Trodding deliberately through an
oak grove and the dynamic air of a fading season, swollen neck and tined,
bone-white crown extended in hot-blooded search, the majesty of a mature,
rutting whitetail buck commands a certain level of reverence.
As an unshakeable characteristic of our
animalistic nature, we calculate a buck’s stature as a product of that
mesmerizing, ivory headdress. Yet, such
materialistic obtainments are fleeting, dropped after their mating purpose is
served and testosterone levels dip post-rut.
Yes, deer also suffer from losses of manhood—yearly, in fact.
In the mid-south, this period of
antler-dropping typically occurs in late winter, while bucks exhausted from the
reproductive ritual aim to consume scarce food while expending as little
calories as possible.
Luckily for us, shed antlers allow
us to continue to indulge our infatuation with bone long after the season ends
and well beyond what a typical big game license affords.
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| Local shed hunter Bill Weigold with a couple of impressive 1/2 headsets. |
Over the past decade, it seems, the
practice of taking to the woods after the last of winter’s snow melts in search
of these dropped treasures has taken off.
Popularity has grown particularly in the Midwestern states, where food
plots—late season feeding stations—concentrate deer movements and provide
clutter-free arenas for searching. In
the East, where expansive oak forests generally replace food plots and
agricultural fields, shed antlers can be a bit harder to come by and spot, and
the game become even more about covering ground.
Utilizing a tactical approach and
some basic knowledge of season deer behavior can substantially up your bone
count this spring.
Check the Weather
Bucks will drop their antlers as
early as December and as late as April, depending on a host of hormonal and
chemical factors within an individual animal’s system. However, most bucks in Virginia drop their
racks between January and late March on intermittent snow cover.
Seasoned local shed hunter, Bill
Weigold, recommends timing your hunts when snow is no longer present, simply
for ease of sighting white antlers among brown leaves with no distraction.
Other times, melting snow can
influence deer movement by providing a rare feeding opportunity, providing
hints as to where shed antlers might lay.
“One particular winter we had quite a bit of snow and a couple warm days
cleared out some hillsides. I figured
the deer would go where the food was available, and I found quite a few there,”
Weigold remembered.
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| Weigold with an impressive collection of large shed antlers. |
When snow is finally out of the
equation for the season, Weigold looks for certain weather patterns to create
optimum shed hunting conditions. “My
favorite time to look for sheds is on a cloudy day after rain,” he said. “The lack of sun eliminates distracting,
bright glare on the ground.” Moreover,
leaves dark from rain and light antlers contrast much sharper than dry leaves
illuminated by bright sun.
Go Small
Shed hunting in the eastern,
heavily-forested states is a challenge because of the distribution of deer
across a wide range and because of a cluttered forest floor that distracts the
eye. So instead of covering miles and
miles of ground aimlessly, it pays in antlers found to search small wildlife
havens.
Several of the best shed antlers in
my own collection were rummaged from a narrow swath of creek bottom forest
pinned between a busy state road and my childhood subdivision. Deer hunters also know these small woodlots
to be concentrated with deer. Human dwellings
displace deer, pushing them into these areas of relative seclusion. You’ll be surprised what you might find in
close proximity to development.
Shed hunter and outdoor writer,
Mark Taylor, of Roanoke has likewise reports success in scouring the small
urban lots and parks of his home city.
Search Escape Cover
Like any species of wildlife, prime habitat
will be comprised of feeding stations, transitional bedding and nesting
grounds, and escape cover. Because late
winter bucks are weak from the rut and wary from months of hunting pressure,
thick escape cover in relative proximity to available food—such as grass in a
field or on a hillside—will house bucks during the antler-dropping period.
Naturally, areas where bucks spend
the most time this time of year will be the shed hunter’s best bet for
success. Weigold, who holds quite a
collection of finds, says, “I go to the thickest stuff I can find!”
Search escape and wintering cover
thoroughly and if you’ve got bucks, you’ll probably find antlers!
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| Weigold with his complete collection |
As with other outdoor pursuits,
shed hunting can be quite rewarding, and even an unsuccessful hunt is nothing
worse than a walk in the awakening spring woods!
*Originally published in the Rural Virginian
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