Collecting deer and elk shed or hunting for antler shed is a fun idea for a family outing. Some folks have chosen hunting shed as opposed to hunting the animal. If you decide to go shed collecting or antler hunting here are a few practical tips to collect shed ethically and responsibly:
1.) Respect for landowners is at the top of the list. Trespassing has become an issue with shed collecting for land owners as well as land destruction from quads, motorcycles and off road vehicles. Be sure to keep your vehicles on roads to preserve the land.
2.) Respect for the animals. Do not disturb the animals or try to chase them when they are in their feeding grounds or at watering holes. Wait until they move on. The purpose is that animals need their feeding and watering grounds to be healthy and reproduce. If their pattern is disturbed, finding new grounds may be an issue in stressed weather conditions. Also, disturbing their patterns makes it harder for the shed hunter to find shed.
3.) Look for young trees with "rubs" on them. These are places where the bark has been rubbed off by their antlers. You may find an antler or two very close to these rubs.
4.) Keep a sharp look out for well traveled game trails, an excellent place to find shed.
5.) Fence lines are a good place to look. Jumping can jar the antlers off. Running elk have been seen with a dangling antler just waiting for a low hanging branch to finish the job.
6.) Many times both antlers can be found within a 300 yards circumference depending on their feeding and watering patterns. So when you find an antler keep looking as you circle out. But don't hold me to the 300 yard rule! Binoculars come in handy for distance and open field searching too. Glassing an area is a good choice to spot shed without disturbing the herd. When the animals move on, collect your reward!
7.) Scout before hand so you have an idea where the herd is traveling and the time of day they are moving. Deer, elk and moose establish watering and bedding locations. Get familiar with their daily feeding patterns just like hunting. The route they travel will be an excellent trail to follow at a safe distance.
8.) Never approach deer, elk, moose or any other wild animal for that matter. They can and may protect themselves from attack, human or otherwise.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
