Conservation-Minded Shed Hunting

If you haven’t already gotten out to walk around and look for sheds, you probably will be soon (if you’re into that kind of thing). The popularity of shed hunting seems to be growing each year, not only thanks to the market value of deer and elk antlers for dog toys, international medicine, and art, but also from people who enjoy looking for sheds recreationally and keeping them for their own enjoyment.

In the Midwest, East and South, most of the shed hunting is recreational on private lands. Hunters love finding sheds from deer they’ve been watching on camera for years and continuing to build history with specific bucks. In the western states, cervid population wintering grounds are driven heavily by elevation and habitat. There is also more public land in the west, meaning more competition for sheds from other people. In recent years, more and more western states have incorporated shed hunting regulations into their wildlife laws. Before picking up a shed, it’s important to know the legality.

Why Shed Hunting Laws?

During the winter months when buck and bulls are dropping their sheds, these animals can be highly stressed due to snow cover, body condition post-rut, and limited nutritional availability. Due to even heavier snow cover and limited forage at higher elevations, herds are more or less restricted to certain areas that are suitable for winter survival, called winter range. An efficient shed hunter knows that the highest likelihood of finding western sheds is in these areas where animals are spending time January-April and therefore losing their antlers.

Instead of being the harmless recreational activity it has the potential to be, shed hunting during the time the animals are actively dropping antlers on winter range can cause major stress to these populations that are already physiologically stressed. Pushing bucks and bulls around can force them into less suitable habitat and even cause mortality. Due to the increasing competition and interest in shed hunting on cervid winter range, the problem of stressing out/unintentionally injuring wildlife has become great enough that some states now have laws regulating the collection of sheds.

States With Shed Hunting Laws

These laws are designed to protect wildlife on their winter range by establishing shed hunting season dates or property closures. In Colorado, the collection of sheds is prohibited on public land west of I-25 from January 1 to April 30. Wyoming bans shed hunting west of the Continental Divide those same dates. And Utah requires and online shed hunting ethics course in order to legally hunt sheds from February 1 to April 15 (Please check state fish and game websites as these dates/laws are subject to change). Many of Montana’s wildlife management areas are closed in the winter already, so by default so is shed hunting.

People have expressed concern that illegal shed hunters will still be out during those dates disguising their activities as something else like small game hunting or hiking, while caching sheds to pick up at a later date. Law enforcement does keep this on the radar and in some cases will place decoy antlers out to catch people tempted by bone in the closed season.

Where Can I Shed Hunt?

While these seasonal closures are in place, in most states they do not apply to private lands. With the exception of trespassers, private landowners interested in shed hunting don’t have to worry about competition from others and can wait to pick up sheds after animals have left their winter range, limiting stress. Even after the legal dates, it’s important to be aware of laws governing shed hunting based on land designation. Montana does not allow the collection of sheds on state park lands, and most national wildlife refuges, national monuments and national parks ban the collection of sheds (among other natural objects).

Is It A Shed or A Deadhead?

Different rules also apply for sheds vs. deadheads (a skull found naturally with antlers still attached). Check to make sure you don’t need a salvage tag before keeping a deadhead. It’s usually a simple process but something required to legally keep the skull.

What Species Is It?

Cervids (members of the deer family like elk, deer and moose) are considered a game animal in most states and you should be legally able to keep antlers, skulls and deadheads. Other species like bighorn sheep skulls, marine mammal parts and threatened/endangered species skulls should be checked on with the state wildlife agency, which may get referred to a federal agency. Laws vary regarding the collection of these items and in some cases it is as simple as receiving a seal on the skull. But it’s always best to check.

Responsible Shed Hunting

Laws govern shed hunters in some areas where wildlife is at risk from too much human intrusion, but not everywhere. Even in places lacking regulations regarding shed hunting, it takes people being responsible and conservation-minded to keep it that way. Use common sense, try and limit disturbance like off-road vehicles and dogs that chase animals. Do your best to keep it fun and legal for you and the animals!

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