With hunting season coming to an end in the US, it becomes increasingly more difficult for outdoorsmen and women to await the spring season. For many, springtime means blooming flowers, warmer temps, and the inevitable start of the summer. For outdoors folks, spring means post season scouting, turkey hunting, morel mushroom hunting, crappie fishing, and shed hunting. Shed hunting, to be specific, is the practice of going out to your hunting grounds, or any grounds you have permission to, and seeking out the antlers of any species of deer in the North American family. Based on where you live, this could mean finding whitetail sheds, elk sheds, mule deer sheds, caribou sheds, or even moose sheds. However, as fun as it may be, being successful takes patience and an accustomed pair of eyes. Shed hunting isn’t easy. Take a large whitetail antler for example, at its highest, one of the tines may be a foot off the ground, or a little more, with the spread being anywhere from 7-9 inches. Now, imagine finding an antler half that size. Take that into account on a good number of acres, and you’ll come to realize you’re in for quite the challenge. The good thing about shed hunting is that with time, it becomes easier to pick out the antlers; your eyes will recognize what to look for. Additionally, when you figure out where to look and when to look, your mindless wandering can turn into an antler finding extravaganza. This article will talk about all aspects of shed hunting. From shed hunting tips, gear, tactics, science, and other interesting facts about this activity. So, when the time comes for your first outing, you can hit the ground running with some insightful information.

What Is Shed Hunting and Why Is It So Popular?

Every spring, male deer in the North American deer family has their antlers fall from their head. Male deer shed their antlers due to a drop of testosterone they experience this time of year. Typically, by the time March rolls around, most bucks in the Midwest should have shed their headgear. Farther south, the rut carries into December and January, so bucks can hold antlers into March. Shed hunting is becoming a growing hobby across the nation. Rightfully so. Shed hunting is a great excuse to get outside, get exercise, and stay healthy with family and friends. Last year alone, I trekked over 50 miles. I averaged roughly 7.75 miles each trip. It is fantastic exercise for your body and mind. Additionally, for die-hard whitetailers, it is the one time of year they can do proper scouting for next season, locate a target buck’s antlers, and learn more about the piece of property they are hunting.

When Is the Best Time to Go Shed Hunting?

The best time to go shed hunting is when bucks have dropped their antlers! Duh! But in all seriousness, it depends on your area and deer behavior. I can’t speak to where you might be, but for me, I always declare shed season “in-session” March 1st, regardless of where I am. Most of the antlers drop through the month of February. A good way to gauge if deer are still holding is to simply go out and scout like you would in August. Cruise back roads, locate food sources, and watch the deer with a good pair of binoculars. One shedded buck doesn’t speak for the whole woods, but chances are, if you’re seeing shedded bucks every scouting mission, it’s time to go! Additionally, if you hit the woods earlier and encounter bucks still holding their antlers, it may be best to back out and wait another week, just to be safe. Another thing to keep in mind, as soon as those antlers hit the dirt, they become targets for squirrels and other critters. This doesn’t happen all the time, but if an antler drops into an area loaded with squirrels, perhaps a producing oak flat, they can succumb to chew marks, reducing the quality of the antler. However, if you can find them before the end of turkey season, they have a lesser likelihood of having chew marks. Antlers that have been on the ground for over a year are often victims of this, regardless of where they lay. Last, if you run trail cameras this time of year, there isn’t a much better source of truth. If the cameras are in a high activity area, such as a late season food source, you can dang near figure out the exact day a buck dropped his antlers. Cameras help avoid human extrusion and are great tools for confirming a high traffic deer area.

Shed Hunting Gear: What You Need to Succeed

Let’s start with footwear. You need a good pair of walking boots. Lace up or rubber, pick whatever you can walk the most miles with and be comfortable. Personally, I can walk forever in a pair of calf-high rubber boots, and they prevent debris from getting into my socks. Avoid the thick socks you might wear while hunting or ice fishing. Next, a good pair of brush busting pants is critical. You will often trek through thick areas where you can get stuck with briars. Brush busting pants prevent sticks, thorns, and other debris from reaching your skin. A good pair of upland pants will suffice too. I always wear my Carhartt overalls. I pair them with long johns underneath. Moving up, I like to wear a light base layer, a sweat wicking layer. On the outside, I like a rugged flannel or quarter zip, something I don’t mind incurring fabric pulls on. On my head, I wear a baseball hat or stocking hat. Folks, hear these words of advice, leave the sunglasses at home. They distort the color of the antlers, and if you end up taking them off, you can count on losing them. The last thing, a good pair of leather gloves. Wearing gloves allows you to bust through anything you can move with your hands. I opt for deerskin gloves.

Moving on from apparel, there are a few more things you should have in your shed hunting gear. I recommend utilizing a GPS application during your trek. GPS applications allow you to view satellite and topographical maps, keep track of your hikes, mark hotspots of deer activity, and much more. I also recommend a light pair of binoculars and a bino harness. Binoculars help you tremendously when it comes to identifying something that “looks like a shed” in the distance, saving you time and energy. They are particularly helpful when looking in fields. One thing I do not carry is a shed hunting pack. Personally, I do not like the extra weight on my back or hips and it can limit mobility through tough areas. A pack can serve as a water bottle holder and a place to carry found sheds though. Unless you know you are about to find a bucketload of sheds, I would opt out of the extra baggage. If I end up finding more than I can carry, I’ll start a pile, mark it, and gladly make a trip back after the conclusion of my hunt. To finish it off, I encourage you to carry a rimfire or centerfire pistol. You never know what you’ll run into during your search. It’s important to have a personal defense cartridge loaded. If I’m lucky, I will sometimes get the drop on a coyote or two, who are notorious for causing havoc for fawns and poults in the spring. If I’m in an area with an open coyote season or a year-round nuisance regulation, I’ll take action. If you enjoy carrying a rimfire revolver, you can read about our new Performance Wheel Gun 22 here, or opt for our reliable Ranch Hand if carrying a rimfire semi auto pistol.

Is Shed Hunting Legal? What You Need to Know

Yes, shed hunting for whitetail deer is legal in states across the nation. Just be sure to check your local regulations before heading out. Even though this article focuses on whitetail, some states have regulations on when you can venture to public lands and shed hunt. Many regulations focus western states. One thing that is illegal across many states and frowned upon are antler traps. Antler traps SHOULD NOT be installed or used. An antler trap is a contraption where you place items, such as bungee cords or chicken wire, around deer attractants, intentionally trying to hang up bucks by their antlers. The thinking behind this is that the antler gets knocked loose or the buck gets stuck, and the antler rips off their head. This can result in detaching antlers too early, which negatively affects the health of the deer. Last, you should never trespass or shed hunt in areas you do not have permission to be on. Trespassing is a one-way ticket to a citation, or a trip to jail.

Shed Hunting Tips, Tactics, and Places to Look:

Shed hunting isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes time and a good bit of effort to find one. I remember my first years were tough because my eyes weren’t accustomed. To help shape your shed hunting skills, implementing these shed hunting tips will start you on a strong foot. The key to finding sheds is visualizing what you are looking for. Focus on the color and shape. It’s just like deer hunting, you look for motion or something out of place, not a deer itself. Look for that tine sticking up from the leaves or the bright white in a patch of green or brown. Look at your feet and what’s ahead of you. The key to finding sheds is to pinpoint where the deer are during the shedding period. For example, what late season food sources they are using, how do they get to and from. What are the current hot deer trails? Where do they bed with colder temps? Where do they feel safe? Places that receive a lot of activity during the colder months are south facing slopes. South facing slopes have massive pulling power because of the temperature differences during winter months. This is due to the sun’s position in the hemisphere. Deer are creatures that continuously seek cover. This means areas that embody cover, such as wooded draws, are favorable for deer travel. Keep an eye out for narrow draws that split fields, bottlenecked draws out of CRP, and other land features alike. Deer travel through these areas regardless of the time of year. This makes them great places to find sheds. Additionally, look for places where there is a sudden change in elevation, like a steep creek crossing or an escape route off the back of a ridge. These features cause deer to move in erratic ways, with the sudden movement potentially loosening up their antlers. The same goes for fence crossings. Locate hot fence crossings by looking for deer hair caught on the barbed wire. Same principle, erratic movement loosens antlers. When walking, try to envision other areas where deer might have to move erratically. Last, when you find an antler, mark it on your map! This keeps your information noted and you can return to the same spot next year. You may not be able to find the answers to all these questions, but if you can piece together 1 or 2 of these factors, your odds begin to swing your way. Last, if you’re able to, bring a friend! The more people the better.

(Look for areas with sudden elevation changes, such as creek crossings or step inclines like shown in this picture.)

Common Mistakes

The biggest mistake you can make in shed hunting is walking too fast. Sure, the faster you go, the more ground you cover, but your eyes will inevitably miss more. A good habit is to stop every 5-10 minutes and look intensely at your surroundings. At your feet, to your left, to your right, and use your binoculars. Last year I got into this habit, and I eventually found one 10 yards to my right down a sloped trail. If I had not stopped, I would have missed it without a doubt. Moreover, you should integrate this practice when you’re in an area that has higher odds of holding a shed.

Another common mistake is hitting the best spots right out of the gate. Waiting to hit your best spot helps ensure there are no antlered bucks still holding in that area. Additionally, if you hit your best spot right off the start and get blanked, your confidence can plummet.

One thing I have always been cognizant of during shed hunting is trying to avoid going too early. Granted, most of my shed hunting is done on land where there is little human pressure and no shed hunting competition, but you may not have that luxury.

My thought process is this: A). Going shed hunting can result in bumping deer. This causes an exertion of energy and relocation on their behalf, resulting in more stress on top of existing factors. You want to ensure the deer in your area stay healthy. B). Relocation could mean they retreat to an area you don’t have permission to, reducing the odds of your success. Last, and the most common mistake, giving up too early. As I’ve said, it takes some committed effort to find a shed. Unless you’re in an area with high buck density, it can be difficult.

Conclusion

If you are patient, don’t give up, and cover ground, you are bound to find a shed. Something to keep in mind, don’t measure the success of the shed hunt based on the tangible object. Some of my best shed hunts didn’t yield an antler. Whether you uncover a better hunting spot, find something unique on your property, or learn something new, strive to be a student of the game. The best part, the search doesn’t stop after March. Continue looking during turkey season, if that’s something you do. I’ve had turkey setups where I look over and have one laying within reach! If you’re fishing, keep a lookout on the banks. Even in the summertime I’ve stumbled across the ones I missed. You never know where one will pop up. Once you find your first few, your eyes start putting the pieces together and it’s only up from there. Good luck and have fun!