Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Shed Hunting => Topic started by: Maverick on January 04, 2011, 01:29:01 PM

Title: antler traps
Post by: Maverick on January 04, 2011, 01:29:01 PM: has anyone had any luck using antler traps? Thought I'd give them a try this year but wanted to know what everyone on here thought of them. I get out and do a lot of hiking but like I said just trying new things.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: jager on January 04, 2011, 01:45:11 PM: Couple of threads on here already....

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,64189.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,64189.0.html)

My :twocents: The chance of harming the deer is too great....hike for em.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: quadrafire on January 04, 2011, 01:46:23 PM: Maverick
I tried searching for antler traps, but couldn't come up with anything. THis has been a pretty popular topic, so I'm sure someone will comment. They have even shown some pictures of different setups. I don't have any experience with this.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Maverick on January 04, 2011, 02:14:22 PM: yeah but no one has said if they've had any luck with them or not. So any results?
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Maverick on January 04, 2011, 11:01:04 PM: wow no responses guys?
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: agchawk on January 04, 2011, 11:37:36 PM: Quote from: jager on January 04, 2011, 01:45:11 PM
Couple of threads on here already....

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,64189.0.html (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,64189.0.html)

My :twocents: The chance of harming the deer is too great....hike for em.

I would tend to agree on this one. Besides, half the fun is getting out, burning some boot leather, and finding them. Not sure I like the idea of antler traps any more than I like the idea of folks harrassing the deer/elk while they are in their wintering range.
No need to flame...my :twocents: and it won't change.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Elkslayer on January 04, 2011, 11:40:09 PM: Never used them myself. Talked to a few people that have tried them but they did'nt have much luck.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Maverick on January 04, 2011, 11:45:11 PM: everyone has there own opinion. It's a lot easier to spot mule deer sheds in the open terrain around clarkston though compared to the thick brush I'm in for whitetail sheds. No offense.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Kain on January 04, 2011, 11:46:49 PM: Throwing some feed next to a log or in a five gallon bucket or tire doesnt sound to bad to me but stay away from the fencing and chicken wire that some suggest online. Just my opinion.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: trophyhunt on January 05, 2011, 07:04:03 AM: What the deer go through during the rut I don't think the right kind of antler trap could have any chance of hurting the deer. I'm gonna build one with bungee cords and see how that works, I do agree that people need to leave them alone in the wintering grounds.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Maverick on January 05, 2011, 08:20:43 AM: yeah I want to stay away from wire and fencing so definitely tires, bungee cord buckets and natural traps like a pile of tree branches. But has anyone had these traps actually work for them?
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: jackelope on January 05, 2011, 08:24:47 AM: In some or one of those past threads, biologists posted that knocking the horns off of them prematurely is not healthy for the deer. Thats enough for me to not use them.
The fun in shed hunting is the actual hunting of the sheds for me. Not walking up to a box full of deer food and picking up the sheds off of the ground. If it's all about who has the most sheds then I can see your point. I'm not interested in causing potential problems for the deer just so I can have some sheds.
No offense.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: singleshot12 on January 05, 2011, 08:33:37 AM: Quote from: jackelope on January 05, 2011, 08:24:47 AM
In some or one of those past threads, biologists posted that knocking the horns off of them prematurely is not healthy for the deer. Thats enough for me to not use them.
The fun in shed hunting is the actual hunting of the sheds for me. Not walking up to a box full of deer food and picking up the sheds off of the ground. If it's all about who has the most sheds then I can see your point. I'm not interested in causing potential problems for the deer just so I can have some sheds.
No offense.

That's probably the main reason I haven't tried it either.. But them damn blacktail sheds are next to impossible to find so the shed box idea has definitely been contemplated.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Lowedog on January 05, 2011, 09:18:51 AM: Caught on film - My Homemade Antler Catch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMJmX9trDhc&feature=related#)

And this one might make you think twice...
Caught on film - Buck getting stuck on Bungees at the antler catch!!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCg6bx0sIzc&feature=related#)
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: 400out on January 05, 2011, 09:25:19 AM: How long did the first one struggle before his antler came off?
I think if I was to do this I would go with the box not the bungees :twocents:
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Fetch em up on January 05, 2011, 05:48:13 PM: Someone I know just made one last month and found an antler hanging from it the other day. No pictures of the hanging antler, but here's what the catcher looks like...
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Shed Stud on January 06, 2011, 12:08:21 PM: If the deer are in your yard to feed why try and knock off the antlers(if it could possibly hurt them)? Why not wander the back 40 and pick them up there? I personaly enjoy the hike and find. It's like a treasure hunt as opposed to going to the bank. :twocents:
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: trophyhunt on January 06, 2011, 12:31:20 PM: Like singleshot12 said, trying to find blacktail antlers is quite a bit harder to do than on the eastside where the animals winter in certain areas. I did find my best blacktail find last year though, it was the deer I had missed in my tree stand with my Thompson center 30-06 pistol at 60ish yards!!!! Don't know what happened with the scope yet but it was dead on, anyway I found both his sheds that January. One shed was where I missed him and the other was about 80 yards away. I will try to post the pic's of them if I remember, I had them mounted on a plaque.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: HornHoarder on January 06, 2011, 09:14:49 PM: I feed deer every year and find many sheds in or around my feeding stations. I have never used any kind of " antler trap" , but I do have my tricks. I like to have a large pile of alfalfa. Like several bales spread out, or I even used a large round bale this year. Now with your loose pile of hay, pour corn over the top of it. Most of the corn works its way down towards the bottom. It forces the deer to dig through the alfalfa often with their antlers. It is a safe way to collect antlers that uses no kind of fencing or bungees. It has been working for me for years. Ive found 10 antlers so far this year on my haypile. It also helps to pour on the feed, dont be stingy. It takes me about 100+ pounds per day to feed my local herd. Attached are a few pics of my feeding station.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Lowedog on January 06, 2011, 10:54:02 PM: Those are a couple dandy bucks!
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: trophyhunt on January 07, 2011, 07:10:54 AM: anyone find a feed that works on blacktail? I've tried the corn and alfalfa before and they didn't touch it. I know they like apples but it's hard to keep my 2 labs out of those.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: bow_dad on January 20, 2011, 05:43:06 PM: I always walk for mine but I do know a guy who puts three cattle panels together in a triangle and then puts some feed inside the triangle. If the antlers are ready they pop off when the deer is jumping in or out of the fence.

He usually gets a few a year that way, but he finds alot more burning tread.
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Co on January 23, 2011, 12:34:56 AM: Thats ridiculous. :bdid:
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: Maverick on January 23, 2011, 09:53:35 AM: I've found four whitetail sheds this year hiking. 3 fresh ones and 2 of them are a set. I had them scored at the sportsman show yesterday and they told me the buck would gross in the 140s. I havnt had a chance to try the antler traps but I think I'm gonna go natural with it. I have some alfalfa hay and I'm getting some corn tomorrow. We'll see if either of them works. My plan is to have the deer have to hit there horns againts some stick bushes I've found here and there. I figure I'll stuff the feed inside of them. Any of you guys finding sheds this year so far?
Title: Re: antler traps
Post by: shedcrazy on January 23, 2011, 03:46:02 PM: Quote from: Shed Stud on January 06, 2011, 12:08:21 PM
If the deer are in your yard to feed why try and knock off the antlers(if it could possibly hurt them)? Why not wander the back 40 and pick them up there? I personaly enjoy the hike and find. It's like a treasure hunt as opposed to going to the bank. :twocents:
:yeah: