wildlife? Then it would be off to that berry patch, the river to fish, that road kill or that kill the cougar buried for later etc. If it hasnt happened on your property yet, its likely to happen very soon. May have a chip or slight broken tine. Weve listed some of the best places to find shed antlers below. Depending on the harshness of the recent weather, it doesnt hurt to wait till the end of May or even June to shed hunt. For instance, Wyoming prohibits the collection of shed antlers and horns from January 1 through April 30 on public lands west of the Continental Divide. Bone will shine and catch your eye. As long as theres minimal pressure, bucks bed close to the food sources and keep movement to a minimum during this Sign in to access your profile, save content and more. 11. Many of us dont have the luxury of large nearby fields with standing grain to draw shedding bucks. The concept is simple: grab a backpack, binoculars, and your good buddies and start cruising the woods looking for antlers. sunken stomata and transpiration.. best places to shed hunt in utah. With a little practice, you can find some nice sheds for your collection. I am a biologist in western Canada so this is not an uninformed comment. Big bull elk winter in bachelor groups, says Schaufler. Brown or white antlers are easiest to spot on an overcast day. Yes, porcupines do indeed devour antlers (and other unusual things) but this is a topic for a future blog. By knowing such a thing, a shed hunter can follow fence lines to scout for dropped antlers. Although shed collection is not a new activity in Colorado, there is evidence that it is rapidly growing in popularity. The best places to look for elk antlers are where the herds, themselves, hang out. Deer Jump Areas Bumping into the ground, fences or trees can loosen the antlers. wilson combat magwell p320 Older bulls will also shed before younger bulls. But if you have any recent clear-cut areas from the year before, there is sure to be an abundance of young growth for deer to browse on. For many years the Refuge allowed people interested in accessing the National Forest on May 1 to line up on the Refuge Road beginning April 30. Looking at maps prior to entering an area lets you visualize the terrain without wasting time and energy scouring areas that are unproductive. In many areas, deer create runways every bit as well-worn as those created by humans. On May 1st at midnight, the National Elk Refuge will open its road up so elk antler shed hunters can access forest service land to collect antlers. Restoring any closed widgets or categories. But before you get to that level, youve got to start with the shed hunting basics. Unfortunately, too many shed collectors are focusing on financial gain rather than protecting wildlife, creating the need for new regulations. For more information regarding the May 1 Refuge access and travel changes please contact the National Elk Refuge at (307) 733-9212 or stop by their administrative headquarters located at 675 East Broadway. They seem to hold more of a consistent pattern for longer periods of time, while an elk herd has a much larger range and can be found in a completely different area from one day to the next. This is my favorite place to look: A scrubby, overgrown field with some browse, berries, locust trees (deer love the pods), and the like. My hiking partner and coyote dog, Sage, also doubles as a shed antler hunting dog when she feels the urge. Brushy, wooded staging areas within 100 yards of old crop fields is the next place to check. If last year was more on the dry side, antlers will drop sooner. Wyoming prohibits the collection of shed antlers and horns from January 1 through April 30 on public lands west of the Continental Divide. Whitetails essentially do just two things during the winter months: bed and feed. That may seem like common sense, but you've probably walked by many because you weren't looking. The average price per pound for brown elk antlers is between $12 and $16. Bowfishing, 50 Fish, 50 States: Cutthroat Connections, Earth Transformed: Mapping of Global Human Modification from 1990 to 2017. So get outside and start your search. Across deer and elk country, almost all bucks and bulls will have dropped their antlers by mid- to late-March. You might want to bag the hunting boots and wear sneakers or soft-soled trail runners so you can feel those big sticks you step on. Western shed hunters will backpack deep into the backcountry to find shed antlers from the biggest bulls in the unit. Save yourself steps., Go for a matched set. Crops high in carbohydrates, such as corn and soybeans, are excellent high-energy foods - far better than most natural browse - and thus are important winter food sources. But the winter had been milder than usual, and elk were shedding their antlers early. He started hunting sheds more than 40 years ago. Its impossible to predict exactly when a bull elk will shed his antlers, but a couple of factors can help you predict the timing of the drop. The first is the amount of snowfall the previous year. Scout: Just like deer hunting, scouting is essential to shed hunting. Train Your Vision. Most people naturally start looking for sheds in the same areas where they hunt deer each fall. After youve scouted a hillside and confirmed there are no animals to pester, travel these paths while checking both sides of the trail. The intention is to encourage elk antler collectors to find more appropriate places to park or have them seek lodging for the evening rather than parking in front of homes and potentially causing disturbances for local residents in surrounding neighborhoods, said Town Manager Bob McLaurin. Come back next March and search again. It was a truly remarkable animal that we called Moose, he says. Simply walk these corridors from one end to the other, paying particular attention to areas with obstacles across the trail. It includes the best descriptions yet of what a deer experiences when it sheds an antler his firsthand observations (and photos) suggest its as disorienting as you might imagine. Diehard whitetail hunters pride themselves upon collecting the same bucks sheds, year after year. Tread softly. Food. One of my favorite finds was a pair of antlers I found by a fence in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Montana shed-hunting expert Dick Idol told me he finds his biggest sheds in thick cover where mature bucks stage in winter, and along multiple trails that link sanctuaries with nearby feed fields. For example, yesterday coming home from work we saw a pair of antlers on the side of the road. Harassing wildlife is a $137 violation that also includes 10 license suspension points. Theres gold in them hills! Conservation science, field reporting, and cool creatures. Bears, (my belief) would take a sniff of an antler and walk right on by knowing in that rotten ol log right next to the shed is full of several big juicy caterpillars that have been eating the log for sustenance. The problem with these closures was that it was moving the antler collection pressure to other areas of the state with important winter range habitats. Finding shed antlers can happen anywhere in a deer's home range, usually encompassing hundreds, if not thousands of acres. Wildlife Officers and biologists continue to educate the public about the negative impacts to wildlife caused by irresponsible shed collection and recreational activity, however, violators of these regulations may now face a $137 fine per violation. Shed Hunting Tips 1. The general price changes every year, and locations will . Standing corn that was not cut for some reason is a sure-fire spot to scare up a few sheds. In addition, to further protect the Gunnison sage-grouse, the new regulations include a time-of-day closure in the Gunnison Basin May 1 - 15 from sunset to 10 a.m. No, not the hiking trail. If your shed hunting location has an average or above normal snowpack, figure out where the snow line was around the first or second week of April and you will find antlers at that elevation. If youve shed hunted long enough, youll recognize that those spots almost always hold an antler or two. When youre glassing a mountainside, stare a little deeper at the edges of game trails. Get out early, you don't want to find a half chewed antler or even worse the tracks and imprint of a shed recently picked up by a trespasser in your favorite spot. These sheds will be easy pickings and you want to get to these first. Delivered weekly. Getting to know the locals is another good idea. The best shed hunters know to only burn across certain low-odds areas, while slowing way down in more likely locations. Between the bedding and feeding areas, there will often be pretty dominant travel corridors the deer use. Elk will move down out of the high mountains in early winter when the snow gets too deep and the rifle hunting pressure abates. Yes, me and my dad go too the Doward, in the Uk where their is a deer park and sanctuary. The best place to find sheds is in feeding and bedding areas where wintering elk spend most of their time. In most parts of western Colorado, winter conditions affecting big game typically last into late April or early May, and big game are still losing weight and body condition. Parking in the Town of Jackson near the entrance to the Elk Refuge on April 30 will be extremely limited. With just a little basic training, a bird dog can learn to find sheds, and then he can multi-task between retrieving ducks and shed hunting in spring, he says. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Thanks for the tips . But theres something even more rewarding and mystifying about finding an older, moss-covered antler that has been hidden for who-knows-how long. No, Im not making a 420 reference here; Im talking elevation. This years drop and picked up within a few weeks or months. But there are certain places prone to finding bone. I spend as much time (if not more) in the woods during the spring as I do during hunting season. Aron Snyder, Check your area as often as possible. Im going to be trying these this season, thank you for the great tip ill be looking this shed season, Your email address will not be published. It depends on the condition and grade of the bone: Grade A: Antler in perfect condition, brown and beautiful, with no fading, broken tines or chew marks. Look in a wooded area that was recently grazed by a herd of cattle. Elk Antlers. (just ask homeless hermit crabs!) Follow them, and youll learn a lot more about deer. Using that knowledge, we know that deer will spend the majority of their day bedded down somewhere and the majority of their night feeding somewhere. While there are no guarantees in shed hunting, those spots are about as close as you can get. Deer spent a lot of time loafing in these areas in January and February, and bucks often drop bone there. . Corn stubble is good, too. Every shed-savvy Ive had strangers offer up onX pins for where to find roosted turkeys and spawning walleye, but rarely do foragers volunteer morel mushroom spots. Follow the Obstacle Course. Elk will shed close to 6 months after the peak of the rut. Michael Hanback Identifying and recording which of these areas you find a shed will help you formulate your fall hunting strategy. I cant tell you how many sheds Ive found that I walked right by days and weeks before, he says. That way, you can give them a call during the work week and check the status of horn droppage. Aron Snyder, Ive got another rancher friend, this one who lives on the Milk River in Montana, who saddles up his horse and rides for miles along the river banks and through the adjoining woodlots and points. Make sure to check out any of these areas for shed antlers. If you dont have the time or inclination to train a dog for shed antler hunting you can always call upon a professional trainer for help. Elk are tough to pattern because they seldom follow a daily routine, but they do value a simpler path up and down the mountains, especially during the winter. Hunting dogs are particularly good shed finders because they quickly zero in on the calcium-phosphorous odor of antlers. Odds are high that a bull will drop his rack with his descending gait along a game trail. Whitetails are habitual, and youll find more antlers there next year if crops and cover in the area remain the same. This means pion, juniper, mountain mahogany, bitterbrush, and sagebrush. 2. Want to find antlers without bothering wildlife? Possession of antlers or horns on private property without lawful access is prohibited. Spring scouting can help you gather valuable intel for the next hunting season. Marvel at the pearly bases, the cedar-stained beams, the slick curving tines. Once the snow melts, revisit those sites. Stay on the Trail. Many of us dont have the luxury of large nearby fields with standing grain to draw shedding bucks. More importantly, fields like these are such a powerful magnet for whitetails that you could find shed antlers from deer youve never even seen on your property before. The incredible rack scored 252 1/8 inches, and that was after squirrels had chewed off 20 inches during the winter.. Top 3 Places to Find Deer Sheds. Although the CPW Commission decided not to require a permit at its latest meeting, it is an issue it may revisit in the future. The link between where you are likely to find a buck's shed antlers and where you are likely to shoot that buck in the fall is way overrated. Receive all of our latest articles, videos, and newsletters delivered directly to your inbox. Searching Crop Fields There's no doubt that agricultural fields are prime places to seek sheds. Any tips too find Fallow deer antlers? That is where they may jar them loose. Happy shed hunting! If you dont have any fields, you can also try supplemental feeders. The pace picks up. In winter, many bucks feel comfortable feeding and hiding in these gnarly spots, and drop their antlers there. Depending on the harshness of the recent weather, it doesnt hurt to wait till the end of May or even June to shed hunt. Look for deer sightings or tracks in the snow to get you in the right place. If you can think of a few, prioritize those spots for a trip very soon. This is where the deer will feed. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. That being said, youll want to wait to check out any bedding areas for shed antlers until you know that bucks have dropped them, simply because you can chase them to a neighboring property before theyre ready. Note where you discover concentrated overwintering deer activity. Mule deer winter in bush-and-shrub habitats, says Wait. Walk each grid and look straight down around your feet for sheds, then move on to the next grid. CPW will post signs, send press releases, work with sportspeople's groups and partners, news media, social media and other communication avenues to ensure the public is well informed about this new change. I realize this is an old blog but theres actual scientific documentation of bears chewing on antlers, ostensibly as a source of calcium and phosphorus: see, for instance https://bioone.org/journals/Northwest-Science/volume-85/issue-3/046.085.0307/Osteophagy-by-the-Grizzly-Bear-Ursus-arctos/10.3955/046.085.0307.full. Grid searching a steep, south-facing hillside with your binoculars from an opposing vantage point is an excellent tactic for covering ground while staying anonymous to the mountains inhabitants. Listen to your subconscious. Sheds are as visible as theyll ever be, and ripe for the taking. Well, its more of a slightly faded, brownish gold. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Put simply, shed hunting is about scouring the woods and fields to find the antlers that deer or elk drop in late winter and early spring. Collection and Possession of Shed Antlers, To read the closure regulations, refer to #002(O), Antler and Horn Collection, within the. Keep your search humane and. John and I have watched countless seasons of people hunting for "moose sheds", antlers that are dropped (shed) sometime in January. Also includes 10 license suspension points fields, you can think of a few sheds getting know... 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