The Anahuac Progress- Hunting for sheds

By Larry Wilburn

Each spring, many collectors scour the brush and woodlots searching for the antlers that bucks drop off or shed. The shedding of the antlers is a natural occurrence that happens as the testosterone levels in the buck subsides and the chemical change causes the pedicle to soften and the antlers fall off. There is no set time when this occurs but its usually in early spring and does vary from area to area. The deer rarely sheds both antlers at the same time so its somewhat unusual to find a matching set. You can consider yourself lucky if you do find a matched set.

Just like collecting sets of antlers, shed collecting is rapidly catching on throughout the country. So much so that the North America Shed Hunters Club (NASHC) was founded in 1991 to record and recognize exceptional shed antlers that are found.

Found in 1996, the Texas state record single typical shed has 6 points and scores 84 2/8 points. The world record typical shed measures 104 6/8. The states top non-typical shed was found way back in 1899 and scores a whopping 144 3/8. If the other side matched it would be one of the highest scoring bucks of all time. The world’s largest non-typical shed scores 148. The most amazing find was the set of matched sheds found in Minnesota that scored an incredible 310 5/8 without any spread credit added in. Assuming the rack would have had a 20-inch spread the score would be 330 5/8. That would make that buck the highest scoring wild deer to ever walk the face of the earth.

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The really big time shed hunters have turned to dogs to help find sheds. Labrador retrievers are especially popular as shed hunting dogs but most sporting breeds can be trained. After all, dogs like bones and that’s all that antlers are — an unusually shaped bone. Dogs are not the only creatures that like the bones. Mice and squirrels are particularly fond of the discarded antlers and will quickly eat the shed up to get the minerals that the antlers contain. In fact it’s unusual to find a shed in the woods that does not have chew marks.

I enjoy getting out and looking for sheds. It gives me an opportunity to scout for the next season. Finding sheds will let you know that bucks are using the area. The size of the sheds lets you know something about the quality of the bucks in the area. This is especially helpful if you are on a new lease that you are not familiar with. I have a few sheds in my antler collection but nothing like the hugh sheds I mentioned earlier. I have not scored any of my sheds but I do have one that has 11 points with 3 points that have been broken off.

The bucks have now started to shed their antlers around the state. Trail camera pictures that showed bucks with antlers last week show those same bucks with no antlers this week.

If shed hunting is something you might be interested in, the NASHC has a web sight, www.shedantlers.org. or you can contact the organization by e-mail at nashc@aol.com or by phone at 952-846-4754

via The Anahuac Progress.