Try the Soft Shoe Roaming his Iowa farm one April day, Don Kisky stepped on what felt like a stick. To keep from wandering aimlessly the woods, it helps me to mark off grids with trees, rocks, logs, and other landmarks. Sheds are as visible as theyll ever be, and ripe for the taking. Use a good pair of binoculars to scan fields and woods for antlers that normally would have had to been walked up upon. When you start searching in these high-priority locations first, you can eliminate huge areas that have very little potential. But before you get to that level, youve got to start with the shed hunting basics. Elk will move down out of the high mountains in early winter when the snow gets too deep and the rifle hunting pressure abates. The best places to find shed antlers are areas that hold deer during certain parts of their daily routine, which increases the likelihood of you finding antlers. Since they are usually located in close proximity to agricultural fields and make for a convenient bedding area, its always worth checking out one of these fields. If last year was more on the dry side, antlers will drop sooner. While you might spot an antler or two out in the open, be sure to walk and check brushy and grassy field edges. Chalk costs between $1 to $3 per pound and strong whites have an average cost between $8 to $11. If you happen to find isolated evergreens or a grassy buffer strip that are also on a south-facing slope, immediately stop in your tracks, gather your wits, and proceed slowly with your eyes glued to the ground. * Before snow melt, get out in search of tracks. They make up the majority of a deers diet during certain parts of the year, and are full of carbohydrates and protein, respectively. Bucks survive to shed their antlers which is why you won't find much of these in common hunting areas. If a person accumulates 20 or more license suspension points within a five-year period, that person could be suspended from hunting and fishing for up to five years. Work from a distance, and get to know where they are hanging out. But you should wait to go shed hunting. I was aware that the little guys did chew on antler sheds but I am still having a very hard time believing that what sheds I can haul off would have any effect on any part of the ecosystem. Theres gold in them hills! Elk will shed close to 6 months after the peak of the rut. Thanks for the tips . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Im surprised at this article. In many areas, deer create runways every bit as well-worn as those created by humans. You need to find where the deer gather and feed from January until this time of year.. If you can think of a few, prioritize those spots for a trip very soon. Like a good family recipe or secret bait, a lot of morel honey holes go to the grave with whomever found them. You could find a shed anywhere in a buck's home range. If you dont have any on your own private land, you can create that habitat right now to increase your chances of finding a few sheds this winter and for many to come. Any tips too find Fallow deer antlers? This year the National Elk Refuge Road will open at midnight on May 1st. While you might be able to find young growth areas on your property, they will likely be scattered around and hard to pinpoint a specific location. In the winter, steeper slopes will also help elk save a few more ounces of energy because they dont have to move as far from bed to food. Snow Line Bigger bulls and elk in general, prefer seclusion and will not tolerate human interaction, which is why you also find them at higher elevations. Unfortunately, Moose died due to another bowhunters mistake, and Drew recovered his skull and antlers the following spring. Youre in one of those spots. Some shed collectors use OHVs and snowmobiles in their search. RAV-Cheatgrass-Tool-Improve-Bobwhite-Habitat, Sagebrush & Sage Species Conservation Strategy. Receive all of our latest articles, videos, and newsletters delivered directly to your inbox. This closure applies to public lands in Game Management Units 54, 55, 66, 67, 551. The best shed hunters know to only burn across certain low-odds areas, while slowing way down in more likely locations. This shed antler hunting season, dont take the scatter gun approach by looking everywhere. Its no secret that quality destination food sources are an ace in the hole for piling up sheds on hunting property. The CPW Commission chose not to include private lands in its decision to enact a shed antler collection closure in Colorado. 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. Once youre allowed onto the land, get to where you watched a bull group shrink, and start looking. In the winter, deer need thick thermal cover to protect them from the cold temperatures and winds. Deer will often rub their antlers on trees or other objects to shed them. Delivered weekly. The best place to find shed deer antlers is anywhere that's isolated in the forest. Scout: Just like deer hunting, scouting is essential to shed hunting. Using a dog to hunt antlers is the fastest growing dog sport in the U.S. says Minnesota trainer Tom Dokken, Americas foremost authority on shed dogs. Previously there were two localized antler collection closures in place, one for public lands in the Gunnison Basin and one for public lands in the Eagle and Roaring Fork Valleys. And, if youre lucky enough to spot one, mark the antlers location using, . Pay special attention if the trail is interrupted by a section of rocks or a cliff where elk would need to lunge their bodies, generating extra force upon landing, and possibly dropping their racks in their tracks. You may also find antlers on paths frequented by deer. COLORADO. These are preferred bedding areas by deer. Some sheds are white, others are brown and blend into the grass and leaves. With a little practice, you can find some nice sheds for your collection. Conservation science in action. I cant tell you how many sheds Ive found that I walked right by days and weeks before, he says. Deer are adapted to rest during the day and feed throughout the night. Deer trails are often highly visible. Elk are vulnerable in the early spring after enduring a long, cold winter. Learn a bit about deer, and it's easier than you think. Frozen cattail swamps offer a similar level of protection as they will grow extremely densely to protect deer from any cold winds. 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. I spend as much time (if not more) in the woods during the spring as I do during hunting season. Grassy Buffer Strips. 1. Any grassy crop field edge is a must-search for antlers. Locate obstacles and the crossings. Look for deer rubs. Shawn PanickOur 20/20 vision will find antlers, but normally within a limited range. Make sure to check out any of these areas for shed antlers. wilson combat magwell p320 So get outside and start your search. In "A Man Made of Elk," Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers founder David Petersen details some pertinent antler facts. Bedding refers to making a safe area where the deer and any fawns can sleep, away from predators. Many areas restrict access until elk are off their winter range. It was once believed that bucks withdrew to a secluded place to shed their antlersaway from does and rival bucksthus avoiding a public loss of virility. These agencies maynotify CPW if they catch violators and coordinate with CPW officers to take enforcement action.. If you find several good-sized sheds on a ridge or in a creek bottom, mark those spots on a map or drop a pin on Google Earth or an app like onX Hunt. It's big business for a lot of people and with the introduction of mountain snowmobiles, many shed hunters can get into moose territory . Elk will move down out of the high mountains in early winter when the snow gets too deep and the rifle hunting pressure abates. Wardens watch social media, as they should, so dont get jammed up. 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. 2023 The Nature Conservancy. In winter when a buck's antlers are dropping, his life revolves around finding the best quality food to replenish his body after the peak rut period. Many of us dont have the luxury of large nearby fields with standing grain to draw shedding bucks. Finding shed antlers can happen anywhere in a deer's home range, usually encompassing hundreds, if not thousands of acres. Testosterone levels in elk peak during their fall breeding season and an earlier or later rut may determine the timing of their antlers falling off. Colorado Here's another western state in which opportunities for whitetail, mule deer and elk sheds are abundant. Here are his tips for finding them in the eastern forest: * Target south and southwest-facing slopes that receive more sun. Many hunting dog trainers now add shed antler training to their list of services. Listen to your subconscious. My spring scouting regimen includes looking for whitetail sheds to figure out what bucks made it through the previous hunting season and harsh winter. Stay on the Trail. There are some changes this year from the way this has operated in years past and we wanted to get the word out to possible visitors to the area. Whether its an old antler or a lion-killed deer, shell zero in on it, sniff it and then continue on her way. 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. 4. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Corn stubble is good, too. sunken stomata and transpiration.. best places to shed hunt in utah. 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 is the pursuit of searching for and keeping naturally shed antlers. They shed their antlers every year, unlike animals that sport "horns," which include antelope, sheep, cattle, buffalo and rhinoceros. In winter, deer often shift from the areas they frequented in the fall to take advantage of changing food availability and winter cover. Since no one is going to walk you into a big patch of the finest tasting mushies, youll need to find spots on your own. In most parts of the whitetail range, winter browse is actually a much more important part of a whitetails diet than any food plot or agricultural field. If it's steep country there's usually more snow and glassing is a good strategy. If you dont have any fields, you can also try supplemental feeders. If youre a deer hunter or any kind of outdoors-lover, youre probably racking up some miles on your boots right about now in the pursuit of shed antlers. Dont just casually walk through the area; you need to almost stalk and use your eyes to really scan the ground for any part of an antler. The only other restriction that is also in place is the harassment of wildlife statute, which can be written to any individual who is harassing wildlife, including shed collectors. If you hinge-cut the trees, it will become a thick area that can act as both a bedding and feeding area. Shed antler hunters focus their efforts on specific areas where big game are wintering with a very high likelihood of disturbing and displacing those animals. But while everyone is consumed with the idea of looking for these magical shed antlers, they often get confused about where to look for shed antlers. The purpose of this regulation is to reduce stress on wintering big game animals during the time of year when big game animals such as deer, elk, pronghorn and moose are most vulnerable. Western shed hunters will backpack deep into the backcountry to find shed antlers from the biggest bulls in the unit. If you find one antler, especially a big one, there should be another nearby, explains Schaufler. With all the deer gathering in these fields, you have a much better chance of finding a shed. As you hike, veer over and hit every east- and south-facing exposure, especially weedy fields and hillsides that are open to plenty of sunlight. Were seeing all sorts of people who just want to get out in the woods in the spring and have some fun with their dogs, says Dokken. Look in a wooded area that was recently grazed by a herd of cattle. When you find an antler, imagine four quadrants around it, and search each area for a companion antler, which will often be within 50 to 75 yards. Want to find antlers without bothering wildlife? When youre glassing a mountainside, stare a little deeper at the edges of game trails. First, lets start with a recap on white-tailed deer habits and habitats. In addition to fines, each violation carries five license suspension points that are assessed against the violator's privilege to apply for, purchase, or exercise the benefits conferred by any licenses issued by CPW. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this occurs as the males'. Pay special attention if the trail is interrupted by a section of rocks or a cliff where elk would need to lunge their bodies, generating extra force upon landing, and possibly dropping their racks in their tracks. Parking in the Town of Jackson near the entrance to the Elk Refuge on April 30 will be extremely limited. Finding an antler in the woods may seem like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. Now well talk about the other main area youre likely to find most of your shed antlers. Published on February 10, 2015 - Updated on October 3, 2018. 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. Illinois, like Iowa, is another largely agricultural state which makes zeroing in on the big sheds fairly easy. Excellent point. Below are a few tips to help shorten your elk shed hunting learning curve and to get you on the fast track to finding brown gold! Learn Deer: As with any nature-based activity, youll be more successful and have more fun if you know the biology, habits and ecosystem of the creatures that live there. Theres gold in them hills! My dad has been looking for 40 years! And thanks for the reference! Bone will shine and catch your eye. Winter gives mule deer enough stress the way it is.. 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. We have seen sheds but never been able to get to them! My first set of matching Boone & Crockett sheds were found 200 yards apart; one on top of a windblown hill in soybean stubble and the other in . Ohio Hunter Finds a Massive 233-Inch Deadhead Buck. But elk have been known to migrate up to 125 miles to seek these places to endure the winter. That makes the eastern forest prime shed hunting territory. , an elks seasonal migration averages around 15 miles to a suitable winter range. Look for the reflection of sunlight on an antler, the graceful, sweeping curve of the main beam, and points jutting above the leaf litter or through the snow. Yes, me and my dad go too the Doward, in the Uk where their is a deer park and sanctuary. But when they are harvested each fall, deer need to instead scavenge waste grain on the ground. As you walk, look, think and get a feel for the lay of the land, says Kirsch, who is one of the most accomplished shed hunters I know. Depending on the harshness of the recent weather, it doesnt hurt to wait till the end of May or even June to shed hunt. Mule deer country is big. Go and find it. Spend some time observing deer at other times of year, and youll be well on your way to learning some shed hunting hotspots. I dont know what amount of calcium is a source for a bear but I bet it is a lot more than it can get from an old or fresh shed. 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. 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. Antlers are hardest to pick out in full, harsh sunshine. Now that weve covered the two dominant sites to find shed antlers, lets look at the last place you can find them. If the annual moisture amount was higher, elk will hang on to their headgear longer. Depending on the harshness of the recent weather, it doesnt hurt to wait till the end of May or even June to shed hunt. Deer may occasionally shift to bed on the southern edges of spruce plantations so they can soak up the suns warmth while being protected from the norths icy winds. The tall, fallow grass that runs along or through crop fields are what Im always seeking out. And theres a lot of online information, too, like my friend Hal Herrings definitive piece. Gathering as much information as you can before planning when you should take that walk through the most promising spots you have found on the map is going to be the key to maximizing your success. I completely agree with the comments about not collecting antlers. Diehard whitetail hunters pride themselves upon collecting the same bucks sheds, year after year. They are often planted with switchgrass, big bluestem, or Indian grass, which are very tall, upright, and clump-forming. Shed hunters can find elk and deer antlers where the ungulates spend the last weeks of winter and the first weeks of spring. If youve shed hunted long enough, youll recognize that those spots almost always hold an antler or two. Well never be able to go on a simple stroll through perfect shed hunting land and scoop antlers up left and right. Aron Snyder, Check your area as often as possible. But serious shed hunting will help you learn more about the animals you hunt in the fall. Elk Antlers. When you start searching in these high-priority locations first, you can eliminate huge areas that have very little potential. The second factor is the timing of last years rut. But elk have been known to migrate up to 125 miles to seek these places to endure the winter. Brushy, wooded staging areas within 100 yards of old crop fields is the next place to check. It can be really intimidating if you own a very large property or look primarily on vast public lands; where do you even begin to search for something so small in an area so big? Wyoming prohibits the collection of shed antlers and horns from January 1 through April 30 on public lands west of the Continental Divide. Mule deer and cow elk will be found closer to roads and human traffic, but dont be fooled by these visuals. Well, its more of a slightly faded, brownish gold. Bi 09/04/2023 09/04/2023 The key thing to remember is that elk typically shed their antlers much later in the Spring than deer, so it is important to pay attention to snow accumulation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); https://www.gomuddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/best-places-to-find-shed-antlers_Feature.jpg, https://www.gomuddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Muddy_Logo_shadow-Low.png. I concur with Susan (although I am not biologist). Eckley spends a lot of time in the forest. For additional shed hunting tips and helpful information, be sure to check out 4 New School Tips For The Beginner Colorado Shed Hunter. Heres how. Just make sure its still frozen before you venture out into the swamp. But the odds are good; 90-percent or more of the antlers you discover are going to be found in one of three locations. Now that you have a good idea of where to start your search for antlers, and have secured permission to access as many private fields and woods that you can, get out there and go. The specific time a buck will shed his antlers might be determined heavily by his individual antler cycle. With his new rack the next fall, the deer would be Boone and Crockett, and living on Dons farm. In addition, apart from the new shed collection rules, harassing wildlife remains illegal and CPW officers will cite individuals for violating this existing regulation. Loud, fast-moving OHVs and snowmobiles are major sources of wildlife stress. A great way to locate these areas is through the use of Google Earth, which shows the terrain features from a birds-eye view before ever stepping foot on the ground. That may seem like common sense, but youve probably walked by many because you werent looking. But all the other undesirable trees can be fully cut down or hinge-cut. 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. Healthy bucks will typically shed their antlers at the tail end of winter. Usually, bull elk shed their antlers beginning in mid-to-late March later than any other North American cervid, and months after the rut, when the antlers served their role in battling competitors for cows to mate with. 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