Spring Shed Hunting Advice
Large forests in Northern Wisconsin can provide many great spots for shed antlers.
Although many people have been out shed hunting across much of the US, some of us in the northern part of the country are still covered in snow. With rising temperatures, all of us will soon be able to get out and collect some bone and we can’t wait!
Some of my favorite areas to look for sheds include bedding areas, food sources, and south-facing ridges. These are not the only places to look for sheds, but they do make for a great starting point to those new to shed hunting.
The area that I hunt are massive forests in Northern Wisconsin and there are not many agricultural fields full of cut corn, or other favorite foods, that most of Wisconsin is covered with. This means I must resort to clear cuts and oak ridges to target where I look for shed antlers that were dropped when deer were feeding. Oak ridges are one of my favorite spots and the preferred side to walk first are the south-facing slopes. The reason for this is because it receives the most direct sun light and deer tend to like to lay there during the day to stay warm and feed.
Scout Clear Cuts for Shed Antlers
There are many clear cuts in Northern Wisconsin due to the many logging companies that clear out timber. Clear cuts work well for finding shed antlers because deer love traveling the edges of them while browsing on the falling tree tops left behind. I also have had very good luck in the past finding sheds under lone trees or bunches of cedar trees. These are hot spots for deer because they provide good protection from snowy conditions while also giving them something to browse on to eat.
Bedding Areas Are Good Spots For Shed Antlers
Bedding areas are an obvious choice for sheds because, other than food sources, a buck will spend most of his time here. It also works well for shed hunters because multiple bedding areas can equal multiple sheds.
Last spring I was having a rough start and decided to check out a local bedding area located about 600 yards from an oak ridge. I ended up finding two matched sets and one lone shed, which was my biggest shed last year, all within 150 yards from each other.
The keys that I use to find my sheds in the big woods are to walk slow and to always keep scanning back and forth. Do not be afraid to walk through an area twice because it is possible that the first time you may have missed one. Check these spots and keep your eyes peeled and you may find your biggest antlers to date.
Make sure to Submit your shed antler photos to us and we’ll add them to the Morning Moss Trail Mix.
