Finding antler sheds with the help of dogs

Extend your deer season by hunting for antler sheds

One way that many hunters extend their deer hunting season every year is by looking for antler sheds. Deer throughout the Carolinas drop their sheds at different times. Some will shed their antlers fairly early in the year. Others will drop them as winter turns to spring.

Once antlers are on the ground, they become a feast for animals like squirrels and mice. It doesn’t take long for them to gnaw them to nothing. That’s one reason it’s best to look for them as soon as the first deer are dropping theirs. The longer they are on the ground, the better chance they have of being consumed before you can find them.

Shed antlers can be difficult to see on the forest floor, especially when they first drop and are still a deep brown color. They blend in well against the brown leaves and pine straw. So some hunters train dogs to find the sheds.

Sam Seamster with Wild Life Adventures tags along with one such hunter, who talks about how he trained his dogs to find sheds.

See more adventures from Seamster by clicking here.

About Brian Cope 2726 Articles
Brian Cope is the editor of Carolina Sportsman. He has won numerous awards for his writing, photography, and videography. He is a retired Air Force combat communications technician, and has a B.A. in English Literature from the University of South Carolina. You can reach him at brianc@sportsmannetwork.com.

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