Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Discussion about shed antlers, etc
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moondoondude
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby moondoondude » Mon Mar 26, 2012 4:03 am

Stanley wrote:
moondoondude wrote:
Bucky wrote:I love the exercise and being out and about. I'm addicted... the more time you spend walkn the more you learn about wildlife behavior... some of the best whitetail hunters I know spend a lot of time shed hunting. Travel patterns are highly visible sign wise in Feb/March too in my opinion.

I get a similar adrenaline rush to finding a big shed antler after walking for hrs as I do shooting an animal... it sounds odd but it is why I'm addicted to it!


Bingo. Men have had antler obsessions for thousands of years - cave paintings with big antlered deer speak to that. So I guess you could say I am in touch with my ancestral roots.

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They are the ones that started the big buck craze. Antlers were a bonus byproduct after meat from a deer. You had tools and weapons as incentive to kill a big buck.


Right on. I give away plenty of old antlers to guys that use them as tools - although I am sure not quite as primitive.

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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby NatureBoy » Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:03 am

For me it's like treasure hunting, especially on the rare occasion when I find them in a buck bed.
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby phade » Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:07 am

To me, scouting and shed hunting are done one in the same. I never look for them in areas I can't hunt, though.

I usually use it as a confirmation that a specific buck made it through the hunting season. Sometimes it'll let me piece together some more info...one shed I found was just gnarly with mass from an old buck. I had been finding some rubs with a distinctive mark above the actual rub but I never laid eyes on what I thought to be the culprit. I happened to find the shed, thought it was interesting, and as I was walking out, I passed one of the rubs from the prior season...so I gave it a whirl...placing the shed against the rub and I'll be darned...one tine on the backside of the mainbeam slid right into place with the mark above the rub. Now I know what the buck looks like, knew that he shed here, and knew that much more about the buck and his movements. Unfortunately, word got to me that he had been found a short distance away the following season with no visible cause of death.

I found a nice shed of a buck I had on camera working a scrape...found the shed within 200 yards of the scrape.
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GRUD
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby GRUD » Sat Aug 25, 2012 11:00 am

I like to find sheds almost more than killing the deer itself. The huge buck racks seem to be elusive too. I know areas that hold monsters and rarely find their racks. A friend found a 90 incher last year and I found a very heavy set, but we never found the second side to the big boy.

I like to get permission to shed hunt and use it to throughly scout the property to see if its worth pursuing hunting permission or lease.

I dont have piles of them but I have found quite a few. I just gained interest in it the last few years and love to go hike for hours

Also, its fun to shed hunt some properties that dont allow hunting to try and find those monster racks.

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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby Mike.E » Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:34 am

For me it's a little reminder that finding their antler means they were here at one point. I also only look for antlers where we can hunt, and don't get off on walkngi to random places for them..It's knowing i have a cahnce at him next fall.

We also use our shed antlers in our home us lamps, shelves, mirror frames, chandeliers, and pegs for fur poles we also make.

It's also a reason to get in the woods and just walk, and enjoy nature, gotta love it!
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:04 pm

I found my first one last summer believe it or not. A thick all around 5 point still in good condition for being late summer. The rodents chewed on it a little. Possibly off a 3 year old deer. I found it on accident, my friends were with and they thought I was weird I wanted to keep it. I searched for them for years and finding that first one was like finding gold.
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby GRFox » Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:29 am

The antlers themselves are the most crucial part of my addiction to deer. No 2 antlers are alike and they are all awesome.

The simple fact that a big buck spends all of his time in the woods with that massive rack on top of his head is IMO the coolest part about him, he is the man! Just watching a buck feed and pick his head up and down and watching his rack move with every move he makes is just something I cant explain. If i told the above sentence to someone who wasnt torn up with big bucks, they would prrobrably call the NY State Crisis Interrvention Team and have me bound in a straight jacket. Sorry, cant help it ;)

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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby Hill Hunter » Mon Dec 03, 2012 5:45 pm

Only care about the ones off deer I can hunt/have a chance to kill.

1) might show me he's still alive if I didnt already know otherwise
2) a neighbor always appreciates a gifted antler if they harvested the deer
3) may learn more about the buck, based on how, what, where, etc you found them

The increased 'shed poaching' problem around many areas of the US is disturbing, I suppose money and greed are fueling that addiction.....
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby whitetail007 » Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:40 pm

GRFox wrote:The antlers themselves are the most crucial part of my addiction to deer. No 2 antlers are alike and they are all awesome.

The simple fact that a big buck spends all of his time in the woods with that massive rack on top of his head is IMO the coolest part about him, he is the man! Just watching a buck feed and pick his head up and down and watching his rack move with every move he makes is just something I cant explain. If i told the above sentence to someone who wasnt torn up with big bucks, they would prrobrably call the NY State Crisis Interrvention Team and have me bound in a straight jacket. Sorry, cant help it ;)

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X2. my wife claims i have a "antler fetish" plus my dogs love to eat them.
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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby dirt nap giver » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:24 am

I shed hunt to keep my spare tire in check. After the stress of summer work loads, thanksgiving and CHRISTmas I need to loose some weight. I am more specific with scouting and preping stands for next year first, then I walk a few areas that seem to be hit for drops.
I also make things from the sheds/ scrub bucks I shoot. I have made wood shelves, coaster holders, wine racks, curtain hooks, salt and pepper shakers etc.....
Since I did more ice fishing last year than scouting, this year of hunting has shown the lack of effort on my part.
The joy that I feel when I find a big drop is a cool feeling. Can't explain it.

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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby GRUD » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:34 am

I know where a lot of big deer live but I cannot hunt them. Finding their sheds to me is the next best thing. I enjoy the hiking and like finding mushrooms its just fun. You cant eat the antlers but you can admire them or make stuff out of them.

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Re: Why is there a huge attraction in finding antlers?

Unread postby James » Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:54 am

Like others have said, I enjoy the exercise. Running or working out for fun is something I struggle with. I like to combo exercise with things that are enjoyable to me. Scouting, shed hunting, morel hunting, etc.

Like Stan I generally only shed hunt on properties I can hunt.


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