BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[bitmasher]

Are there any shed (dropped antlers) collectors out there? I never have gone shed collecting specifically, just picked them up when roaming around. Sometimes I'll find a good size elk half rack and wish I had seen him alive (with the full rack)! :wink:

Anyway, if you collect sheds, when is a good time to go? Early spring? Late winter?

I would like to go shed collecting for Caribou sometime (if only they had caribou in Colorado!). Even though they are small bodied they can get some narly racks.

[ This Message was edited by: bitmasher on 2002-10-02 22:31 ]

[maineguide]

I do some here in Maine about late Febuary on until spring when I scout for turkeys.

[ChesterGolf]

I have never come across a shed. The old guys say the porcupines eat the sheds if you don't find them quick enough. What do you guys think?

[bitmasher]

That is interesting Chestergolf. There isn't a high density of porcupines around where we find sheds, so maybe that is true. Although I have never heard of such a thing before.

Usually just wandering around you can find sheds that are a few years old and heavily weathered.

Bone is loaded with Ca (calcium) and K (potasium) minerals that aren't easy to come by in winter if your not a meat eater, so maybe that is why porcupines like to naw on them.

[Chuck]

Rodents also enjoy nibbling away the antlers. Including squirrels, and rabits.
I hunt sheds, and in the 3 years I've done it, I have found 3.

The BEST way to do it, is to go to a NON-hunting area, that way you know where the deer have been roaming, because they are at less risk, therefore they let you see them more often. When they lose them, there yours to find, which CAN be a hard task sometimes.

Try looking along fence lines, and tree lines, or other well known travel areas. Other good places to look is creek banks, or any other place a buck might decide to jump acrossover something. When they land, the jolt breaks them loose.

They also sometimes like to knock them off on fences. Also, if you find one, the other is likely to be nearby, as the buck dont generally like walking around with 1 antler on his head, he is lopsided, so he will knock it off soon.

[maineguide]

Rabbits,mice,squirrels, and also porcupines will eat sheds for the calcium.
If you start looking early enough in late winter early spring you can usually find them before the critters do.

If you have a lot of snow try were the deer yard up.
If you don't have a lot of snow, places that you hunt are good areas to look.

Anyone that snowsleds in winter keep your eyes open for moose sheds they like the trails that the sleds use.

Sometimes you find a lot in a season, and sometimes you only find 1 or 2.

[bitmasher]

Thanks for the info guys.

That is a good point Chuck, searching along treelines/fencelines should come up with a higher chance of finding sheds. Never had thought of that before... I have heard that in the summer when the antler velvet starts drying, that it gets "itchy" for them and they like to scrap off the velvet. Maybe in the winter they like to scrap off the old antlers too...

Maineguide, shed hunting for moose is something I can do here. We have a few (I think around 600-800 head statewide, drop in the bucket compared to Maine I'm sure).

[maineguide]

bitmasher, I can't remember what the count is now, but I think it is up towards 20,000 animals.

[bitmasher]

Yes, sounds like a drop in the bucket, Maineguide! That is a lot of moose...

[maineguide]

I went scouting this weekend and happened to find a shed had 4 points not to big. I think it was one left over from last year.
It was green, but you put them out in the sun and they bleach out quick.

[Jennings]

I have spent countless hours in deer land and never seen a shed. And I generally see everything there is to see in the woods. Really hungry rodents I guess...

[bitmasher]

I have lived most of my life in semi-arid regions so I'm always amazed with statements like "the antler was green". :wink:

Around here a shed will get green if it is dropped near or in a stream, but away from water they turn white.

Occasionally an antler that has been laying around for a few years will have lichen grown on it. Looks kind of neat, since the lichen can be yellow, orange, even blackish-grey.

Jennings, do you run across any bones at all? Typically I run across a few small skulls (deer, rodent, bird...) or backbones.

[Jennings]

Quote:
On 2002-10-22 20:14, bitmasher wrote:


Jennings, do you run across any bones at all? Typically I run across a few small skulls (deer, rodent, bird...) or backbones.

Definitely. A lot of raccoon skulls, prolly 50% of the bones I find. I have found deer "parts", just never antlers.

[maineguide]

Do you guys look in areas were they feed,bed down, etc.?
If you are in cold climates check out on the sunny hill sides early in the spring or late winter.

Deer yards in late winter are also great if you can get to them.

[ This Message was edited by: maineguide on 2002-10-23 16:03 ]

[ISHEDHUNT]

Hey guys I did a search on google.com and found your forum. I live to shed hunt. I take a few trips a year to Canada just to shed hunt. Having found around 750 sheds since 1989. I'm addicted. I would start by finding where deer are wintering, this could be awaysfrom where you saw them during hunting season. If you live close to a city of any size, try hunting the wooded areas and city parks. Most deer that live in these areas tend to stay pretty close to a good food source. I find most of my sheds in 3 areas. They are the beeding areas, where they are feeding and the trails between them. I would say the best way to find sheds is just get out and walk. I spend ovr 300 hours a year looking. The best year I ever had produced 115 sheds. I found over 70 each of the last two years here in Iowa. Good luck hunting.
Chris