Shed Hunting Tricks

[fishunt247]

Green grass patches in sagebrush and oak country. Also "mounds," must be where more topsoil is in sage country, spots where there are raised mounds of dirt and more mature sage than in surrounding areas. Southfacing slopes obviously. Later in spring, northfacing slopes too (if they didn't have 4ft of snow on them in the winter) after the snow melts, could've dropped one on the walk through to somewhere else.

[fc2038]

I have this trick I call "walking my ass off" probably not as successful as the hay bales an fence but its all I got. JB

You use that too? Wow I thought I was the only one!

[wastickslinger]

I think I average a horn for every 5-7 miles walked. I gotta leave the desert its frustrating. Not many tacticts out here. Just walk and walk and get lucky.

[cackle]

  yup was just figuring and last year I think I averaged 5 miles and one blister per horn

[bow4elk]

I've walked 7 hours of prime sea-level late season deer trails in the last 8 days and not found one blacktail antler.  I usually don't look until Feb but since many bucks dropped earlier this year, some at the end of December, I thought I'd walk the obvious areas where I've found them before.  After a while your eyes bug out on you from straining so much.

One tip is to take a shed antler and toss it out in front of you from time to time while shed hunting.  It will help train your eye in the country you are hiking.  If you're looking for muley sheds, use a muley shed.  Blacktails, use a blacktail shed...etc.  I do this with my kids and they love it, plus it keeps their interest up and makes it fun.

The best tip I can think of is simply...put in the time and think "food sources", "bedding areas",  and "travel to and from each".  That's where they'll be.

[ICEMAN]

hey bow4elk, never thought of tossing one out in front of myself. I have brought one for the turkeyhunt in my pack, one to toss out for my kid to find if we havent found one after a day or so. Really makes them happy!

[BENCHLEG]

I USUALLY DO THAT FOR AWHILE UNTIL I GET DISTRACTED. THEN I PUT IT IN MY PACK AND KEEP LOOKING FOR NEW BLOOD. it does keep your eye sharp. GOOD TIP IT WORKS FOR AWHILE. GOOD LUCK TO ALL . j