fbpx

5 Tips for Better Shed Hunting Success

By Mike WillandMarch 22, 20143 Comments

LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015

Looking for shed antlers is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing hobbies among outdoorsmen in North America. Each year undoubtedly a million boots from coast to coast will set out in search of the fallen antler of moose, elk, and of course – whitetail deer.

For beginners, there is much frustration that will come from a hard day’s hike with little to show for it but empty hands and worn boot leather. Like anything in life however, a little guidance and wisdom can turn anyone’s luck around. After all, there is no substitute for experience in the deer woods and I’ve been chasing down whitetails and their sheds for over 15 years.

Food is Key – Yes, this first and foremost shed hunting tip might seem a bit cliché but one cannot make such a list without stressing the importance of such. It’s a simple formula to finding nature’s treasures after the snow melt, find the food and you will find whitetail antlers.

Quick Tip: When it comes to food, don’t overlook cow pastures. A lot of these pastures lie on rolling hills where sunlight can beat down even the heaviest snow accumulations and expose the grasses below. Lone oak and pine trees are an added bonus – look for sheds here. Some of my best days shed hunting have been walking cow pastures.

hunter looking at shed antler

Find the bed – It does little good to find a food source and not know where the bucks are bedding. Simply checking every east and southern slope (because it gathers the most amount of winter’s few rays of sun) is simply not good enough. During a winter with heavy snows and/or strong winds, a good bedding area on the north side of a hill covered with a good canopy can be better than any sun burdened slope. That is, if it sits closer to a valid food source and has the adequate cover to hold deer. Understand that food is key, and second comes a solid sanctuary that allows a buck to stay safe from not just predators but from Mother Nature’s wrath as well.

Look for clues left behind when determining the best bedding sites. Buck sign is a good start. In the Midwest, deer poop is very easy to find when it begins gathering in great numbers over the snow covered landscape. Start here. Know that typically bucks have larger scat, often pooping all over their beds as well.

Rubs are another good indicator. Despite the cold and lack of food, a buck still has natural instincts to rub (even breed). During the winter, especially a harsh one, deer will bed most of the day, look for rubs that might be near these beds.

deer poop

Deer poop is a great indicator of past deer presence for a shed hunter. Slow down and grid an area once you find it.

Shed hunt in low light conditions – Once I determine where a good food source is located and where those deer are likely to be bedding, I know that beautiful late winter days without a cloud in the sky just won’t work on a shed hunter’s eye. And that’s the most important asset we shed hunters possess.  Forget about hunting on a sunny day and tackle the wife’s honey-do list instead. Watch the weather and hunt overcast conditions. For better results, the fleeting moments after a rainfall can produce some of the easiest hours of searching. Nothing shines brighter than the curves of fresh bone when it’s wet.

If you have no choice but to go on a sunny day, wake up early or go out late. The low light conditions of the first and last few hours of light can be some of the best times to shed hunt. Plan your route, keeping the sun to your back as much as possible.

shed antlers laying after a rain

These two shed antlers are easily spotted after a fresh spring rain.

two sheds laying in the woods

The long shadows of the woods already begin to hide the antlers after the clouds pass and the sun begins to shine. These are some of the worst conditions a shed hunter can encounter and reason enough to stay at home.

Shed hunt with the wind – Not always possible I know. But the wind can have a detrimental effect on a shed hunter’s eyesight. The best times to look for sheds often coincide with some of the year’s harshest wind conditions. Chances are if you’re a shed hunter, you’re going to hunt on windy March days. Keep the wind at your back and out of your face. Strong winds make you to squint, wince, and can dry out your eyes causing them to tear up. All of which cause drastic decrease in vision and focus. Keep it at your back so your eyes can keep theirs on the hidden prize.

Know your Geometry – Every veteran shed hunter knows that multiple visits to the same areas are necessary to produce bone. What many never tell us is that going in at different angles produces even more. I try to never walk the same trails two or more times and often approach food sources and bedding areas from different directions with each visit. Tree limbs, bushes, and grasses can hide even the largest of antlers. Approaching the same areas several times at different angles allows the shed hunter another view of what they might have missed. If you have found a place where sheds should be, visit the area every ten days or so, and approach from another angle each time.

Armed with this knowledge, I believe any shed hunter can overcome the odds and find more bone this shed season. Don’t forget to follow the laws of your state, stay within property lines, and above all – enjoy the journey.

-Good luck.

Show us how you do. Visit the Bowhunting.Com facebook page and don’t forget to leave a picture of your latest antler find.

Mike Willand
    View 3 Comments
    Post a Comment
    Login To Account

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *