Featured Article: Antler Shed Hunting (with poll)

[Kevin]

As early as last week, the Arkansas Game and Fish (and members of this fourm) have reported that some bucks in areas around the state have already started to shed their headgear.

Antler shed hunting is a great way to spend a day in the woods, especially if you're burnt out on bow hunting ... and since the close of duck hunting is just a few days away.

Facts about Antler Sheds:

--Why a deer sheds his antlers has still never been 100% proven, however most agree that it has to do with the after-effects of the massive spike in testosterone during the rut.
--Bucks who experience a particularly trying rut, meaning they are weak, injured or low on nutrition, can lose their antlers earlier than healthier bucks.
--Different bucks shed their antlers at different times — from as early as December (in Arkansas, anywhere from late December, which is considered early, to late February) to as late as April in some areas — but the same buck will shed his antlers about the same time each year.
--Studies have shown that many times a buck will lose both antlers within just a day or two of each other.

Hunting for Sheds
The good thing about hunting sheds is that you've been in the woods a lot over the last several months, so you know most of the routes the deer on your property travel, as well as their feeding and bedding areas — all hot-beds for deer sheds — so  begin your search in these areas and along those oft-traveled paths. Also, great places to search are along fence lines. If a buck's antlers are close to falling off, the vibration of hitting the ground after making a jump can do the trick.

It's also important to note that sheds wont lay on the ground forever. Many insects, rodents and even squirrels use the antlers as nutrition, and they can gobble up a set faster than you might think.

Advantages of Finding Sheds
Finding shed antlers (especially both sides) allows you to rough-score any bucks you may not have known about that survived the season and get a good idea of current and future quality on you property.

In addition, finding the sheds of that buck you watched all season, but didn't bag, can let you know if he’s made it through the winter or if he’s still in the area. Also, finding numerous shed antlers over years on a particular piece of property allows you to gain knowledge regarding the areas that bucks are frequenting.

Shed-finding Trick
Here is a tip I picked up from a friend in Texas on how to ensure you'll find some sheds this spring. It involves rigging up obstacles around your feeder. Let's say you feed on the ground.

Pound four wood posts, about 2 feet tall, around the feed in a square. Make the square big enough so a deer with a good rack can get his head in between it. Then square them at the top by nailing 4 more pieces of wood from one post to another. When a deer feeds he will constantly bump his rack against the posts, hence increasing the chances that he sheds right at this spot.