Last weekend, the Maine deer hunting season came to a close. Being careful not to spook deer out of the area, check your trail cameras a couple times between late January and mid-March. You can get them pretty cheap on Amazon. Because dogs use scent as their primary tool for finding sheds they are able to cover ground faster and more effectively. Additionally, south-facing ridges are the first to melt. Shed hunting requires a lot of walking, and walking at variable paces. Page said shed hunting in Maine seems to have gained more followers. These areas include food sources, late-season bedding, and travel corridors between these two areas. A few years ago, I had a discussion with a Michigan naturalist, who claimed that most whitetail bucks lose their antlers by mid- January. Search this Site. By setting realistic expectations you will be able to accurately visualize what size sheds to search for when shed hunting. If you're searching for whitetail or mule deer antlers, the time when you're most likely to find some are between the months of January and March, so try to do the most shed searching during those times. It is also a good idea to bring some older sheds with you and place them in random locations at the beginning of the shed hunt. However, the antler regeneration can take around two to four months before it is completed. Welcome! Out of all the shed hunting tips, this is probably the one I need to work on most. The reason to flag sheds is because, as mentioned above, many times bucks lose their second antler not far from their first. When you begin shed hunting start tracking your path. To do this effectively, leave your cameras out after hunting season is over. If you’re curious about how to use dogs for shed hunting check out; Maine Shed Hunting Tips: Heavily hunted areas will result in a lower probability of finding sheds than areas that have low hunting pressure. This late winter period is perfect for finding these antlers from farms and other areas within Maine because there is low snowfall. You can get a pair of polarized glasses for around 15-25$. Late season food sources and bedding areas are explained in greater detail below. You can see old and new tracks in this travel corridor. Welcome! South sides of ridges get the most sunlight. Having an extra pair of gloves is nice after wearing wet gloves for a while. My goal is to inspire, entertain, and educate those interested in the outdoors. You may want to bring extra gloves if it’s rainy or there is snow melting off trees. The snow helps track the deer and can lead to where their beds are located. A true hermaphrodite is a buck that has both male and female sex organs with antlers, but these deer typically stay in velvet and shed their antlers early. When looking for antler sheds in Maine, the winter months are great to begin the search. Winter Fly Fishing: How to Catch Trout on Streamers this Holiday Season. Some things to throw in your backpack could be a compass, GPS, extra gloves, survey flagging, sunglasses, lunch, and of course for putting sheds in! More often than not it’s an ear twitch or a tail wag that gives the deer away. It makes the most sense to start shed hunting when the majority of antlers are off, and not before. This means deer will be feeding very heavily during this time of year. Between January and April, you are more likely to find deer antlers that have shed. Moose and deer shed their antlers each winter before growing a new set over the next two months. For this reason, light rainy days or the day after a rainy day is a great time to be out looking for sheds. Triggered by day length and maintained by hormone production, antlers begin growing in April, and are nurtured by a velvety outer network of skin tissue and blood vessels. Google Earth and Google Maps are my favorite tools for virtual scouting. Focus on where deer are spending the most time. Binoculars are a useful tool for scanning fields and for confirming a visual on a potential shed in the distance. More Hunting. By focusing your efforts in late season bedding areas your odds of finding shed will be much higher than aimlessly walking through the woods hoping to stumble upon a shed with no plan. It is not recommended to continually disturb deer that are in these deer wintering areas in the middle of winter. I am a big advocate for wool clothes for shed hunting. The deer antler shed will take two to three week before full completion. Trail cameras are a great way to determine when bucks in your area are losing their antlers. Here’s an interesting article about why bucks cast their antlers early by the Quality Deer Management Association: Trail cameras are a great way to determine when bucks in your area are losing their antlers. Horns, in contrast, remain permanently affixed to the skull. Bucks are known to annually grow and shed their large sets of antlers, which serve for sparring and “to attract female deer for mating,” according to Sciencing.com.. Here’s an interesting article about why bucks cast their antlers early by the Quality Deer Management Association: Causes of Early Antler Casting. Shed hunting isn’t easy. One suggestion – any place a deer has to jump, like a stream, that could jar antlers loose. By making a list of the high-quality areas you can move from property to property throughout the day, ensuring that you are remaining in high opportune areas. Enjoy! Bringing a backpack is very helpful. When antlers get a sheen of water on them they tend to shine and glisten. For this reason, bucks like to bask in the rays during the cold months to warm up. Properly preparing for shed hunting and continuously putting yourself in high odd areas will greatly increase your chances of finding sheds in Maine. Before you shed hunt an area make sure you wait long enough into the season so that the majority of bucks have lost their antlers. You can spend all the time in the world shed hunting, but if you’re searching at the wrong time your success will be reduced. There is a good chance a buck could have knocked an antler off in his travels between the two destination areas. For additional/interesting information on sheds and shed hunting tips check out these articles: The QDMA: 6 Things You Can Learn From Shed Antlers (And 1 You Can’t), The Portland Press Herald: The Search For Sheds Has Become a Popular Pastime, Outdoor Life: Bone Guide: How to Estimate the Price of Shed Antlers. But you have to be realistic depending on where you live. Mule deer, whitetail deer and other ungulates shed their antlers once a year. The more time you are able to spend in the woods, the better your chances are for finding sheds. Here I blog about what I live and breathe; Wildlife and the Outdoors. Bringing food, water, or anything else you might enjoy will ensure you are as comfortable as possible. Deer, in general, are habitual creatures and tend to use the same areas at the same time each year. Snow conditions dictate our luck and abilities to navigate the back country. There are many factors that influence when bucks will drop their antlers and it varies slightly from year to year. Filed Under: Deer Hunting, Maine Hunting News Tagged With: antlers, deer horns, maine, sheds. Areas that do not allow hunting or have limited hunting seasons could be a good bet for finding more sheds. I'm Jason Tome, the founder (no surprise there). There are many factors that influence when bucks will drop their antlers and it varies slightly from year to year. The minute you stop concentrating on what you’re looking for is the moment a shed slips by unnoticed! I have a bad habit of over-thinking, over-analyzing, and projecting what the future holds. 15 Best Tips for Scouting Deer Using Google Earth. As shed hunting continues to pick up in popularity, more and more antler hunters are hitting the woods. It’s not a universal given that all bucks will drop around the same time. Male moose drop their antlers every winter and all Maine Moose Antlers grew on wild, free range moose. These areas provide your best chance for finding them, so go slow and double-check every stick to make sure it is not a piece of an antler.Â. How to Call More Coyotes into Shotgun … “(Older) bucks skip many meals during the breeding season, and those that rut hard may be in poor post-rut condition… even when abundant (food) is … Mint color! By marking the locations of the sheds you will start to develop a database of areas of where you have found sheds. Bucks shed their antlers between January and April, depending upon many factors including the animal’s age and the latitude at which it lives, after … The antlers primarily serve to allow bucks to spar over females during the breeding season and serve little purpose once their task is over. Having company makes shed hunting more enjoyable. Being able to refer back to where you found the first shed will allow you to make another game plan for searching the area for the second shed. Virtual scouting will save you a lot of time and energy. In spring or early summer, March or April, the new antlers begin to form, growing out from a pedicel bone, a bony stalk situated on the frontal bone of the skull. This is still really difficult for me to do. The Short Answer Most deer will shed their antlers pretty soon after the rutting season is over. Bringing everything you need to make a day out of shed hunting is a great way to improve your odds of finding sheds. Flagging will make it so you can easily go back and refer exactly where you found the first shed. Members of the deer family are unique because they shed their antlers every year. Then this shed hunting tip may benefit you more than any other. By keeping your eyes and mind focused on sheds you will have the most success. I like to use a GPS app on my phone. Because of the sheltering effect from the softwoods stands the snow depth is much less. It involves looking for antlers that Deer lose every winter. We only buy and sell 100% legal, naturally shed antlers. This ribbon can be used to flag trees over sheds that you have found. Bucks don’t like the imbalance of having one antler, it makes their head feel awkward. In summary, the answer to the question when do whitetail deer shed their antlers is between, December and April. You’ll want a backpack to put your lunch in and any other useful things you might want to bring. A typical day may consist of riding 50 – 100 miles on snowmobile finding 2 -5 antlers per day; if you are lucky enough you may find a matched set or a whooper weighing over 20 lbs. Having the proper attire when shed hunting helps to keep you in the woods longer. Additionally, if you start sweating you’ll become cold when you have to slow down in the high opportune areas. Deer (and other ungulates, like elk) shed their antlers every year, then grow a completely new set. These deer yards are found in areas that provide good shelter from the snow. Know exactly when the Whitetail Rut is happening in Maine. The concentration required to be good at shed hunting is very similar to tracking deer, which requires you to be present and in the moment at all times. By Michael Hanback. Having the right state of mind plays a big role in shed hunting success. Safety sunglasses reduce glare, making shed hunting easier and more enjoyable. Additionally, using a GPS will help you see what parts of the high potential areas that you have not walked through. The ability to shed antlers allow the deer to begin growing a new set over the summer and replace any damages (broken points, etc) that occured during mating season. Our passion for moose is what got us started in this business and we look forward to sharing the benefits and the joy of Maine Moose Antlers with you! In late winter, after the rut is over bucks shed their antlers. Bumping deer in these areas at this time causes them to expend needed energy and creates stress. Get the facts about sheds, and learn how to find your own. This shedding procedure takes two to three weeks to complete, while the regeneration takes an entire summer to complete — before the cycle starts all over again. Antlers have a covering of living skin called velvet. When searching for the second shed it is easy to forget the exact location where you found the first. In the northern regions deer congregate together in deer yards. Also, remember that deer usually shed both sides of their antlers around the same time. Then walk about and observe the sheds to train yourself on what to look for. It can take as little as 24-48 hours for the antlers to actually fall off, but the shedding process takes between two to three weeks and then new antlers will regenerate throughout the summer. Here’s an interesting article about why bucks cast their antlers early by the Quality Deer Management Association: Causes of Early Antler Casting. Guns. The force of jumping increases the likelihood that an antler may be knocked off. It might seem like shed hunting is like searching for needles in a haystack. Finding food sources are being used during the late season will greatly increase your odds of finding sheds. Check out my About Page for more information. This information can be used to improve future shed hunting excursions. Waiting until most antlers are off will make sure you have the best chances for success.Â. This is one of the best shed hunting tips in my opinion. You can do this without even getting off the couch! When shed hunting it is best to forget about scouting. It’s easy to get discouraged after long days without finding any sheds. It could be buried under mud or snow with just the tines sticking up. Highly traveled corridors are also great places to find sheds. Some great ways to keep from getting discouraged is to bring friends or bring a dog. In Maine, bucks start dropping antlers around mid-December with most antlers off by mid-March. Once you have determined the bedding and feeding areas search the area in-between where deer are traveling. Around late September to early October, bulls will dig a " rutting pit," into which they’ll urinate and then splash urine on their antlers—a scent that induces cows to ovulate. Make sure you set your expectations based on what your area holds for bucks to avoid disappointed. Safety glasses/sunglasses will allow you to plow through thick brush without taking a stick to the eye. Energy is valuable to deer at this time because they need all they can get for fighting the elements and evading predators. It takes a lot of walking in the right places to find them. Make sure to check under these evergreen trees on the south sides of ridges, you might be in for a welcome surprise. your Maine Recreation Land Specialists, Find out what your loan payment will be with our Seller Financing Package, East Grace Pond Road, Upper Enchanted, ME. If you’re after a specific buck’s sheds, trail cameras are a great way to determine when that buck has shed his antlers. Once you start noticing most bucks have lost their antlers you can determine when to start shed hunting. Sense to start shed hunting it is best to forget about scouting under: hunting! 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