Shed Hunting: The Ultimate Guide
Nature will never cease to amaze, and the lifecycle of an animal's antler is one of nature's miracles.
Photo | Rob Herrmann
Members of the Cervidae family; deer elk, moose, and caribou, shed their antlers every year. Understanding when and why will help you become a better shed hunter. Shed hunting is yet another way to get outdoors, improve your hunting skill set, and scout new lands. This shed hunting guide will give you all of the resources and knowledge you'll need to find success in your shed hunting endeavor.
Chapters
Shed hunting is the pursuit of searching for and keeping naturally shed antlers. The concept is simple: grab a backpack, some binos, and your good buddies and start cruising the woods looking for antlers. You’ll become familiar with new lands to hunt and get a great workout in. Sheds are a cool find and something you can either sell or make something from.
Chapter 1: The Life Cycle Of Antlers
Let’s talk about bones.
and more specifically, hormones.
Antlers, made of bone, grow quite fast. One of the fastest-growing tissues in all of the animal kingdom to be specific. Antlers are also NOT horns.
The photoperiod is the amount of daylight that regulates hormone production. The spring brings longer days, increasing testosterone levels. Antler growth begins at the base (pedicle) and is covered by a fuzzy sheath called velvet. The velvet’s underlying vascular structure makes antlers one of the fastest growing tissues known to science. The days get longer, testosterone increases, mineralization increases & the growth continues into the summer.
Velvet is also itchy. You'll see the animals rubbing on trees and other types of vegetation to remove the velvet. The blood flow to the velvet is eventually cut off. Causing it to dry up and fall away, forming the bony structures we all know and love. Hitting maximum potential in less than five months. Testosterone levels increase during and through the rut. Fun Fact: Elk antlers can grow up to 1 inch a day and moose, up to one pound a day. The process is fascinating.
A mule deer in velvet
After the rut male Cervids experience a dramatic hormonal change. Winter sets in, daylight becomes minimal, the antler begins to demineralize, weakening the bond. A new bone cell called an osteoclast removes the existing bone tissue between the pedicles (bases) and antlers, causing them to fall off. Stressors such as a harsh winter, daylight hours, injuries, and even nutrition can play a significant role in antler shedding.
Chapter 2: What Is Shed Hunting
Shed hunting is the pursuit of searching for and keeping naturally shed antlers by antlered animals. Humans saw a benefit to these bones, a way to get outdoors to scout new land and use the bones for profit or craft. Some plan to sell them, while others make art with the antlers.
Photo | Shed Season
Why do we hunt sheds?
Shed hunting is useful to us humans. Not only are they cool to find because the idea of them is fascinating. They aren't the easiest thing to find. Some people learn to train their eyes to find them easier. So when you do find them, it's that much more rewarding. They have a lot of value, in a sense of cash profit and even personal satisfaction or gain. How many antler Christmas trees have you seen? How about the antler arches in Jackson Hole, Wyoming? Or even the stunning antler chandeliers in restaurants and lodges? These antlers can be worth a fortune to the right buyer.
Aside from cash value, there have been so many people that have built an entire business that revolves around antlers and the things you can create with them. Things like tables, lamps, picture frames, jewelry, etc. It’s also a great way to scout those new private lands you just got permission on, or those public lands you found on HuntWise. The more you learn the land, the better your chances are of success during hunting season. If you find the animals' sheds, it can teach you a lot about their patterns and habits.
Necklaces made from antlers
The Value Of Antlers
We could go pretty in-depth with how much antlers are worth, how to sell them, and how to collect them. Let’s keep it short and simple. The price of antlers fluctuates annually. It's based on supply and demand. Pricing is based on the quality and condition of the antler, the “grade” (brown, white, chalk), and any unique qualities they may have or even abnormalities. Antlers are graded into categories; brown, hard white, and chalk. Brown is the freshest and the most valuable. All antlers will be graded and then priced. The white and chalk antlers have been sitting in the sun or getting chewed up by rodents (high in calcium). Cracks and chips can and weather antlers are considered chalk. They have lost a lot of integrity, therefore being the least valuable.
Photo | Shed Season
Elk, Moose, and Deer Antlers are also worth different amounts aside from their grade. They are both graded then sorted by weight. Due to demand, elk antlers are worth more than deer antlers. They are larger, making them more popular. How much are sheds worth? Elk sheds are worth anywhere from $12 - $16 per pound, hard whites $8 - $11 per pound, and chalk only worth $1 - $3. Whereas deer sheds; brown is worth $10 - $14 per pound, hard whites $6 - $8, and chalk antlers $1 - $2. (Mecca, O.)
Chapter 3: When Is The Best Time To Go Shed Hunting?
Now that the sheds have served their purpose of defense and attracting mates, they can be discarded. No sense in carrying the extra weight around. When to start shed hunting will differ per region. Deer tend to cast antlers in February, Moose can drop be as early as December, and elk hold out till March. Caribou are the only species where the males and females have antlers. The males shed theirs in November, whereas the females shed theirs in May when the calves are born. The window in which these animals lose their antlers depends on location, environment, and the age of the animal.
Elk dropping antlers in mid march
Western Shed Hunting
The season is mid-January - April. States in this region include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, California, Nevada, and Utah. High mountains and deep drainages are a cause for optics making glassing necessary. Find South Facing Slopes that animals use to stay warm, find a high point, and start scanning. Spending time learning each area of the mountains and how the weather, elevation, and predators affect these animals will be your best shot at finding antlers.
Western Region
Midwestern Shed Hunting
The season is mid to late December - March. States in this region include North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. The midwest region is very similar in climate to the northeast, so sheds will be dropping around the same time frame. Using trail cameras will be highly beneficial as they will show you what deer have come through and what’s hanging out. They will show you which deer have shed their antlers and which ones have not. During the winter whitetail deer like to stay warm, so they will be hanging out a lot on South Facing Slopes where they soak up the sun. You can use the HuntWise app to help you find these locations.
Midwest Region
Southwest Shed Hunting
The season is mid-February - April. States in this region include Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. Areas of Texas and Arizona are quite diverse in terrain. Glassing will be incredibly helpful in your pursuit to find these elusive sheds. Find a high point, set up a tripod and binos, and start scanning. The “V” shape from a tine is a good starting point. This region is incredibly dry, open water and frequent water holes are great sources.
Southwest Region
Northeast Shed Hunting
The season is mid to late December - March. States in this region include Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The northeast region is very similar in climate to the midwest, so sheds will be dropping around the same time frame. Using trail cameras will be highly beneficial.
Northeast Region
Southeast Shed Hunting
The season is early February - April. States in this region include Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Deer won’t venture out into open grassy areas until they feel safe. Check and scout these grassy areas, slowly moving into areas deer pour into at night.
Southeast Region
Chapter 4: How and Where To Find Sheds
The first step is to find areas where elk and deer hang out in the wintertime. For tips on where to go, ask around to more seasoned shed hunters and do a search on Google or HuntWise. Google Earth can show you a view of properties that you hunt, attempting to find terrain features that may explain deer movement in your area.
Photo by Shed Season
Bedding Areas
It’s obvious deer and elk spend a lot of their time in bedding areas. You’ll want to search tall grasses, brushy thickets, swamps, and heavily wooded timber pockets.
Feeding Locations
Standing crops are a good source of food for deer, corn, and beans left behind. Standing corn is a big help in knocking off those antlers as they walk through. Look for food plots, cutovers, orchards, oak ridges, and ag fields.
Travel Corridors
Travel corridors are trails that lead away from feeding areas and toward bedding areas or water sources. Think of fence lines, deer and elk have to jump - causing antlers to fall off. Fencelines are a great place to find sheds.
Water Sources
Water sources will have rich soil, a variety of succulent plants and brushy edges, which provide good food and cover for deer. Some ideal water sources are going to be rivers, ponds, creeks, streams and swamps.
Shelter and Cover Areas
Winter is harsh in some areas. Deer and Elk look for cover and places to stay warm. Pine stands, cedars and other conifer trees are great wind blockers and provide cover.
For more shed hunting tips check out this article.
Chapter 5: Shed Hunting Gear: Everything You Need To Shed Hunt
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Optics
Having an extra pair of eyes never hurt anyone. In fact, in a lot of areas, they are a must. Having a good pair of binoculars that won't strain your eyes, that will help you see the smallest of sheds is a great thing to have.
Steiner Optics
Hiking/Hunting Boots
You're going to be doing a lot of walking so investing in a comfortable pair of boots will be important. Waterproof and breathable is most ideal. Especially in wet spring conditions.
Shed Hunting Backpack
A full day of shed hunting requires food and water and a place to put all your antlers. A backpack and daypack will be suitable but a basic frame Kifaru pack will be even better.
Shed Hunting Dogs
If you are new to this sport, chances are you don't have a trained dog yet. Upland bird dogs and labs can be trained to find sheds. There are plenty of tools and resources for training.
Chapter 6: Using the HuntWise App To Find More Sheds
Having a digital mapping system in the palm of your hand is going to be incredibly useful and efficient out in the field. It can save you time and make your shed hunting experience a lot more enjoyable and successful. It will give you the ability to save and mark locations such as tree stands, cameras, rubs, scrapes, and anything you can use later, right from your phone. Here are a few tools to help you on your shed hunts:
Using the HuntWise Toolset
Use the Web Map
Use the map to pinpoint trail camera placement, locate thermal cover, identify south-facing slopes, and cover.
Add Waypoints
Add waypoints of these areas from the web map, as well as spots you found sheds, animal signs such as rubs and beds - this will be helpful during hunting season.
Pinpoint Property Lines
Identify fence crossings (deer drop antlers when they jump), also you want to make sure you aren't trespassing or are on National Park lands, where picking up antlers is banned.
Use The Tracker Tool
Track your steps, find your way back to the truck, and establish where you have and have not been.
Use the Shape Tool
Outline your area of search, a solid grid will be more successful than a sloppy guess of random areas.
Did you know that Jackson Hole's annual Elkfest and Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction is a more than 50-year-old tradition, attracting visitors and bidders from around the world? Every spring, thousands of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge lose their antlers before they migrate to their summer range. In April each year, the Jackson Hole Boy Scouts assist U.S. Fish and Wildlife with harvesting the shed antlers. Average pounds of antler that are offered for auction - 8,000, at $17 a pound. That’s $136,000! The percentage of proceeds from the auction that is donated by the Boy Scouts to be used for long-term habitat improvement projects at the National Elk Refuge; and the other 25% goes towards funding the Boy Scouts dues. (Circ Media.)
Image by Rebecca Noble ElkFest 2019. Jackson Hole News&Guide
Friendly reminder and ethics. Never chase or pursue animals in an attempt to make them drop their antlers. These creatures just finished a harsh winter and are already under stress. Always follow your local regulations in your area, which can be found within the HuntWise app. Some public lands actually outlaw picking up antlers, in areas such as National Parks it is illegal. Leave no trace and minimize your impact.
Some hunters throughout the years have joked and said, “You can't eat the antlers” - actually you can. Once treated for splinters they make a great chew toy for dogs. Some people even use velvet for medicinal purposes.
We hope you learned a lot from this article, thank you for taking the time to read it. With spring around the corner, now is the time to start shed hunting for those brown chunks of bone. You better get to them before the rodents do! Good luck out there!
Sources:
Circ Media. (2022, January 24). Jackson Hole ElkFest and Antler Auction. Jackson Hole Traveler. http://www.jacksonholetraveler.com/article/elkfest-jackson-hole-antler-auction/
Mecca, O. (2022, February 5). How Much Are Shed Antlers Worth & How Do You Sell Them? •. Outdoors Mecca. https://outdoorsmecca.com/how-much-are-shed-antlers-worth/
Noble, P. B. R. (2019b, May 22). PHOTO GALLERY: ElkFest 2019. Jackson Hole News&Guide. https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/multimedia/galleries/photo-gallery-elkfest-2019/collection_a4df797b-09f0-5932-ac27-c4c64c709335.html