The Ethics of Shed Hunting

Shed hunting has become a wildly popular off-season activity for many hunters who hold a deep love of the animals they pursue. It’s a great way to cure cabin fever and gather a few totems from favorite game animals. Finding a matched set of dropped antlers from a big buck or bull is like hitting the lottery. It’s a unique feeling to be able to hold an antler from an animal that’s still running around out there. Hunters can also learn a lot about...

The Perfect Conditions for Shed Hunting

The best time to shed hunt is any day or weekend or week that you can get off work or away from other obligations to race away to the woods. But the next best time is when conditions are perfect. As I’ve written before, consistent shed hunting success is strongly linked to efficiency, i.e. making the most of your precious hours in the field and hard-earned miles. A rarely discussed but useful ways to do this, if you have a flexible schedule, is...

Why I Don't Bother Shed Hunting

The number of hours I’ll spend searching for shed antlers this offseason is equal to the number of hours I’ll spend watching Dancing with the Stars. I’m not saying I won’t take a quick glance at the show as I rip through the channels in search of something less mind-numbing, and I’m not saying I won’t stop and pick up a shed if I happen to see one laying on the ground as I’m out chasing spring gobblers. But this is the extent of my focus, effort...