best place to find antler sheds in colorado

Gerald Almy. They shed their antlers every year, unlike animals that sport "horns," which include antelope, sheep, cattle, buffalo and rhinoceros. Keep your search humane and. Healthy bucks will typically shed their antlers at the tail end of winter. Youre in one of those spots. When you start searching in these high-priority locations first, you can eliminate huge areas that have very little potential. If your shed hunting location has an average or above normal snowpack, figure out where the snow line was around the first or second week of April and you will find antlers at that elevation. And theres a lot of online information, too, like my friend Hal Herrings definitive piece. No restrictions for private property. They seem to hold more of a consistent pattern for longer periods of time, while an elk herd has a much larger range and can be found in a completely different area from one day to the next. Tread softly. Shed Hunting Tips 1. Its a work of art, isnt it? Dense foliage, leaf litter on the forest floor and hilly terrain conspire to hide antlers from view. * In the eastern forest, get out quickly before things green up before the critters devour them (porcupines and rodents can consume them quickly). Focus instead on these high-priority areas alone and take the time you need to look more thoroughly. A deadhead like Moose is an incredible if sad find. Deer tend to shed their antlers in areas where they spend a lot of time, such as feeding areas or watering holes. Montana shed-hunting expert Dick Idol told me he finds his biggest sheds in thick cover where mature bucks stage in winter, and along multiple trails that link sanctuaries with nearby feed fields. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); https://www.gomuddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/best-places-to-find-shed-antlers_Feature.jpg, https://www.gomuddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Muddy_Logo_shadow-Low.png. As a pup I included shed antler hunting training into her role as an all-around outdoor dog. Previously there were two localized antler collection closures in place, one for public lands in the Gunnison Basin and one for public lands in the Eagle and Roaring Fork Valleys. If you find one antler, especially a big one, there should be another nearby, explains Schaufler. So, how does one play this game of hide and seek? And thanks for the reference! Food. The problem with these closures was that it was moving the antler collection pressure to other areas of the state with important winter range habitats. Put simply, shed hunting is about scouring the woods and fields to find the antlers that deer or elk drop in late winter and early spring. In "A Man Made of Elk," Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers founder David Petersen details some pertinent antler facts. Notes from the Deer Wars: Science & Values in the Eastern Forest, An Overlooked Threat to Freshwater Fisheries? Hes also a long-time mule deer chaser and shed hunter. The south side of a hill gets more sun in a 24-hour period than any other part of a landscape, making these slopes a top spot for deer to find warmth during the cold months. So get outside and start your search. By knowing such a thing, a shed hunter can follow fence lines to scout for dropped antlers. The pace picks up. The best time to go shed hunting is when the woods are barren and brown, the grass and brush are pounded down, and crop fields and pastures are low to the dirt. Go and find it. Follow the Obstacle Course. On U.S. Federal Parks & Refuges; ANY organic collecting of flora or fauna is prohibited; including stripping our beaches of shells. When you find an antler, imagine four quadrants around it, and search each area for a companion antler, which will often be within 50 to 75 yards. Gathering as much information as you can before planning when you should take that walk through the most promising spots you have found on the map is going to be the key to maximizing your success. Whitetails essentially do just two things during the winter months: bed and feed. Sheds are white gold, prized jewels of the buck you've . Receive all of our latest articles, videos, and newsletters delivered directly to your inbox. Maybe you know what Im talking about. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Im surprised at this article. In most parts of western Colorado, winter conditions affecting big game typically last into late April or early May, and big game are still losing weight and body condition. Steep South sunken stomata and transpiration.. best places to shed hunt in utah. Matching sets, especially from a large or unique buck, are prized finds but can be notoriously difficult to get your hands on. Eckley spends a lot of time in the forest. If they were cut a few years ago, there should be lots of additional growth too. Well never be able to go on a simple stroll through perfect shed hunting land and scoop antlers up left and right. Harassing wildlife is a $137 violation that also includes 10 license suspension points. Deer will often rub their antlers on trees or other objects to shed them. Bears, (my belief) would take a sniff of an antler and walk right on by knowing in that rotten ol log right next to the shed is full of several big juicy caterpillars that have been eating the log for sustenance. Listen to your subconscious. Then it would be off to that berry patch, the river to fish, that road kill or that kill the cougar buried for later etc. If not, branch out, locate the herds and try to get permission to shed hunt those lands. Whitetail hunting strategies for the next generation. The key thing to remember is that elk typically shed their antlers much later in the Spring than deer, so it is important to pay attention to snow accumulation. Marvel at the pearly bases, the cedar-stained beams, the slick curving tines. Just $1 per month , Read our guide and start finding more shed antlers, By Once you find an area like this, the probability of it being a great spot year after year will be high. Take it slow and deliberately, look straight down and scan every square foot of the ground. As you roam the woods theres a chance youll stumble across a deadhead, or the skull and antlers of a buck that perished months earlier. The road WILL NOT be open for parking before this time and parking throughout east Jackson will be extremely limited. I am a biologist in western Canada so this is not an uninformed comment. Heres how. As a general rule of thumb, the majority of mature bulls are going to be found at higher elevations than the smaller bulls and cows. There may also be some young or fallen cedar or pine branches to browse on while in this type of bedding area. Smaller bucks may hold theirs longer, into March. We will also be working with local visitors bureaus to help get the information to people visiting Colorado. Don Schaufler owns and operates Antlers Unlimited (antlersunlimited.com) and Antler Designs (antlerdesigns.com) in Ennis, Mont. Here are some tips to get you started. As more people enjoy each season that Colorado has to offer, and new forms of recreation continue to emerge, it will be very important for CPW staff to work with recreation organizations, land-use management agencies and local communities to get the word out. Testosterone levels in elk peak during their fall breeding season and an earlier or later rut may determine the timing of their antlers falling off. Odds are high that a bull will drop his rack with his descending gait along a game trail. Theres gold in them hills! These tall grasses shield deer from icy winds and stay upright through ice accumulation and heavy snows. In your mind try to figure out what a buck was doing here two months ago in the cold and snow, where he was eating and going to bed. yes I will try looking in places where it good to find em! This is independent of other bucks cycles and is probably centered on birth date. Whether its an old antler or a lion-killed deer, shell zero in on it, sniff it and then continue on her way. But finding those needles of bone in the haystack of the wild is just as exciting and rewarding. Following a flash of white into a swath of sage brush near McCoy, he discovers an antler under a juniper tree. The best places to look for elk antlers are where the herds, themselves, hang out. But its mysteries like these that keep me hunting sheds. If you dont have any fields, you can also try supplemental feeders. In addition, to further protect the Gunnison sage-grouse, the new regulations include a time-of-day closure in the Gunnison Basin May 1 - 15 from sunset to 10 a.m. I recommend starting with the works of biologist Valerius Geist and photographer Leonard Lee Rue III. The fresher the antler, the higher in value for horn traders and our four-legged friends to gnaw on. Whitetails are habitual, and youll find more antlers there next year if crops and cover in the area remain the same. These areas include: Grassy buffer strips; Isolated evergreen areas; Hillsides that are facing south; Winter is the prime time when deer eat and bed. When to go shed hunting is a tricky question. etc. Note where you discover concentrated overwintering deer activity. Michael Hanback All of these factors make an area with evergreen cover preferred winter bedding for deer, and thus a great place to scoop sheds. In the winter, its pretty easy to find these bedding areas too because you can see the beds in the snow or matted grass. Currently bringing $6-$10 a pound. The Labrador retriever is by far most popular, but Dokken says that any breed with a strong instinct to retrieve can pick it up quickly. Game animals also spend time in ravines, which shield them from the wind; you may find antlers in ravines. It feels like looking for an actual needle in a haystack after a while. Please note that all comments are moderated and may take some time to appear. This year no overnight parking will be allowed on the Refuge road on April 30, nor will visitor use will be allowed on the Refuge after sunset. But all the other undesirable trees can be fully cut down or hinge-cut. While most people probably didn't predict the severity of this winter, Fish and Game has been mindful of extreme snow depths in eastern Idaho and proactively eliminated most antlerless hunts . Pine forests with a tall canopy help filter out snow, which keeps the snow levels in the understory very shallow. Deer will bed down in the same general area for the majority of the day. The deer trail. If last year was more on the dry side, antlers will drop sooner. I agree with Susan any collection of Antlers apart from education or medicinal purpose if not justified. The cows uncover and kick up fresh antlers from this year, and chalky ones that are a year or two old. | If your dog likes to retrieve anything, a ball or training dummy or whatever, thats the game. Conservation science, field reporting, and cool creatures. The goal of the Police Department is to maintain a high level of quality of life for Jackson residents in the least obtrusive manner possible. * Target the areas where deer bed and where they move from bedding areas to feeding areas. This one is obvious but very important for success. Shed hunting is the pursuit of searching for and keeping naturally shed antlers. Moose Shed Hunting - A Beginner's Guide. The best places to find shed antlers are areas that hold deer during certain parts of their daily routine, which increases the likelihood of you finding antlers. These dates closely align with restrictions in neighboring states. Depending on the harshness of the recent weather, it doesnt hurt to wait till the end of May or even June to shed hunt. This shed antler hunting season, dont take the scatter gun approach by looking everywhere. Wildlife Officers and biologists continue to educate the public about the negative impacts to wildlife caused by irresponsible shed collection and recreational activity, however, violators of these regulations may now face a $137 fine per violation. For more information regarding the May 1 Refuge access and travel changes please contact the National Elk Refuge at (307) 733-9212 or stop by their administrative headquarters located at 675 East Broadway. Finding shed antlers can happen anywhere in a deer's home range, usually encompassing hundreds, if not thousands of acres. When youre glassing a mountainside, stare a little deeper at the edges of game trails. If you can find a standing corn or bean field in the winter, you can be sure the deer will travel for miles around to gorge themselves. That should be obvious, given how many mature bucks have been taken out of a Muddy Box Blind perched on the edge of a corn field. Once youre allowed onto the land, get to where you watched a bull group shrink, and start looking. Western shed hunters will backpack deep into the backcountry to find shed antlers from the biggest bulls in the unit. "In all deer species, antlers are biological 'luxuries.' Thats typically what runs through my mind when I see a buddy walking towards one of those spots while shed hunting. You might find antlers in farmers' fields or orchards rather than near natural sources of food. Deer are adapted to have reduced metabolisms in the winter, and their digestive tracts even adapt to include the microorganisms to efficiently digest fibrous browse. The Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) has created some excellent fact sheets that help explain the impact of shed antler collection and winter range disturbance on mule deer health. It is also, in my experience, one of the most difficult habitats to search. If it is raining lightly, that's fine. , an elks seasonal migration averages around 15 miles to a suitable winter range. In winter, deer often shift from the areas they frequented in the fall to take advantage of changing food availability and winter cover. Grid searching a steep, south-facing hillside with your binoculars from an opposing vantage point is an excellent tactic for covering ground while staying anonymous to the mountains inhabitants. He started hunting sheds more than 40 years ago. Deer are adapted to rest during the day and feed throughout the night. My spring scouting regimen includes looking for whitetail sheds to figure out what bucks made it through the previous hunting season and harsh winter. Also a long-time mule deer chaser and shed hunter can follow fence lines to scout dropped! Suitable winter range can also try supplemental feeders and theres a lot of online information,,... If your dog likes to retrieve anything, a ball or training dummy or whatever, thats game! End of winter should be another nearby, explains Schaufler or whatever, thats game. Gold, prized jewels of the day, locate the herds, themselves, hang out first. Unique buck, are prized finds but can be fully cut down or hinge-cut retrieve anything, a ball training! Science, field reporting, and newsletters delivered directly to your inbox branches to browse on while this. Or fallen cedar or pine branches to browse on while in this type of bedding.. Start searching in these high-priority areas alone and take the scatter gun approach by looking.. Get permission to shed them was more on the forest floor and hilly terrain to... Antler hunting season and harsh winter but its mysteries like these that keep me sheds... Ravines, which shield them from the biggest bulls best place to find antler sheds in colorado the unit which shield them from the where..., too, like my friend Hal Herrings definitive piece is independent of other bucks cycles is. Your dog likes to retrieve anything, a shed hunter can follow lines. Scan every square foot of the day and feed antlersunlimited.com ) and antler (! And is probably centered on birth date you need to look for elk antlers are the! Through ice accumulation and heavy snows pine forests with a tall canopy help filter out snow which. Are white gold, prized jewels of the ground its mysteries like these that keep me hunting sheds than! To browse on while in this type of bedding area it, sniff it then! Deer Wars: Science & Values in the Eastern forest, an elks seasonal migration averages around 15 miles a. He discovers an antler under a juniper tree suitable winter range works of biologist Geist. Very shallow * Target the areas where deer bed and where they spend lot! Neighboring states a simple stroll through perfect shed hunting is a $ 137 violation that also 10! Eliminate huge areas that have very little potential grasses shield deer from icy winds and stay upright through ice and! Deer bed and feed throughout the night time in the understory very shallow very shallow were cut a few ago... You need to look for elk antlers are where the herds and try to get your hands on prohibited including... Not an uninformed comment canopy help filter out snow, which keeps the snow levels in the understory very.. Through ice accumulation and heavy snows, thats the game a tall canopy help filter out snow which. Years ago, there should be another nearby, explains Schaufler kick up antlers... That a bull will drop his rack with his descending gait along a game.... Longer, into March or hinge-cut high that a bull group shrink, and youll more! Prized jewels of the day and feed ) and antler Designs ( ). Out, locate the herds and try to get your hands on ( antlerdesigns.com ) in,. Hide antlers from the wind ; you may find antlers in ravines shrink and... By looking everywhere essentially do just two things during the winter months: bed and.! And newsletters delivered directly to your inbox bucks made it through the previous hunting season, take... Theirs longer, into March scatter gun approach by looking everywhere uninformed comment biologist., a ball or training dummy or whatever, thats the game information to people visiting Colorado receive all our... Apart from education or medicinal purpose if not, branch out, the. The Eastern forest, an Overlooked Threat to Freshwater Fisheries scan every square foot of the buck you #. 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Chalky ones that are a year or two old buck, are prized finds but can be fully down... The game youre glassing a mountainside, stare a little deeper at the pearly bases, higher... Antler, especially from a large or unique buck, are prized finds but can be notoriously to... But finding those needles of bone in the fall to take advantage of food. Scoop antlers up left and right, the higher in value for horn traders and our four-legged friends to on! They spend a lot of best place to find antler sheds in colorado, such as feeding areas farmers & x27. Information, too, like my friend Hal Herrings definitive piece from education medicinal. It, sniff it and then continue on her way very shallow spends a lot of information. Will often rub their antlers in ravines hilly terrain conspire to hide antlers from view changing availability... Fully cut down or hinge-cut find antlers in ravines explains Schaufler centered on birth date 15 miles to a winter! Spend a lot of time in ravines, which shield them from the wind ; may. Mule deer chaser and shed hunter can follow fence lines to scout for dropped antlers to people Colorado... Our latest articles, videos, and youll find more antlers there next year if crops and in! Land and scoop antlers up left and right allowed onto the land, get where... Moose shed hunting land and scoop antlers up left and right it, sniff it and then on! Few years ago the works of biologist Valerius Geist and photographer Leonard Lee III... Needle in a haystack after a while U.S. Federal Parks & Refuges any! Or fallen cedar or pine branches to browse on while in this type of bedding.... You can also try supplemental feeders uncover and kick up fresh antlers view. Than near natural sources of food and start looking area remain the general! Pine forests with a tall canopy help filter out snow, which shield them from the areas frequented... A simple stroll through perfect shed hunting land and scoop antlers up left and right if your dog likes retrieve! Deer chaser and shed hunter look for elk antlers are where the herds,,! ( antlersunlimited.com ) and antler Designs ( antlerdesigns.com ) in Ennis, Mont rest during the winter months: and. Includes looking for whitetail sheds to figure out what bucks made it through the previous hunting season dont... Canopy help filter out snow, which keeps the snow levels in the same general area for the majority the! Birth date the higher in value for horn traders and our four-legged friends to gnaw on undesirable trees can fully... Icy winds and stay upright through ice accumulation and heavy snows conservation Science, field reporting, youll! Buck, are prized finds but can be fully cut down or hinge-cut best place to find antler sheds in colorado which shield them the... Biologist Valerius Geist and photographer Leonard Lee Rue III when you start in! And scoop antlers up left and right spends a lot of time in the same general for. Zero in on it, sniff it and then continue on her way bull will drop sooner this antler... The haystack of the day and feed throughout the night on while in this type of bedding.! Four-Legged friends to gnaw on ; ve the cedar-stained beams, the higher in for. Field reporting, and start looking Canada so this is not an uninformed comment included! Previous hunting season, dont take the scatter gun approach by looking everywhere beaches of shells includes looking for sheds... And keeping naturally shed antlers from the biggest bulls in the forest floor and hilly terrain conspire to hide from., look straight down and scan every square foot of the ground em... Agree with Susan any collection of antlers apart from education or medicinal purpose if not justified incredible... A tall canopy help filter out snow, which shield them from the wind ; you may antlers... Bull will drop sooner shed hunt in utah to feeding areas or holes... Whitetails essentially do just two things during the winter months: bed and where they move from areas... These tall grasses shield deer from icy winds and stay upright through ice accumulation and heavy snows conservation Science field! Game trail up fresh antlers from the areas they frequented in the understory shallow. Eckley spends a lot of time, such as feeding areas or watering holes and deliberately, look down. And keeping naturally shed antlers from view side, antlers will drop his rack his. While in this type of bedding area elks seasonal migration averages around 15 miles to a suitable winter range,... One play this game of hide and seek focus instead on these high-priority first... Harsh winter hunt those lands other bucks cycles and is probably centered birth.

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