Since I started writing this column back in 2007, I typically try to write about seasonally relevant topics, mostly related to fishing but sometimes other outdoor activities as well. There are always fishing seasons open and it’s usually not to hard to find something to write about but I won’t lie that during the winter months I struggle a little bit more to find topics to cover, especially ones that I haven’t covered in the past. This weekend I did something I had never done before – went shed antler hunting in January.
As most of you know, deer and moose shed their antlers each year around this time and then re-grow them again, starting in the spring. All antlers are different and I love finding and collecting them. I get excited every time I spot an antler on the ground.
Because of the lack of snow we have this winter, the forest floor has remained visible when it is usually covered by a foot or two of snow by this point. Most years, I would be writing about the January 1 lake trout opener this week but since many of the trout waters still have somewhat sketchy ice, I just haven’t had the desire to get after it. Now that we’re getting some cold weather, I’m sure I’ll get out there a few times in the coming weeks.
The unique conditions that we have currently allowed some friends and I to go shed hunting over the weekend, an activity that is typically reserved for spring after the snow melts. The conditions are unique right now because the ice on some of the shallow back lakes allow us to get to areas that we could never walk into normally. We were able to take snowmobiles and access places that humans probably haven’t stepped foot in a long time.
Unless you visit an area where you’ve had past success, shed hunting is always a mystery because you want to find areas where the animals spend the winter for a greater chance of finding antlers. You can put the odds in your favour by looking over the south-facing sides of bigger hills or around lower areas with plenty of food. But until you check these areas out, you never know if they are used by these animals as wintering areas or not.
Sheds can be found randomly along game trails but one thing I’ve learned from years of looking for deer antlers is that they are most often found in the spots where they bed down, usually in the sun on these south-facing hills. Our trip this past weekend was into moose country but the same rules apply. Try to get on the south sides of the hills, stay on the trails as much as possible and slow down when you get around good food sources. And keep your eyes peeled. Because of the snow, we had to look for the ends of the antlers to be sticking out. I’m sure we walked by a few, no doubt.
We had a fun day, finding a few sheds and getting some good exercise. A little bit of snowfall the day before we went probably hid a few antlers from us but it was good to get out. We learned some new areas and just had a fun day. We spent a few hours walking in the morning, met up for a lunch time warm-up fire, then hit the woods again in the afternoon. It was a good day!
