Shed Antlers Tell a Secret Skip to main content

Shed Antlers Tell a Secret

As thousands of turkey hunters head for the woods, there’s a bonus opportunity waiting in the leaves- shed antlers. Because deer are creatures of habit, that calcium deposit may be a clue to unknown or overlooked deer behavior and reveal a special opportunity next fall. Pat Reeves makes a science of antler hunting and explains the where, when and how of antler retrieval in this Robinson Outdoors post.

The gently flowing creek was as cold as it was clear. I’ll never forget setting my eyes on that beautiful 3 point whitetail shed resting on the smooth gravel bar. I was touching something no human hand has ever touched before. I was six years old and my buddy and I were out searching for shed antlers. Looking back, I now realize we were shed hunting pioneers! I’m reminded of that day every time I pass my china cabinet in our home where the shed proudly rests.
Some people collect antiques, others garden, I shed hunt. Shed hunting is not just my hobby, it is my passion. I like the way I feel connected to the animal when I find its shed. I enjoy knowing that when I find a big shed I’m creating another chapter in a story that is still open; the story of that buck’s life…

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE: TIPS FOR PREDATOR MANAGEMENT

Austin Delano | Originally published in  GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine It is beneficial to have a few coyotes in the area to help take care of lesser predator numbers. However, throughout much of the coyotes’ range there is an imbalance of too many coyotes.  With all the time and effort that we as gamekeepers put into conserving and protecting the game animals we love to hunt, we hate to see predators have a big influence on their population. Predators play an important role in the food chain and are needed for balance, but left unchecked they can have a significant negative impact on deer, elk, turkey and many other game animals we love to pursue. The re-introduction and protection of wolves in parts of the north is a good example of a significant impact on large game numbers, and it’s still a growing problem in areas. While the average guy may not have to deal with a predator as large as wolves, almost all of us have smaller predators we should try to ...
Post a Comment
Read more

4 EASY WAYS TO AVOID TICKS

Tracy Schmidt Ticks seem to be everywhere when I go hunting. I encounter them in the woods, bushes, high grasses and leaf debris. They need heat and moisture to survive and can sense heat and carbon dioxide from a nearby host animal. There are 80 species of ticks in the United States, but only about a dozen are considered a health threat to humans.  The ticks I encounter the most are the deer tick and the wood tick. The deer tick is the only one of the two that can transmit Lyme disease. The wood tick can transfer Rocky Mountain spotted fever in some areas of North America and is the most commonly found tick in the United States. These ticks hatch from eggs in spring and become nymphs during their first year of life. Blacklegged ticks (commonly called deer ticks) are the only ticks that carry Lyme disease. And not all of these ticks carry the disease. The tick larva are the most likely to transfer Lyme disease during the late spring and summer, if they become infected with...
Post a Comment
Read more

FEEDING WORKING DOGS: THE IMPORTANCE OF GREAT NUTRITION

Just as athletes need the right fuel to stay in great shape, so do working dogs need the right food to make sure their performance is top-notch all season long. If you’re wondering what to feed your working dog, you’ve come to the right place. Just follow these nine steps to give your canines the right dog nutrition. Make sure your dog is actually working. Not all working dog breeds actually burn enough energy to justify a working dog diet. If you have a boxer or a mastiff who spends their days sleeping, feeding them like a working dog will just make them fatter and lazier.  Working dogs  are very active and perform tasks such as hunting, herding, farming, sledding, and even law enforcement. Dogs that compete in high-activity performance shows such as racing and agility competitions also burn enough calories to be considered working dogs. (If your dogs only fit this definition part of the year, don’t worry—we’ll get more in depth on seasonal dog nutrition later on.) Don...
Post a Comment
Read more