Whitetail Deer antler shed hunting has started

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When do whitetail deer loose or shed their antlers is asked about this time every year by antler shed hunters.

The simple answer; shed antlers are on the ground already in most locations where snow is common.

Whitetail deer normally start to drop their racks in December and January depending conditions. Of course exceptions happen and I have heard of bucks carrying racks until late February.

Finding a set of antlers take a fair bit of leg-work and luck. I had two bucks that stopped by my Moultri Pro Feeder often and the six-point left me a rack in late December. The Eight-pointer dropped his antlers elsewhere. On a sunny calm day I wander the forest edges and trails that lead to my deer & wild turkey food plots.

How to find deer antler sheds can be as simple as going for a walk along a fence line or ditch. Grab the kids or spouse and talk a walk through a woodlot or food plot. Check the game trails that lead out to a pasture. Keep your eyes searching along the ground for that protruding tip of an antler poking out of a snowdrift as it may be all that you see.

Snow depth plays a large part of a successful day shed hunting so pick your days accordingly. It’s a great way to continue the “hunt” after the deer hunting season has ended.

Wandering those secret locations you may even find that perfect spot to start a whitetail deer or turkey spring food plot. Keeping the deer or wild turkeys close to your location is key for your next hunting season.

March is a great time to put up a pail of Rack Stacker Mineral Fountain. Using a pail of Mineral Blaze or Glory will provide protein supplements for deer and also help grow those massive antlers on the trophy bucks.

Of course if done with a quality seed mixture like a blend of Rack Stacker Sweet Success and Upland Turkey Blend your spring food plot will keep deer and turkeys close by as it matures and grows during the summer months and explodes up to seven feet high by the fall. This provides the cover deer and wild turkey are attracted to.

Food plots work different than game feeders and baiting. They work year round exceptionally well once planted correctly. You don’t have to keep filling up a feeder tube or lug a bushel of apples out to your hunting site. Baiting for wild turkeys during the hunting season is illegal in Ontario. A Rack Stacker Food Plot will attract whitetail deer,wild turkeys, upland birds and most other wild game.

A bonus to this type of food plot is animals will stay close all winter. Keeping the flock of birds or herd of deer on your hunting property and not your neighbours will help ensure an awesome hunting season.

So get out and start your hunt for antler sheds and keep a keen eye out for that secret location or hidden hot spot for a Rack Stacker Food Plot. It’s a win win plan. Finding antlers sheds and keeping whitetail deer and wild turkeys on your food plots is a great way to “hunt” all year.
6-pointer in January

Antlers shed

About Peter Wood 1194 Articles
As an avid lifelong angler and hunter, Peter’s outdoor knowledge and experiences keep expanding through his hundreds of hours of hunting and fishing podcast interviews with like minded experts. He has received numerous national writing awards. With thousands of outdoor pictures on Ripple Outdoors and many full-length articles with outdoor magazine and video clips you might say that he not only enjoys his outdoor lifestyle, but he’s quite the fanatic! In 2015 he earned fifth overall on the King of the Wood Contest hosted by Canada In The Rough team, pretty good for a baby boomer deer hunter. His buck was also one of the top bucks taken that season. Through Peter’s deer hunting seminars or by attending outdoor trade shows, like the Toronto Sportsmen Show and The SWOC Big Buck Show, he has connected with thousands of like minded people that love hunting and fishing. As a volunteer or member of local and national outdoor groups like QDMA, SWOC, Outdoor Writers of Canada, Archery Trade Show Association he continues to learn and hone his craft. Read his many articles, listen to his podcasts and rifle through thousands of photos on Ripple Outdoors. Discover Peter’s latest posts about outdoor gear, destinations, how to articles and interviews and you’ll be a better angler and hunter for the experience.

2 Comments

  1. Can anyone tell me if it is legal to sell hand-carved deer antlers in Ontario?
    thanks,
    JC

    After contacting the MNR , Yes it is legal to sell antler art. Hope that helps.
    Peter

  2. Perfect! Thanks so much. I looked all over the web and couldn’t find a definitive answer.
    Thanks for your help!
    JC

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