When is the best time to look for antlers (deer sheds)?

Question

And where is the best place to locate them? I'm guessing they'll be dropping soon, but I wonder if they'd be more likely to be found along trails up to the hayfields, or in bedding areas in the timber or what? I'm trying to get myself a pair of rattling horns for next bow season. I'll be looking in Iowa and Wisconsin.

Thanks

Answer 1

Start looking now, and concentrate on bedding areas near feeding areas because deer will be spending more of their time in those areas than any other places and the antlers are more likely to be shed where the deer spend most of their time.
Although I'm not sure how true it is I have read that shed antlers are not as good as plastic ones for rattling up a buck because sheds have dried out and don't sound like the real thing, and the plastic ones have been specially tuned to sound real.

Answer 2

Yes you are right..any of your guesses and it is as natural for them to lose their antlers in the December/ January months as it will be to start the beginning of a brand new set of antlers already in March April May of 2007. I cut wood and looked down in the leaves and there was an antler really nice 4 points on that one beam. You could see bite marks on it made by the forest rodents. So 3 things. Antlers don't necessarily drop right side by side ... Anyplace you hunt for deer is the same place you find its shed antlers...I found a skull with a green mold and swamp bleached rack of antlers along a river bank half buried in swamp grass and muck fishing one spring morning...And you need a little luck cause the forest rodents do quick work and knaw them right up. Thats why it is so hard to find them otherwise you could just follow a runway or along the edge of a clearing and find them. Good luck

Answer 3

I found one of last years sheds 11 days before deer season started this year. It was chewed pretty good by squirrels and mice but it was ok.

I find them along the same routes the deer normally travels. You'll do well finding sheds if you...
#1 Know for a fact that the buck survived the season.
#2 Know the location of this bucks rubs/scrapes.

Deer are creatures of habit. That buck with run the same basic area his whole life unless forced out by another buck, hunting pressure, etc. Go out looking for sheds in spring turkey season. Its when I find most of mine.

Miketyson26

Answer 4

well it really depends on the area your in but around me i start in feb sometimes i try to wathc the deer as close a spossible and when they start dropping get out tere cause the early bird gets the worm
just look anywhere the deer travel frequently and also fences lines are good they can jar them loose or off when they jump thenm definently trails to hayfields if there yusing them just find the deer and throughly search the area

Answer 5

Late January to middle march in most places.
I look at bedding areas, feeding areas and the trails leading to and from.
I also look at where they like to cross fences, some times when jumping over or crawling under it will dislodge those that are ready to fall soon.
But remember that they may drop one on one day, the other several days later.
Seldom are the set found even close to each other.

Answer 6

The best time is mid march and some states make it illegal to look for them until march. You would have the best luck if you just follow their game trails...it should start near the hay fields and take you to their beds or a water source. Just look for stratched trees along these trails and hopefully you will find what you are seeking.

Answer 7

well, honestly, varies in every state, in SC they usually drop around Feb. if you want a good pair of rattlers then you should take a decent buck and clean his rack up and use them for a couple of years. its hard to find the sheds sometimes, the best place to start looking is in hardwood areas, they arent likely to be found near fields, bedding areas could be promising, though. better stay on top of it though, i know down here the squirrels are very fond of chewing the shed racks up.

Answer 8

The base of the antler where it attached to the skull fans out a little bit toward the base and, depending how fresh they are, will probably have s little bit of blood or blood stains on them.

Answer 9

I like to look Late January to Early Feb...........sometimes even as late as April.

Answer 10

fall or moscow hide and fur on the internet.. cheap ,nice rattling horns ,sculls ,teeth,furs ,hides etc..