Tips for Shed Hunting

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you know how much I love my deer herd. Call me the crazy deer lady- but I could have invested in a modest winter vacation with the $$$’s it cost in feed for those little guys this winter. BUT I could care less as this winter was brutal and I was only happy to help them get through it a little easier. But now that the snow is finally melting and the grass is slowly starting to green, it’s the perfect time to turn those weekend walks into a shed hunting expedition. Who doesn’t love finding a treasure in the forest? The best part, you can scrub them up and they make great indoor and outdoor decor pieces, plus you get fresh air and exercise- think of it like an adult treasure hunt, it’s a win-win either way regardless if you go home empty handed.

I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks if you’re feeling inclined to try your hand at shed hunting. A few things you should know before getting started:

Members of the deer family generally shed their antlers from mid-January to mid-March.

Tip #1- Find the Food

Start looking for sheds at preferred food sources early in the year. If you find the food,  likely you can find the sheds. Because food is limited in winter, deer tend to feed aggressively and bucks often jar their antlers loose in the process.

Tip #2- Walk a Route

When you’re headed out, think of the paths and travel corridors the animals might frequent or travel, look for tracks or sign on the path and make sure to slow down and scan the sides as you’re walking. Antlers are more visible in fields and open areas, but walk close to the border of an open area and tree cover as they usually will feed and bed in the trees and not in an open field where they are exposed.

Tip #3- Carry Binoculars 

The more ground you cover, the more likely you’ll be able to find a shed. Not sure what circuit you want to walk or don’t have time to zig-zag all over that big field, glass the area first and try and see any shade of “white” or stick-like structure that stands out to you, then go and investigate that area. Note- this has to be done once the snow melts and before the grass grows- otherwise, they are very hard to spot!

Tip #4- Where are the Jumps?

Loose antlers can jostle free any time a buck has to jump over something, check fence lines, ditches, drainage channels that might jar them enough to pop them off.

Tip #5-Look for Bedding Spots 

Deer usually frequent the same bedding spots in the winter, in Canada south facing slopes are favoured in our cold winters as it provides some heat from the sun and protection, which means these are also the first spots to melt in the spring.

And if you really get interested in shed hunting, a pro tip? Train a dog! It’s the easiest way to get the most out of your time shed hunting.