Dumping for Sheds

[jomama]

Something else to look for when out in the woods 'hunting' beer can dumps. Shed antlers from whitetail deer bucks, elk, mule deer, etc...... Now is the time of year to find them... Rodents like to gnaw on them, so the sooner you find them the better condition they will be in.

Do you remember the days when nobody gave a second glance at a shed whitetail antler? Farmers would pick them up to avoid tire punctures and stack them against a dilapidated shed. Some hunters would give them an admiring glance without even picking them up.

Those days are gone like the days of cheap fuel for your truck. Farmers still want the tire terrorizers removed from their fields, but people now pay to do it by leasing ground for hunting and picking up the cast antlers of winter whitetails. Shed antler hunting has become so popular it’s getting increasingly difficult even to gain access to pick up a shed antler in trophy-producing states. If you haven’t run into a closed gate, get ready, as antler nuts are now traveling cross-country to pick up the bone fruit of spring.

So why the explosion in shed antler interest in recent years? Whitetail management has become more than a hobby. As more and more private landowners take it upon themselves to manage for trophy bucks, they want to see the results of their efforts. If they can’t put a buck on the wall for hunting season, they want to grasp a shed antler to verify the expense and effort. Bucks are getting bigger, and as they do, more and more whitetail enthusiasts want to reap the rewards, either via hunting or through shed antlers.

Shed antlers are also worth more than a big smile. You can cash in on antler sales. World-class, free-range shed antlers sell for thousands of dollars and you can sell a pile of garden-variety antlers by the pound to fund your next shed antler scavenger hunt. But you can also learn about the buck that carried those antlers and zero in on his whereabouts for the upcoming hunting season.

Proof of Life
On average, whitetails shed their antlers annually from December into April. Most jettison headgear during February and March at approximately the same time each winter. Deer living in severe latitudes, north or south, may drop earlier or later. Plus, the strain from a severe winter may push the drop date earlier. Nevertheless, whitetail breeders conclusively note that in the perfect world of a whitetail enclosure, bucks consistently drop around the same date year after year.

Read more: http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/t ... z40Z6M1dZO" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[txspecial]

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[jomama]

I wish I had some ranch pics to post. Antler collections are pretty common here in South Texas. Hung on fencing, surrounding posts and trees, etc. Saw one bunch around a pole - it was about 6ft across and 12ft high. A lot of antlers. There is a store on the Nueces River north of Uvalde that always has a "We buy antlers" sign out front.

I'd love to go deer hunting down there some day. Hard to believe that you can sell the antlers buy the pound and no idea who would buy them? Trophy antlers are another story. Big business in my area but also highly regulated.

[WISCONSINCANMAN]

Shed hunting is big around here too. Buffalo County in Western Wisconsin has world class whitetails. My brother's buddy has his black lab trained to find them.
Scott

[jomama]

Shed hunting is big around here too. Buffalo County in Western Wisconsin has world class whitetails. My brother's buddy has his black lab trained to find them.
Scott

My next dog will be a shed-dog.... not an idiot turkey-dog like I have now. (Sammy-Sosa) but we still love him!

[txspecial]

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[bantam10]

Only decent one I've ever found, 40 feet from the back door no less. Found a few skulls too with the antlers still on.

[jomama]

I'VE NEVER FOUND A NICE SHED, BUT HAVE FOUND A FEW REAL NICE SCULLS. Nice whitetail + nice mule deer sculls. My prize was a cougar scull in Montana very cool but was not allowed to take it home. out of season or some other regulations against having it.

[beerhunter14]

wisconsincanman is right!! Shed hunting is big deal in Buffalo County. People talked about 365 days a year. How do I know about it. Because I was grow up in Buffalo County. In fact, I just talked to a person I know already found 5 shed. . I still go down there a few time of a year, Nowadays, I live in the Northern Part and find a shed up here is like finding gold!!!! or a needle in the haystack. The last time I found shed was 10 year ago. So really hard to find one nowadays due to declining deer herd.

[Ziphippie]

I found this last spring near my favorite unlisted trout water-largest I've found so far. Bjorn

[Rockbob]

I know a guy who hunt for these and deer. He makes stuff like this keychain out of them.

[Mike S]

My brother hunts sheds. He starts shortly after deer season the there is no snow or starts as soon as the snow melts. Last time i seen them he had a whole box full. When my dad was around 8-9 he found half of a 8 pointer and went ans showed his dad. He said he was going to look for the other and was told good luck as it's rare to find a pair. The second one was 50 feet from the first. Had them screwed to a plaque for years and maybe 15 years ago one of my brothers got a huge doe. My dad had a taxidermists mount the head with his horns. He filled the holes and air brushed the now bleached horns and no one can tell the difference.

[jomama]

My brother hunts sheds. He starts shortly after deer season the there is no snow or starts as soon as the snow melts. Last time i seen them he had a whole box full. When my dad was around 8-9 he found half of a 8 pointer and went ans showed his dad. He said he was going to look for the other and was told good luck as it's rare to find a pair. The second one was 50 feet from the first. Had them screwed to a plaque for years and maybe 15 years ago one of my brothers got a huge doe. My dad had a taxidermists mount the head with his horns. He filled the holes and air brushed the now bleached horns and no one can tell the difference.

Great story Mike... The family & friends tradition connection is what makes the outdoors experience so very special.

[Mike S]

Just an update. My brother hasnt found any sheds this year(as of last weekend), very unusual but he got a couple of deer on one of his trail cams on feb 20th and low and behold he sees a 8 or 10 (can't remember) pointer still holding it's horns! Never seen a buck hold it's horn this long, maybe has something to do with the mild winter?

mike s

[jomama]

Just an update. My brother hasnt found any sheds this year(as of last weekend), very unusual but he got a couple of deer on one of his trail cams on feb 20th and low and behold he sees a 8 or 10 (can't remember) pointer still holding it's horns! Never seen a buck hold it's horn this long, maybe has something to do with the mild winter?

mike s

Same story around my area. Governed by a lot of factors... mild winter = less stress on deer = longer antler retention. But also genetics, age. (date of birth), etc.

[kamsquared]

I found this last spring near my favorite unlisted trout water-largest I've found so far. Bjorn

image.jpeg

Don't scratch that Pontiac!!

[Mike S]

Here is that buck/doe combo..

mike s

[Ziphippie]

I can't tell it's a girl- call her Butch? very cool story! Bjorn

[Mike S]

I can't tell it's a girl- call her Butch? very cool story! Bjorn

Sort of fits in with some recent news. Wonder which bathroom it has to use?

mike s

[beerhunter14]

Well, I got back from my hometown over the weekend. They have a Midwest mount deer show and barn dance These were fund raise for Healing for hero for our veteran that suffer PTSD. It was a great show.So of these were harvest,shed or found dead in Buffalo County and surrender county such as Pepin, Dunn, Eau Claire county. Wisconsin. They even have 1 old beer item there.

[Ziphippie]

Stopped by an old friends mancave near my hometown, phone/camera battery died just as we entered the trophy room, it is absolutely amazing! Large sheds, multiyear sheds, disfigured sheds, he found them all, only pictures can describe- stay tuned! I will get more later this week. Bjorn

big bucks in the backyard

same deer different years

the hallway leading to the trophy room

[Ziphippie]

Wow, almost five years before I caught my shed hunter friend in the driveway while on my way fishing with BadgerJeff this morning, and he gave us a tour! He lives on the backroads I take to the river and stop whenever he’s outside. I tried to get pics but the house and garage are full of sheds! Ziphippie

[Ziphippie]

Dwight, the shed hunter, always on the hunt - Ziphippie

[kamsquared]

Dwight, the shed hunter, always on the hunt - Ziphippie 112E9D47-2450-4183-9F8F-E07639CE6785.jpeg

That dude shedded his whole head!!

[bodean]

Never know what you'll find hunting sheds... Thank goodness there are guys that do it because this could have remained a mystery for many years. Branson is about 45 mins. from the house. https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/sh ... id-koenig/