Shed Hunting: Guide to Finding Antlers

In deer and elk country, bucks and bulls drop their antlers by mid- to late-March. When the weather warms and the snow melts, it’s time to start shed hunting.

Shed hunting involves scouring the woods and fields to find the antlers that deer or elk drop in late winter and early spring. These shed antlers can be sold, used for DIY projects, or kept as trophies. Shed hunting also helps you learn more about the animals you hunt in the fall. Whitetail hunters collect the same buck’s sheds year after year, while Western shed hunters search for sheds from the biggest bulls. However, before advanced shed hunting, there are some basics to cover.

The best time to go shed hunting is when the woods are bare, and crops fields are low to the ground. Sheds are more visible during this time. Lace up your boots and check out our guide on where to look for shed antlers and how to find them.

Shed Hunting Tips in Whitetail Country

An early-season find. John Hafner

Shed Hunt Where the Deer Are

Most people start looking for sheds in the same areas where they hunt deer each fall. However, deer spend winter somewhere else. Find where the deer gather and feed from January until this time of year.

If they’re in the same ground you hunt, great. If not, branch out and locate the herds. The deer might be close or a couple miles away.

In South Dakota, for example, deer are attracted to winter wheat several miles from the farms. That’s where you should begin your shed search.

Shed Hunt Ag Fields

Check soybeans with remaining pods, last year’s alfalfa and clover, standing corn, and corn stubble. Walk and check field edges as well.

Look for gnarly spots with browse, berries, and locust trees. Many bucks feel comfortable feeding and hiding in these areas during winter.

Look in the Bedroom

Check brushy staging areas near old crop fields. Follow deer trails leading to nearby bedding areas. Walk every muddy deer trail you can find.

Put in the Boot Leather

Secure permission to access private fields and woods. Wear comfortable boots and carry plenty of water. Shed hunters often cover miles each day.

Look South

In open and weedy areas that receive plenty of sunlight, check south- and east-facing exposures. Spend time in these areas since deer often loaf there in winter.

Get Wet

Rainy or overcast days make brown or white antlers stand out. They shine and catch your eye. Antlers are hardest to spot in full, harsh sunshine.

Try the Soft Shoe

Wear sneakers or soft-soled trail runners to feel the antlers underfoot. Lightweight hiking gaiters keep debris out.

Hunt Slow and Steady

Look closely and scan every square foot of the ground. Shed hunting requires patience and a methodical approach. Walk slowly and deliberately to spot antlers more easily.

Grid It Out

Mark off grids with landmarks, such as trees, rocks, and logs. Walk each grid and search the area for sheds before moving on to the next one.

Go With Your Gut

Observe the land, imagine what a buck was doing in the cold and snow, and listen to your subconscious. If your mind says go left, go left. Trust your instincts.

Go Back to the Well

If you find sheds in a particular area, mark it on a map or use an app like onX Hunt. Whitetails are habitual, so you’ll likely find more antlers there next year.

Shed Hunting Tips for the West

A shed mule deer antler waiting to be discovered. Donald M. Jones

Glass Herds from a Distance

Start by glassing small bachelor groups of big bull elk from a distance. As the snow line recedes up the mountain, the elk will move with it, and the antlers are left behind.

Cover Ground With Optics

Once you’re allowed on the land, go to the areas where you saw bull elk. Use your optics to spot big antlers from a distance before walking.

When you find one antler, search the surrounding area. A bull often shakes his head to get rid of the other antler, creating the opportunity to find a matched set.

Don’t Stress Out Mule Deer

Look for mule deer in bush-and-shrub habitats, such as piñon, juniper, mountain mahogany, bitterbrush, and sagebrush. Focus on slopes facing south or west.

Avoid Re-walking Areas

Elliott Garfield with a trove of mule deer sheds. Elliot Garfield

Prevent re-walking areas by doing a walk-stop-and-circle search instead. Stop every 50 yards and do a 360-degree look around to take advantage of new viewpoints. When you find an antler, search the surrounding areas for a companion antler.

Work Smarter and Have a Plan

If drivable roads are available, use your vehicle to glass potential antler locations. Drive every inch of the roads that elk or deer travel and glass any possible location where they could have lost an antler.

Be Consistent

Check your area as often as possible. It’s important to remember that you’re not the only person looking for sheds. Establish contacts with locals to stay updated on “horn droppage”.

Saddle Up

Cows Can Help You Out

In wooded areas recently grazed by cattle, cows often uncover and kick up fresh antlers. Look in these areas for antlers that are a year or two old as well.

Run a Shed Dog

Hunting shed antlers with a dog is a growing sport in America. Any breed with a strong retrieving instinct can be trained to find sheds. The Labrador retriever is the most popular breed.

You can train your family pet to hunt sheds. Start by substituting an antler for their usual retrieve object. With some basic training, your dog will quickly learn to find and retrieve sheds.

If You Find a “Deadhead”

While shed hunting, you might stumble across the skull and antlers of a buck that perished earlier. Before posting pictures of it on social media, check your state’s regulations for salvage requirements or consult a local game warden.

How Much Are Shed Antlers Worth?

A shed like this might go for $275 or more. Justin Appenzeller

The value of shed antlers depends on their condition and grade:

– Grade A: Perfect condition, brown color, no fading, broken tines, or chew marks. Prices range from $16 to $20 per pound.

– Grade B: Good condition, natural brown color, some dullness or fading, may have a chip or slight broken tine. Prices range from $6 to $10 per pound.

– Grade C: Faded, weathered white or chalky antlers with some green color, likely on the ground for a few years. Worth $1 to $2 per pound.

Shed Antler Facts

– Decreasing testosterone levels cause an “abscission layer” to form between the antlers and their pedicels, making the antlers loose and fall off.

– Bucks drop their racks from late December in the North through March and April in the South.

– Weather, snow depth, altitude, food availability, and nutritional value can influence antler loss timing.

– Bucks shed at different times, and older bucks usually shed earlier than younger bucks.

– Bucks usually shed both antlers within three days of each other.