Whether you are a hunter or just like exploring, there is always and opportunity to enjoy the wilderness. The serenity you can find walking through the woods can be indescribable. As an outdoor enthusiast, I always enjoy walking through the woods doing some shed hunting.  If you have never done it, here are the details. Deer, elk, and other antler-bearing animals shed their antlers. This happens every year and they grow back the next season. For those of us that like to explore the woods, this gives us the opportunity to find those sheds. This opportunity is a rewarding activity that helps us connect with nature and wildlife and the habitat they live in. Here are a few tips and tips to help maximize your chances to find these hidden treasure.

1. Shed hunting is most successful during late winter and the months of early spring before plants start blooming. As the weather starts to warm and days start to lengthen animals will shed their antlers. As you explore the woods more you will be able to familiarize with shedding patterns of animals.
2. If you are going to begin you need to go where the animals are. The idea is focus on bedding areas, travel routes and food sources. In the winter if there is snow this is easy to do since you can follow the tracks. Also when shed hunting check places that have dense cover since deer have a tendency to move to these areas for concealment.
3. As animals ofter drop their antler in transitional zones, make sure to put this area on the higher priority list of places search. Pay attention to tracks and animal droppings as they are clues to where animals have been and where sheds have possible dropped. Natural barriers, such as a fallen tree, streams, and fence lines can cause antlers to drop. Animals attempting to move through these area can bump an antler and cause it to fall which leads us to our next point.
4. As a bonus when you find one, look for a matching set in the vicinity. Most animals tend to drop both antlers within a very short distance of each other. Finding a matching set is very rewarding and can give you an insight to that individual animals movement.

Shed hunting is a fascinating way to get children into the woods to explore nature with the possibility of finding a reward.  Once you understand the timing, how animals move, and places to look, this will make shed hunting a great outing each year. So lace up your boots, through a hat and jacket on and enjoy the great outdoors. 

If you do take the opportunity to get out, we would live to hear from you so send us an email with a picture and tell us where and when you found the shed.