Getting your Hands on White Gold
Now that you’ve done your homework, it’s time to take your new found knowledge to the woods. If your luck is like mine, even with all the preparation in the world, you are not guaranteed to find sheds on your first or even first few trips out. Everyone always thinks that an antler not attached to a deer’s head should stick out like a sore thumb on the forest floor, but it really does take some training of your eyes and brain to be able to pick them out among the leaves and brush. Once you get the hang of what to be looking for and using the following tips, your chances of putting your hands on more sheds than the year before will increase before you know it.
Grid Searching:
Just like you would if you lose blood on the trail of deer you’ve shot, grid searching and strategically covering as much ground as possible can increase your chances of spotting sheds. This strategy is great for when there are multiple habitat types, like thermal cover, food and security, in close proximity to one another. There are always bucks that drop their sheds in the sneakiest places, but grid searching can help you best cover an area and find as many sheds as possible.
Paying Attention to Crossings:
I know it may sound basic, but some of the best places to pay close attention to are crossings. Crossings can be anywhere where you see a trail or know of a place where you always see deer crossing over creeks, logs, other trails, fences, and even roads. These areas are good places to check for sheds because when a buck jumps over to the other side of whatever barrier they are trying to cross, the large jolt of landing on the other side may be enough force to make the antlers fall off right then and there.
More Eyes:
Getting a group together to scout and shed hunt an area can increase your odds of finding the majority of the sheds in your area. An added benefit of having a group of people go with you to shed hunt, is the time you are saving yourself from having to walk that whole area by yourself versus the one or two passes it could take with a few people that provide an extra set of feet and eyes to cover more area quicker. Like most hunters, we do enjoy our alone time in the woods, but the comradery of getting a group together and making a day out of spending time in the woods with your friends can be much more fun. Joining groups, like Cervicide, are a great way to connect with other hunters who share the same passion for the outdoors as you.
