How to Hunt Antler Sheds

Antlered animals such as deer and elk lose their mature antlers each year in a process known as "shedding." Hunters use these fallen antlers, or "sheds," to attract deer with a technique known as "rattling," where a hunter draws in bucks by using antler sheds to simulate the sound of a pair of bucks in combat. People also use sheds for crafting items such as knife handles, chandeliers and gun racks, while others may collect sheds to monitor the growth and quality of the deer in a given area. It's not hard to hunt for antler sheds when you learn the most likely areas where they can be found.

Things You'll Need

  • Walking boots or shoes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look for sheds early in the winter, and continue looking throughout the season until spring. Deer and elk can lose their antlers anytime during this period, and the sooner you find them, the better shape they will be in as rodents and other animals will chew and gnaw on shed antlers.

    • 2

      Pay attention to deer and elk movements as winter approaches. You may find antler sheds where the animals have been moving in the past.

    • 3

      Follow deer trails that lead to food sources such as conifers and oak trees. A deer or elk may lose their antlers at any time, including walking to their feeding ground.

    • 4

      Watch for deer and elk tracks and follow them. The deer or elk may have stepped off its normal path to rub a tree, knocking its antler off at the same time.

    • 5

      Check any areas with scrapes or rubs, evidence that a deer or elk has used this spot before. Keep checking any areas with scrapes or rubs throughout the winter and spring.

    • 6

      Look for areas where a deer or elk may have jumped. The motions of jumping and landing can be enough to jar an antler loose. Jumping areas include fences, streams and fallen logs.

    • 7

      Learn to look at both the ground and eye level. A loose antler may be stuck above the ground in thick brush, or a foraging animal may have carried the antler up into a tree.