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| How to Find More Whitetail Sheds |
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| The popularity of shed hunting has grown tremendously in the last decade. Whether you shed hunt to find out if that big buck made it through the season or just for something to do on a late-winter day, here are some tips to help you find more antlers. |
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| Check South-facing Slopes: |
| In winter, these areas receive the most direct sunlight. Snow melts from south-facing slopes faster than from other areas. As a result, the area is a few degrees warmer, and makes for an ideal bedding area. |
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| Search Crop Fields: |
| Finding food in winter is difficult for deer after the snow falls. Crops provide a readily available food source for deer. Plus, antlers are easy to spot in most crop fields, except for cornfields. Don't forget to search around hay bales and corncribs. |
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| Find Bedding Areas: |
| Bucks seek thick bedding cover, usually separate from does in winter. If you can find a buck's bedding area, you're in business. Also, search trails between buck bedding and feeding areas. |
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| Watch For Obstacles: |
| Any time a buck has to jump over or duck under something, there's a chance he could jar or knock his antlers off. Good places to try are fence crossings, stream crossings and low-hanging branches along buck trails. |
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| Seek Deer Safe Havens: |
| If you shed hunt simply to find antlers, and not for scouting purposes, concentrate on areas with high deer populations where deer are protected from hunting, such as golf courses, parks, paper company land, or private land not open to hunting. Your chances of finding antlers are much higher in areas where more bucks survive hunting season. |
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| Be Persistent: |
| Many days you will come home empty-handed. Don't give up. The antlers are out there. It's just a matter of time before you find them. |
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| Bring a Friend: |
| It's a simple fact that two people can cover more ground. Bring a friend to help you find sheds, or better yet, make shed hunting an activity for the whole family. |
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| -written by Joe Shead |