The CPW Commission chose not to include private lands in its decision to enact a shed antler collection closure in Colorado. This year the National Elk Refuge Road will open at midnight on May 1st. Following a flash of white into a swath of sage brush near McCoy, he discovers an antler under a juniper tree. Now well talk about the other main area youre likely to find most of your shed antlers. Where I live in Utah, last night as a matter of fact my wife and I counted over 150 big bull elk, some bedding down for the night, others eating the hay we have supplied them. The tall, fallow grass that runs along or through crop fields are what Im always seeking out. These large grassy meadows, which are predominately found on South facing slopes can be easily identified, once again from Google Earth. OnXMaps shows you exactly where public and private land boundaries are located and allow you mark spots and utilize different overlays much like a handheld GPS. 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. Gerald Almy. Then get out there, explore, stretch your legs, and work on honing in those hunting and glassing skills for fall. Elk are vulnerable in the early spring after enduring a long, cold winter. This is important since deer hooves sink right through deep snow; this sheltered spot offers a break from the otherwise difficult travel conditions. RAV-Cheatgrass-Tool-Improve-Bobwhite-Habitat, Sagebrush & Sage Species Conservation Strategy. Its no secret that quality destination food sources are an ace in the hole for piling up sheds on hunting property. In more northern regions outside of the farm belt, dense conifer stands offer a similar level of protection from winter, with some additional benefits. Copyright - Muddy Outdoors - Powered by, Shed Hunting | The Pros and Cons of Finding Dead Heads, The Power of Perennials | Spring Food Plots. If a person accumulates 20 or more license suspension points within a five-year period, that person could be suspended from hunting and fishing for up to five years. I cant tell you how many sheds Ive found that I walked right by days and weeks before, he says. If it's steep country there's usually more snow and glassing is a good strategy. Pay special attention if the trail is interrupted by a section of rocks or a cliff where elk would need to lunge their bodies, generating extra force upon landing, and possibly dropping their racks in their tracks. Finally, get out period, too many let laziness and the cold winds keep them indoors. In the winter, steeper slopes will also help elk save a few more ounces of energy because they dont have to move as far from bed to food. If your dog likes to retrieve anything, a ball or training dummy or whatever, thats the game. Bedding refers to making a safe area where the deer and any fawns can sleep, away from predators. Please note that all comments are moderated and may take some time to appear. In the winter, deer need thick thermal cover to protect them from the cold temperatures and winds. You need to pretty much stick to trails and beds to find them. Son of a bitch. Now that weve covered the two dominant sites to find shed antlers, lets look at the last place you can find them. Its a work of art, isnt it? According to a 2013 article in Montana FWPs. The new Refuge access and travel regulations are explained in a news release on the web at http://1.usa.gov/21y0iuN . Wardens watch social media, as they should, so dont get jammed up. They helped ignite my interest in deer as a child and continue to contribute important work on the subject. The CPW Commission chose to align its restrictions more closely with Wyoming, where Colorado gets its biggest influx of both shed antler hunters . No, Im not making a 420 reference here; Im talking elevation. Just $1 per month , Read our guide and start finding more shed antlers, By Say you find 30 or so more sheds this spring and add them to your growing collection. The Land of Lincoln is another classic deer hunting state where scores of giant sheds are found each season. The freshly felled trees will provide lots of young tender browse that was inaccessible to the deer, but the sudden infusion of sunlight will also produce lots of stump sprouts next summer. Finding the most well-used areas for both activities will lead to antlers, and grassy buffer strips can offer the best of both worlds. 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. As we mentioned above, recently clear-cut areas provide tons of downed trees and limbs to offer a lot of concealment for whitetails. Bigger bulls and elk in general, prefer seclusion and will not tolerate human interaction, which is why you also find them at higher elevations. The cows uncover and kick up fresh antlers from this year, and chalky ones that are a year or two old. Brown or white antlers are easiest to spot on an overcast day. When to go shed hunting is a tricky question. Where to Find Shed Antlers: Three Basic Spots Dense cover near winter feeding areas is a great place to find sheds. That makes the eastern forest prime shed hunting territory. Many of us dont have the luxury of large nearby fields with standing grain to draw shedding bucks. Any grassy crop field edge is a must-search for antlers. Finding shed antlers in the tangled thick grasses or cattails isnt easy though. Learn a bit about deer, and it's easier than you think. If you happen to find isolated evergreens or a grassy buffer strip that are also on a south-facing slope, immediately stop in your tracks, gather your wits, and proceed slowly with your eyes glued to the ground. Mule deer winter in bush-and-shrub habitats, says Wait. Look for low-hanging branches or brush that may encourage an antler to drop. Whitetails are habitual, and youll find more antlers there next year if crops and cover in the area remain the same. 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. Whitetails essentially do just two things . Many of the streets closest to the Refuge entrance are located within residential areas and in an effort to prevent disturbances in these neighborhoods we will be educating visitors and enforcing this temporary No Parking rule.. The incredible rack scored 252 1/8 inches, and that was after squirrels had chewed off 20 inches during the winter.. 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 . Shed Antler Hunting Tip #4 - Use high quality optics. Get out early, you don't want to find a half chewed antler or even worse the tracks and imprint of a shed recently picked up by a trespasser in your favorite spot. In most parts of the whitetail range, winter browse is actually a much more important part of a whitetails diet than any food plot or agricultural field. These agencies maynotify CPW if they catch violators and coordinate with CPW officers to take enforcement action.. We where going at 70mph so we couldnt stop. White-tailed deer are over-abundant in the eastern forest, and well adapted to humans. Youve found a shed, but guess what that means? Big bull elk winter in bachelor groups, says Schaufler. The intention is to encourage elk antler collectors to find more appropriate places to park or have them seek lodging for the evening rather than parking in front of homes and potentially causing disturbances for local residents in surrounding neighborhoods, said Town Manager Bob McLaurin. In an effort to keep the streets clear of vehicles until midnight on May 1, residents are encouraged to plan on parking their vehicles their driveways and visitors are advised to park in public lots throughout town or to seek lodging at a local hotel. Bulls just hate the imbalance when one antler is off. Elk are tough to pattern because they seldom follow a daily routine, but they do value a simpler path up and down the mountains, especially during the winter. Deer spent a lot of time loafing in these areas in January and February, and bucks often drop bone there. Maybe you know what Im talking about. He also spends a lot of time with deer conducting research, promoting quality deer management, reaching out to hunt clubs, writing about deer, thinking about them. Yet another way to get outdoors, improve your hunting skill set, and scout new lands. But shed hunting can be a fun springtime pursuit and you can easily do it in a way that doesnt bother wildlife. We will also be working with local visitors bureaus to help get the information to people visiting Colorado. Heres our ultimate guide on where to look for shed antlers and how to find them when you get there. Subscribe to our newsletter and receive The Colorado Beginner Elk Hunting Guide for FREE. Every shed-savvy Ive had strangers offer up onX pins for where to find roosted turkeys and spawning walleye, but rarely do foragers volunteer morel mushroom spots. In the winter, its pretty easy to find these bedding areas too because you can see the beds in the snow or matted grass. While it is true that these restrictions may overlap with some hunting seasons, the amount of pressure put on the animals will be limited by the number of hunting license holders. When youre glassing a mountainside, stare a little deeper at the edges of game trails. Your email address will not be published. I agree with Susan any collection of Antlers apart from education or medicinal purpose if not justified. But before you get to that level, youve got to start with the shed hunting basics. Save yourself steps., Go for a matched set. While this post focuses mainly on finding white-tailed and mule deer sheds, the principles also apply for moose, elk and other antlered critters. 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. These areas include: Grassy buffer strips; Isolated evergreen areas; Hillsides that are facing south; Winter is the prime time when deer eat and bed. Steep South Use a good pair of binoculars to scan fields and woods for antlers that normally would have had to been walked up upon. Winter can be extremely difficult on wildlife as body weight is down and access to food is very limited. For more information on these temporary No Parking zones and public parking locations please contact the Jackson Police Department at (307) 733-1430 or visit the Town of Jacksons website at http://www.townofjackson.com. Think smart and travel to areas with less hunting pressure where deers migrate to survive and drop their antlers. According to a 2013 article in Montana FWPs Montana Outdoors, an elks seasonal migration averages around 15 miles to a suitable winter range. I spend as much time (if not more) in the woods during the spring as I do during hunting season. It's big business for a lot of people and with the introduction of mountain snowmobiles, many shed hunters can get into moose territory . Weve listed some of the best places to find shed antlers below. Here's our guide to finding "sheds" in a forest or field near you. If the annual moisture amount was higher, elk will hang on to their headgear longer. 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. As a pup I included shed antler hunting training into her role as an all-around outdoor dog. Some shed collectors use OHVs and snowmobiles in their search. these trails are obvious on a hillside. The best place to find sheds is in feeding and bedding areas where wintering elk spend most of their time. Pine forests with a tall canopy help filter out snow, which keeps the snow levels in the understory very shallow. If they were cut a few years ago, there should be lots of additional growth too. These trails are very easy to notice in the winter, whether there is snow on the ground or not. * In the eastern forest, get out quickly before things green up before the critters devour them (porcupines and rodents can consume them quickly). Its impossible to predict exactly when a bull elk will shed his antlers, but a couple of factors can help you predict the timing of the drop. The first is the amount of snowfall the previous year. Using that knowledge, we know that deer will spend the majority of their day bedded down somewhere and the majority of their night feeding somewhere. It was a truly remarkable animal that we called Moose, he says. For additional shed hunting tips and helpful information, be sure to check out 4 New School Tips For The Beginner Colorado Shed Hunter. You can train your family pet, say a Lab or golden retriever you keep in the house, to hunt sheds. But elk have been known to migrate up to 125 miles to seek these places to endure the winter. But when they are harvested each fall, deer need to instead scavenge waste grain on the ground. Its also where I have found many of my sheds. And, if youre lucky enough to spot one, mark the antlers location using OnX. South-Facing Hillsides And thanks for the reference! Bull elk prefer seclusion at higher elevations during Winter months. Maybe you know what Im talking about. All of these factors make an area with evergreen cover preferred winter bedding for deer, and thus a great place to scoop sheds. With all the deer gathering in these fields, you have a much better chance of finding a shed. These regulations protect the health of Colorado's big game herds and other wintering wildlife. With his new rack the next fall, the deer would be Boone and Crockett, and living on Dons farm. Lets start with feeding areas, which many people adamantly claim is the best place to find a shed antler. . Conservation science in action. Top 3 Places to Find Deer Sheds. Grassy Buffer Strips. 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. When you start searching in these high-priority locations first, you can eliminate huge areas that have very little potential. This is independent of other bucks cycles and is probably centered on birth date. Why wouldnt you? But if you have any recent clear-cut areas from the year before, there is sure to be an abundance of young growth for deer to browse on. This closure applies to public lands in Game Management Units 54, 55, 66, 67, 551. Corn stubble is good, too. That may seem like common sense, but youve probably walked by many because you werent looking. Todays top biologists nix that idea, saying deer are probably unaware of when and where theyll lose their headgear. Loud, fast-moving OHVs and snowmobiles are major sources of wildlife stress. He started hunting sheds more than 40 years ago. 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. Antlers are easier to see when you look straight down from a horse. Michael Hanback. I dont know what amount of calcium is a source for a bear but I bet it is a lot more than it can get from an old or fresh shed. While you might spot an antler or two out in the open, be sure to walk and check brushy and grassy field edges. You know I am just a dumbbell I guess, as I have never ever stopped picking up Moose, Elk, or Deer sheds due to the furry little animals I may be robbing a meal from. Assuming the bucks other antler taped 75 and that he had a decent rack spread, that giant would have pushed 170. Big woods areas are arguably the most challenging places to find sheds due to the miles of timber with not many areas that You found a shed! But the winter had been milder than usual, and elk were shedding their antlers early. Locate obstacles and the crossings. 2. Check your state regulations for salvage requirements, and if its unclear, call a local game warden for advice. Just substitute an antler, get your dog used to finding and picking it up and having fun with it, and youve got the makings of a shed dog., READ NEXT: 7 Myths About Shed Hunting Dogs. Some sheds are white, others are brown and blend into the grass and leaves. Grade B: Antler in good condition, still natural brown color, may be a bit dull or faded on one side and slightly weathered, probably last years drop. They walk too fast and look too far out front.. The pace picks up. Everyone involved in recreation needs to help educate people who are out on public lands. No matter how good a secluded basin looks at a high elevation, if it doesnt have a plentiful amount of food, the elk will be nowhere in sight. In winter, many bucks feel comfortable feeding and hiding in these gnarly spots, and drop their antlers there. Or you could look at where stags squeeze under a low branch. Listen to your subconscious. Learn Deer: As with any nature-based activity, youll be more successful and have more fun if you know the biology, habits and ecosystem of the creatures that live there. The fence was not high, so I have no idea why he didnt just jump. Shed Hunting Tips 1. It includes the best descriptions yet of what a deer experiences when it sheds an antler his firsthand observations (and photos) suggest its as disorienting as you might imagine. For the past few years, Ive struggled to find elk antlers in the mountains of Colorado and quickly became frustrated withthe lack of my success. 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. Many of us dont have the luxury of large nearby fields with standing grain to draw shedding bucks. This shed antler hunting season, dont take the scatter gun approach by looking everywhere. 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. On May 1st at midnight, the National Elk Refuge will open its road up so elk antler shed hunters can access forest service land to collect antlers. If you dont have the time or inclination to train a dog for shed antler hunting you can always call upon a professional trainer for help. So, how does one play this game of hide and seek? Sheds are white gold, prized jewels of the buck you've . Spend some time observing deer at other times of year, and youll be well on your way to learning some shed hunting hotspots. All of these factors make an area with evergreen cover preferred winter bedding for deer, and thus a great place to scoop sheds. Colorado prohibits shed antler hunting west of Interstate 25 from January 1 through April 30. Stay on the Trail. We have no sheds yet and are going deer hunting tomorrow. The act of shed antler hunting, as well as the illegal possession of each shed antler, are now viewed as separate offenses subject to individual fines. Aron Snyder, Check your area as often as possible. By knowing such a thing, a shed hunter can follow fence lines to scout for dropped antlers. And, if youre lucky enough to spot one, mark the antlers location using, . Walk every muddy deer trail that you can, and youll find bone. Ben McCanna/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images 1. Theres gold in them hills! But finding those needles of bone in the haystack of the wild is just as exciting and rewarding. 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