How to Collect Better Bones

Brandon Vallorani

Bone Collecting

Collecting the antlers or shed from deer is ever increasing in popularity. The largest White Tail Deer shed can sell for up to five figures at auction. Additionally, dogs that are highly trained to find shed can sell for $7,500.

Bone Collecting

It may seem impossible to break into this difficult, but exciting venture. However, there are a few tips that will make you a great bone collector/shed hunter.

1. Scout before and during hunting season.Most would stop there, but to really find some good shed, keep looking! Bucks generally stay in the same areas from fall through early spring. They will move to find warmer areas or spots with more food so you need to scout constantly to find where they drop their shed. Be on the look out for droppings, tracks, and areas that they are moving in and out of to find shed.

2. Buddy up with an expert.You may not get to keep what you find, but his/her experience will be extremely valuable. You will learn more from an experienced collector in one weekend than you could after years of trial and error on your own.

3. Utilize technology.After you’ve established areas where they feed, set up a camera to see when the bucks lose their horns so you have an idea of when and where they lost them.

4. Cover as much ground as possible.You could be an amazing hiker, but utilizing something like a four-wheeler will help you expand your search area and increase the likelihood that you’ll find some horns.

5. Get some canine help.By hiding horns and having a puppy find and fetch them you can train a dog to be an expert shed hunter who will get you much more than you could find on your own.

Conclusion

Enjoy hunting and selling great horns for some extra cash!