Ive attached a press release to this email, but please feel free to contact me with any questions that you might have! 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. Top 3 Places to Find Deer Sheds. 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. While this post focuses mainly on finding white-tailed and mule deer sheds, the principles also apply for moose, elk and other antlered critters. If you can find a standing corn or bean field in the winter, you can be sure the deer will travel for miles around to gorge themselves. 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. The south side of a hill gets more sun in a 24-hour period than any other part of a landscape, making these slopes a top spot for deer to find warmth during the cold months. Elk will move down out of the high mountains in early winter when the snow gets too deep and the rifle hunting pressure abates. These large grassy meadows, which are predominately found on South facing slopes can be easily identified, once again from Google Earth. Eckley spends a lot of time in the forest. Routes mysteriously converge. Brushy, wooded staging areas within 100 yards of old crop fields is the next place to check. But before you run and post a picture of it on Facebook or Instagram, keep in mind that in most states you need a salvage permit or at least permission from a conservation officer before you can possess any buck with skull and antlers attached. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For the past few years, Ive struggled to find elk antlers in the mountains of Colorado and quickly became frustrated withthe lack of my success. Or you could look at where stags squeeze under a low branch. My name is Carl Pelletier from the Town of Jackson, Wyoming. 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. High efficiency is critical if youre dealing with huge properties and want to find some deer sheds before the mice, squirrels, and porcupines chew them up or another hunter finds them. Son of a bitch. Yesterdays blog explored the enthusiasm some of us have for finding shed antlers and how that enthusiasm can turn into an obsession that threatens wintering mule deer and elk. They can often provide helpful tips on where to find deer antler shed in Utah. However, it is unlawful to collect sheds on private property unless a person has lawful access to that private property. Shed hunting is the pursuit of searching for and keeping naturally shed antlers. Son of a bitch. This is where the deer will feed. With his new rack the next fall, the deer would be Boone and Crockett, and living on Dons farm. All Rights Reserved. If it hasnt happened on your property yet, its likely to happen very soon. If it is raining lightly, that's fine. Don Schaufler owns and operates Antlers Unlimited (antlersunlimited.com) and Antler Designs (antlerdesigns.com) in Ennis, Mont. First, lets start with a recap on white-tailed deer habits and habitats. 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. But all the other undesirable trees can be fully cut down or hinge-cut. We will also be working with local visitors bureaus to help get the information to people visiting Colorado. Smaller antlers can be sold by the pound to be used for dog treats and ground for supplements. Work from a distance, and get to know where they are hanging out. Published on February 10, 2015 - Updated on October 3, 2018. This option will reset the home page of this site. Weather, snow depth, altitude and particularly food availability and nutritional value can influence when antler loss takes place. Small mammalian tooth marks on sheds reveal its purpose in providing scarce minerals. 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. These regulations protect the health of Colorado's big game herds and other wintering wildlife. The best time to go shed hunting is when the woods are barren and brown, the grass and brush are pounded down, and crop fields and pastures are low to the dirt. Like a good family recipe or secret bait, a lot of morel honey holes go to the grave with whomever found them. For advice, I turned to Mike Eckley, conservation forester for The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania. Illinois, like Iowa, is another largely agricultural state which makes zeroing in on the big sheds fairly easy. For some added advice, be sure to check out this quick video from Mark Kayser, Tips For Finding Elk Shed Antlers. If you want to start having serious success with elk sheds, locate the ultimate elk wintering area; A secluded basin, with an abundance of food at high-elevation. If you focus on the areas above, you should come out ahead when it comes to the search for shed antlers. No restrictions for private property. This past Winter, snowfall was heavy in December, January, and February but March and April were mild with very little accumulation. Western shed hunters will backpack deep into the backcountry to find shed antlers from the biggest bulls in the unit. As bulls drop their antlers, they leave the gang. And I have been looking for just over 10 years. 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. Some shed collectors use OHVs and snowmobiles in their search. Here's four places where whitetail antler sheds like to hide. And in the spring, he hunts sheds. Please note that all comments are moderated and may take some time to appear. 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. These are prime places to check throughout the spring. We have seen sheds but never been able to get to them! And thanks for the reference! Identifying and recording which of these areas you find a shed will help you formulate your fall hunting strategy. Here are some tips to get you started. But when you said Bears get a source of calcium from them, I have to call BS. The April 30 date is intended to help minimize additional stress during this critical time frame. 2023 The Nature Conservancy. 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. The deer trail. I am a biologist in western Canada so this is not an uninformed comment. If you find one antler, especially a big one, there should be another nearby, explains Schaufler. If last year was more on the dry side, antlers will drop sooner. Most older bucks shed antlers earlier than younger bucks do. 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. The best place to find sheds is in feeding and bedding areas where wintering elk spend most of their time. In winter, many bucks feel comfortable feeding and hiding in these gnarly spots, and drop their antlers there. Follow the Obstacle Course. In "A Man Made of Elk," Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers founder David Petersen details some pertinent antler facts. Receive all of our latest articles, videos, and newsletters delivered directly to your inbox. That is where they may jar them loose. Before bombing over to retrieve it, keep glassing from that vantage pointtheres likely another shed close by. I never bypass a location when I watch her stop to investigate. That makes the eastern forest prime shed hunting territory. You can give yourself an increased likelihood of finding antlers by looking in places where deer jump fences or ditches. Pick it up. As we mentioned above, recently clear-cut areas provide tons of downed trees and limbs to offer a lot of concealment for whitetails. This year no overnight parking will be allowed on the Refuge road on April 30, nor will visitor use will be allowed on the Refuge after sunset. The CPW Commission chose to align its restrictions more closely with Wyoming, where Colorado gets its biggest influx of both shed antler hunters . She enjoys engaging with coyotes more than shed antler hunting, but every time we hike Im amazed at the antlers she digs up buried in inches of forest duff. Before bombing over to retrieve it, keep glassing from that vantage point. Wait until mid-April or May to begin your search. Across deer and elk country, almost all bucks and bulls will have dropped their antlers by mid- to late-March. Hunting dogs are particularly good shed finders because they quickly zero in on the calcium-phosphorous odor of antlers. Elk shed hunting itself starts with glass, too, says Schaufler. Grassy Buffer Strips Want to find antlers without bothering wildlife? Look for places deer trails encounter such obstacles. Conservation science in action. Much like livestock and cattle, elk require an average of 20 pounds of grass and browse vegetation to sustain themselves through a harsh Winter so its imperative to locate food. Worth $1-$2 a pound if youre lucky. Once youre allowed onto the land, get to where you watched a bull group shrink, and start looking. Mule deer and elk often gather in wintering areas making finding sheds easier but also increasing the threat to these animals. Elk are vulnerable in the early spring after enduring a long, cold winter. One of the best ways to find antlers is to look for antlers. Snow Line 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. It is also, in my experience, one of the most difficult habitats to search. Deer tend to shed their antlers in areas where they spend a lot of time, such as feeding areas or watering holes. Elk Antlers. Conservation science, field reporting, and cool creatures. Mule deer are found at lower elevations during the winter months, making them easier to pattern and are easily accessible. These sheds will be easy pickings and you want to get to these first. 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. Steep South. Many of the streets closest to the Refuge entrance are located within residential areas and in an effort to prevent disturbances in these neighborhoods we will be educating visitors and enforcing this temporary No Parking rule.. Currently bringing $6-$10 a pound. If you hinge-cut the trees, it will become a thick area that can act as both a bedding and feeding area. 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. Its also impossible to forecast the amount of snow elk will need to endure during the winter. It feels like looking for an actual needle in a haystack after a while. Steep South 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. Some habitat types to accomplish this goal include tall grass plantings or frozen, thick cattail swamps. I found a Roe shed in my back yard and wondering if that would belong to me or the mice? Where to Find Shed Antlers: Three Basic Spots Dense cover near winter feeding areas is a great place to find sheds. Everyone involved in recreation needs to help educate people who are out on public lands. No, not the hiking trail. As the connective tissue dissolves, the bucks antlers become loose and fall off. 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