The 5 W’s of Hunting Shed Antlers

The 5 W’s of Hunting Shed Antlers

By Aaron Stonehocker

Well that’s a wrap. The hunger games between man and the antlered beasts of the timber have come to a close. For many hunters, a nice trophy set of antlers will be boasted upon their return from the taxidermist. For others, the tears of agony are drying up into crusty salt streaks across their cheeks as they crunch down on a tasteless tag sandwich for the season. There may be good news for the hunters who came out of the woods empty handed this season: there is still time to go out and capture a piece of that buck you chased all season long and have a trophy set of horns to go along with your “buck that got away” story. Now is the perfect time to go shed hunting.

Shed hunting is a fantastic way to extend the hunting season as well as another excuse to get out of the house and avoid the winter list of honey do’s that are sure to be piling up. Shed hunting is exactly that: hunting. Instead of the buck bringing a treasure trove of tines to us, we are chasing a mapless treasure based on a few variables that afford us an educated guess as to where the buck decided to bury his crown of bone among the grass, corn stubble, and plum thickets. The search can seem like a needle in a hay stack, so here are five “W’s” to keep in mind that will keep you on track.

Normally when we think of shed hunting, we wrap our minds on the “WHERE” aspect of deer dropping their antlers. This ultimately is the most important because “WHERE” is where the antlers will be. It is the process leading up to the “WHERE” that actually helps us to be successful in finding shed antlers. Because of this, I will start with the “WHAT” and “WHY” of the: Who, What, When, Where, and Why of shed hunting.

“WHAT” are we doing when we are hunting shed antlers? The answer to that seems easy enough, “Duh Aaron, we are looking for the antlers of deer”, but there are a few more details here that you can keep in mind to be more successful. When we hunt shed antlers, we aren’t just looking for sheds. We are actually tracking the deer that drops them based on things we know about the deer or the herd in the area we are looking. Wandering around aimlessly in a cornfield or CRP field, because it looks like a good spot is only half of the battle. What we want to do is get into the mind of the deer, go where the deer are going, and hunt for the deer instead of hunt for the antlers. If you can pattern the deer in the area based on fresh sign, tracks, known winter habits, etc. you will be sure to increase your chances of finding shed antlers.

Now that we know “WHAT” we are doing afield, we can move on to the “WHEN” and “WHY”. Many people know that deer drop their antlers after the rut, but why? It may come as a surprise to some of us that deer antlers are actually alive when they are attached to the animal. Antlers require substantial nutrients and blood flow to keep them alive and healthy just like our bones do in our bodies. The rack during the growth phase through the rut is an extension of the deer’s skeletal system. So why do they drop them?

The rut usually takes place in the early part of the winter season as temperatures start to drop off, and the days get shorter. When the battling is done, the deer are worn out from chasing, fighting, and breeding and they go into winter survival mode. With no need for their antlers, the buck’s body actually produces cells that eat away at the base of the antler until it is brittle enough to fall off. The process is triggered by a drop in their male hormone levels after they are no longer breeding. This survival technique is used to conserve valuable blood flow and nutrients to more vital parts of the body for surviving winter conditions. The “WHEN” of shed hunting can easily be answered through simple deer herd observation. When the rutting action completely stops, it is time to start watching for antlerless bucks. The “WHY” is a very important piece to the shed hunting puzzle because it allows us to hone our search to the simpler pattern deer have during winter months. Now we can finally explore the “WHERE” of shed hunting.

By examining the “WHEN” and “WHY” of deer shedding their prized antlers, we can narrow our search to areas where we will have a higher percentage of finding them. There is no perfect answer to where the antlers will be, but knowing the pattern of the deer and what drives their daily activities in the winter will give us some good odds for our hunts success.

Because deer drop their horns to survive, we know that they are in survival mode during the cold winter months. What does a deer need to survive? Food, shelter, heat, and open water are all vital to the herd’s survival during winter conditions. Iowa is blessed to be a state that grows just about anything we put in the ground for crops, and as such, there is never a shortage of crop residue for deer to forage on in the winter. I like to focus my efforts on the crop fields to start the season because the refueling mode of a rutty buck is a powerful thing that will bring him out of hiding when the rut is over. I like to work the buffer zone of the food sources first. This zone consists of the grassy edge, and the first twenty yards of wood line that surround a crop field. A cautious buck will hang out here while other deer work into the field first. This makes the field edge a prime candidate for falling antlers as he scans and pokes around to makes sure he is safe.

Bedding areas are also a first class shed hunting area. If you know the property, it is likely that you know where the deer either come from or retreat to during the early and late hours of the day. These areas are great to look because the deer jockey themselves around a bit when they lie down and stand up. Deer also like to shed frost or water droplets off themselves early in the morning or during a rain shower, and like a dog they violently shake their bodies and heads which is perfect for tossing antlers into the brush.

In some cases deer bed on other properties than the ones we can hunt. I have had luck doing a little door knocking after the hunting season is over and asking if I could have the privilege of hunting for sheds on adjoining properties. I have even been invited to go out with some friendly farmers as they take their families out for a day of hiking their farm looking for sheds.

Along with bedding areas, deer like to bed in areas that keep them warm. Tall grassy areas work great for night bedding when there is no sunshine, but during the day, I have encountered many deer on sun covered hillsides trying to stay warm on a cold day. I like to follow the hillside trails and have found many sheds on west facing slopes, with better success on west facing slopes that are over water.

Water is another key element to deer survival in the winter. In Iowa, it is not uncommon for ponds, lakes, and other still bodies of water to ice over making it difficult for deer to drink. I like to find small streams or drainages from dammed up ponds that have a steady trickle. The property I primarily hunt has a nice size creek that stays flowing almost all year round. If you find these water sources, find the places the deer cross them or the trails leading to the drinking hole. A thirsty buck is likely going to move to water on a regular basis.

Finally, “WHO” can be a great way to find a specific set of trophy horns you are trying to keep tabs on year after year. With a growing emphasis on trophy hunting, many hunters take pride in watching a buck grow to its full antler potential. This gives more satisfaction to finding that one particular buck’s sheds year after year until he is ripe for the harvesting. If this is the type of hunter you are, or if you happen to have a target list buck that you missed out on this last season, finding his treasured sheds may be easier than you’d think.

Most likely if you have a specific buck you are hunting, you probably spent a lot of time patterning and tracking this bruiser to increase your chances at harvesting him during the season. This is good news if he slipped through your fingers this season after you had his pattern down to a science. Often times, a buck will tighten his home range down to a simplified version of his early season and rut patterns. He will be more focused on the basic elements that will keep him alive and happy during the winter months. Use this to your advantage and explore his usual hangouts, feeding sources, bedding areas, and trail hot spots. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how he has already let you know where his antlers can be found.

There is a lot of advice on specific places to look for shed antlers out there, and undoubtedly antlers have been found season after season in all of them. Keeping the simple five “W’s” of shed hunting in your mind will enhance your perspective on the property you are searching as well as allow you to find the deer that will lead you to the prize. Like mushroom hunting, remember to be persistent and patient because where you find one, you are likely to find another. Good luck sportsmen!