Every spring, male members of the deer family, including elk, deer, moose, and caribou, shed their antlers. In recent years, shed hunting has become quite popular as the price of antlers has sky-rocketed. Whether you want to shed hunt for profit or as an excuse to get outdoors, it takes practice, trial and error, planning, and luck. The dopamine rush from “adult easter egg hunting” is sure to bring people back for more, but make sure you respect the rules of your state and the other people you encounter. Don’t be the person breaking the law to get that rush because it’s not worth it. Here I share the things I’ve learned. I am not the most successful shed hunter out there, but I find some every year, and I’m proud to say I’ve found them in many mountain ranges and areas. I know I’m doing something right.

Shed Antlers 101

Male deer, elk, moose, and caribou shed their antlers each year following a cycle. After the breeding season, also called the rut, the males have a drop in testosterone levels. This drop causes them to shed their antlers, at which point they begin to regrow them. The regrowth is covered in velvet, which they begin to slough off as the rut nears. Depending on the species, they usually shed in late winter or early spring. Moose begin the soonest, usually January or February, followed by deer, then elk start mid-March. Typically, the larger animals of a species shed first. By the middle of April, almost all the elk will have dropped antlers. 

I don’t hunt caribou antlers. However, both males and females grow them. The males shed after the rut in the fall, while the females will hold theirs until June. Read more on caribou here if you’re interested.

Where to Shed Hunt

There must be a wild ungulate with an antler to shed living in an area for it to be a viable shed hunting spot. The species you find depends on where you are and your state. Some people are lucky enough to have access to private property, while others must hunt public land. Due to the opportunity to make money, people are willing to pay for exclusive rights to private property to pick up shed antlers. 

While it’s nice to have access to an entire ranch, and I don’t begrudge those who do, most of us must utilize public lands. This means you need to do your research, scout, and spend time learning the areas you want to hunt. A critical tool for doing this is OnXMaps. Download it to your phone, and for a reasonable subscription price, it shows land ownership and property boundaries, so you know what is public and private. More on this handy tool later.

Where to Start Looking

If you’re a hunter, you likely know where the wild game is during hunting season. But these animals will probably be somewhere else come shedding time. Depending on where you’re at, animals typically migrate to lower elevations with less snow to have access to feed during the winter. Remember, those animals packing antlers (the males) won’t usually be with the females after breeding season. Instead, they’ll usually be found at slightly higher elevations and away from the larger herds of cows or does. Moose are more solitary and also tolerate deeper snow. 

Start researching migration routes, get out the binoculars and spotting scopes, and look for them in December and January. While they still may be in a different location come February or March, at least you’ll have a starting place. Die-hard shed hunters will spot animals and keep an eye on them until they drop. More on this later under rules and regulations.

Terrain for Shed Hunting

While the terrain will vary depending on the state you’re in and the species you’re after, there are a few things to consider when you set out to shed hunt. 

If you’re in an area that gets a lot of snow, consider where an animal will need to be to survive the winter. They need access to feed, which will likely be found on south-facing slopes or wind-blown ridges with less snow. Wild game animals also need access to cover and protection from the elements and predators, so look for places with good tree cover nearby. Many people will always go for the open meadows, which is understandable since many sheds have been found there. However, don’t forget to cover the tree lines and follow trails into the timber. 

Pay attention to the snow lines during the periods that animals are shedding. They likely won’t be up high where the snow is deep, and survival is difficult. Ungulates, particularly elk, tend to follow the snowline, especially as shed hunters start swarming the mountains. Elk will go as high up as they can to get away from people and still have access to feed. 

I also read this tip: go where other people don’t want to. Elk can get into some pretty rugged and gnarly places. Go there. Make sure it’s a south-facing slope or somewhere the snow wasn’t so deep; otherwise, you’re probably wasting your time.

Finally, remember that larger antlered animals typically shed first while smaller, younger animals shed later. So, consider that when figuring out the snowline and spring movement.

When to Shed Hunt 

As mentioned before, different species shed at different times. Generally, the timeline is similar across the United States. Still, they can vary slightly depending on location and the winter. Moose begin mid-winter, deer late winter, and elk early spring.

Some years they begin to shed early; other years, they hold until later. While it could be attributed to brutal or mild winters, one could also argue it has to do with the rut. Sometimes the breeding season kicks off earlier or later than usual. Since shedding is tied to testosterone, which is linked to the rut, you can see how it’s all connected. I don’t have detailed data or even personal experience to tie it to directly, but I’m sure someone out there does. 

One thing I’ve learned to do is pay attention to social media. Some people out there looking for sheds CAN’T HELP THEMSELVES, and they have to post what they find. While they won’t post WHERE they find them (after all, that’s top secret, akin to giving away your best elk, morel, or huckleberry spot), you can start seeing when people are finding them. So keep your ear to the ground, and someone you know may give it away. 

How to Shed Hunt

While it may seem simple, there is more to it than many realize. Shed hunting takes practice and luck. Sure, you can wander the woods and accidentally stumble across a shed, maybe two if you’re lucky. But to find them consistently, you must be willing to get off the trail. Then, beat through the trees and underbrush, zig-zag your way up and down steep slopes, ravines, into creek bottoms, and up the other side. I also once heard it takes ten miles for every shed found. Since then, I’ve begun paying attention to my average, and that is pretty accurate. 

Use a Map App for Shed Hunting

OnXMaps or other tracking apps come in handy for shed hunting. This is not a sponsored post, but I like OnX because it shows land ownership and topography. It shows me where ridges, open meadows, creek bottoms, and cliffs are. I’ve saved myself a lot of elevation gain by following the topo lines on my OnX. If you find a shed, it also pays to stay in the same elevation range and keep looking, which this handy app can help you do. One more plug for the app is you can mark where you find a shed so you can keep track, year after year, of where you’re finding them. You can also mark your vehicle location to find your way back. 

Pace and Path for Shed Hunting

Zigging and zagging is the best way to shed hunt. It is easy to walk on one side of a tree or bush and miss an antler completely. Walk slowly and look in all directions, including behind you. I can’t tell you how many antlers I’ve spotted right next to me. Don’t look too far out ahead because walking by one a few yards away is easy. This brings me to a short story.

I was horseback shed hunting on the opening day of a wildlife management area. I had a fast-walking mule, and we had covered a lot of ground that day. I’d found one shed up high but was making my way to the bottom. I looked up and realized I was on the wrong side of a fence, and I knew there was a cattle guard on the road below. As I stood there pondering my problem, I looked down, and directly under my left stirrup was an elk antler. I almost stepped on it and then almost rode right on past it! So, the point of my story is, go slow, look around you constantly, and don’t look too far out ahead. 

Glassing with Binoculars and Spotting Scopes

While I advise walking slowly and taking the time to look around you, there is a place to use your binoculars. As my ex-husband used to say, you can cover much more ground with your eyes than your feet (this applies to both shed hunting and regular hunting).

Find a good vantage point with lots of open country to look at, and take your time gridding the area. Pay special attention along treelines and just inside the trees. Animals will stay close to these covered areas as they come out to feed, then return for cover during the day. It is possible to spot antlers, and once you’ve spotted one or two with your binos, you’ll know the difference between those stick antlers and the real deal. 

Shed Hunting Rules and Regulations

If you’re going to shed hunt, please make sure you know the rules and regulations for your state. Some have seasons and do not allow it before a specific date. This is usually to protect wildlife on their winter ranges from being disturbed as this is a critical time of year for them. The males use most of their energy during the breeding season. The females are bred and put their energy into incubating babies. They’re all trying to survive winter and must conserve all their stored fat. Chasing them around can be deadly to them, so be patient and don’t be an asshole.

While some states don’t have seasons, areas may be off-limits until a specific time. For example, in Montana, there is no shed-specific season, but there are Wildlife Management Areas typically closed until May 15. Game wardens watch these closely, and people try to break the law every year. Often they are caught on game cams set up by the enforcement agencies. Or they may be busted when they pick up an antler with a GPS unit embedded aimed at catching someone too tempted to pass one up in an illegal area. So, while the dopamine rush is excellent, and the money made by selling antlers doesn’t hurt either, show a little self-restraint and obey the law. 

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt about it, shed hunting is a ton of fun. It takes a lot of patience and many miles to find just one. You won’t find them every trip out. Heck, you won’t find them on MOST trips out. But that doesn’t mean wandering around slowly in the woods isn’t worth it. You learn the land, get out in nature, and explore. I’ve found all kinds of treasures, from nests of eggs left behind from the year before to small dead animals and their intact skulls. 

No matter the reason for shed hunting, there are a lot of rewards. But it’s not as easy as people may think. Success takes patience, studying maps, doing homework, getting out, and putting miles on your boots. You’ll often be discouraged and wonder if people have already covered the area you’re in. They may or may not have; sometimes, you never know. But remember, there is a lot of land to cover, and even if someone walked on one side of a bush, it doesn’t mean they walked on the other. So there may be one lying on the other side they missed.  

If you decide to go out on your own like I do, make sure to read up on How to Hike where I talk about going off trail. Also, be prepared for all weather with the right clothing layers.

Don’t forget to check out my unique shed hunting designs in our new Shop!