As the month of February is drawing to an end, the time is right to be taking to the woods in search of shed antlers. There have been many reports of finding sheds and seeing bucks that have shed their antlers. If you have never looked for them before, you may well be in for a real treat. Finding sheds is a true bonus to a winter hike, and when you do come across one or two, it is a great reminder that some bucks in your area have made it through the hunting seasons and the tougher part of the winter. Last year saw some unusually deep snowfalls, but this year we were laced with day after day of ice — creating frozen layers that made it difficult for most wildlife to access the feed below. With that in mind, here are a few pointers as to where to look:
Take the easy path first. From black bears to deer to humans — we all prefer the easy path to travel; thus, old logging roads are a great place to begin your travels.
If you come across a well-traveled deer path, take it — especially if it leads to a bedding area or feeding area.
If a deer trail leads to a fence or ditch that they must jump to continue travel, pay close attention to both sides of the obstacle. Jumping the fence or ditch might just provide the jarring impact that will loosen one or both of their antlers.
Think small. Don’t be focusing only on a shed from a giant 12-pointer. Even when you might come across a larger shed, only a small portion of it may be visible — often only the tip of one of the tines.
When you find a shed, slow down and rescan the area. Often the other side of that buck’s antlers may be close by. On numerous occasions, when you find a shed, there very well may be several others in the area.
Pay particular attention to the southern-facing hillsides. Deer enjoy the warmth of the sunshine on the southern sides of the mountains and hills, and the melting of the snow and ice by the sun makes the underlying food more quickly available there as well.
Don’t hesitate to retrace your steps as you are returning from your hike. When you do so, you will be looking along the pathway from a completely different angle and, no doubt, under different lighting conditions, which might make a small part of a shed antler more visible than before. If your travels lead you to a stand of oak trees or a cut cornfield, slow your search since deer will tend to hang out in these feeding areas.
Make sure you bring your binoculars. You should always have them with you any time you are in the woods, but they can help cover much more territory than just scanning with the naked eye. Scanning a nearby hillside slowly with binoculars will enable you to see sheds hundreds of yards away.
Okay, great, you found some shed antlers — now what?
Some folks enjoy slowly filling a basket full of sheds and sitting it in a visible spot in their “man cave.” Depending on the size and shape of the sheds, you find they can be used for handles for tools or knives. Often, they can be fastened together in such a fashion to make desk lamps, floor lamps, and even hanging chandeliers. They are used at times as door or drawer handles or pulls.
In the end, taking time to hike throughout your favorite hunting grounds in search of shed antlers is just another great excuse to get outdoors, especially after being holed up in these winter months. You may discover some new bedding areas or travel routes for the whitetail deer that frequent your area and get some great cardiovascular exercise along the way. As an added bonus, make sure you are carrying your favorite “coyote tamer” because this is the mating season for coyotes. They are out traveling in search of a mate, and they are also more visible during the daytime hours as they are searching for hard-to-find winter food.
Good Luck!
