Shed Hunting- is there mounting opposition?

[5MilesBack]

It used to just be nice to get out in the Spring time while no one else was out there. And there really was no one else out there. If I found some sheds, great. If not, it was nice to get out and about. But like everything else in this world......it's just gotten way too crowded, and the allure just isn't there anymore.

Last summer I drove into a spot I used to fly fish all the time. Hardly ever saw anyone else in there. This time there were several vehicles parked and even passed an Audi on the rocky dirt road........on a weekday. My fishing outings have dwindled proportionately to the rise in crowds as well.

Hunting is the same way......I won't even go into an area these days if I know there are others in there. I wake each morning with a few different options during the season and go the path of least resistance in regards to crowds. But that has really cut into my hunting areas that I used to like to hunt.

 

[JWP58]

$$$$$$$$$

It's all about cash. That's why it s a craze, and why many people are starting to look down on it.

 

[5MilesBack]

$$$$$$$$$

It's all about cash. That's why it s a craze, and why many people are starting to look down on it.

Yep, everyone is looking to make some bucks.......and I'm looking to spend money if it will buy me some seclusion.

 

[marktole]

This is a pretty interesting thread to me, being from Kansas. Almost all the land is private so no one is really doing much shed hunting until the warmer spring weather is here anyway. So I don't see all the problems being described about social media heroes and trying to make a quick buck on sheds.

I did spend last summer working in SW Utah and a guys I knew described shed hunters as "the scum of the hunting world." He said it wasn't uncommon for them to cut fences, ride ATV's off trails, chase deer and elk, and even hang wires in the trees around feed sites to get them to drop antlers faster and in one spot.

It's also kind of interesting to see how people will abuse the wildlife to make money like they did back in the days of market hunting. Although its kind of like comparing apples to oranges since shed hunting isn't necessarily directly killing animals for use of their resource, I'd be willing to bet if the sale of shed antlers was illegal like it is on wild game meat, the problem would be a hell of a lot less.

 

[Tim M]

for a lot of us that are against it or think it needs regulated its not about them making money on it but instead that I have seen a lot of people out trying to run the deer and elk when they are bone thin and just trying to get by. I personally would like to see the season just because it would help lower the amount of winter kills that I find every year.

 

[Logan T]

I think it would be pretty hard to regulate, at least in MT. If there was an actual season, then you would just have people out "hiking" and stashing sheds in spots until the season opened. Personally the only way I could see that work is if they said nobody is allowed to be outdoors on public land from X date until Y date, and that is something I don't think anyone wants to see get started. And nobody would have to involve every single person, not just hunters or shed hunters.

 

[robby denning]

In Colorado game wardens cite people for taking off their orange vest at the kill site while gutting animals. Most the time these hunters had no idea they were even being watched. Citing guys for stashing antlers would not be that hard in my humble opinion. I'm a dummy and yet I've watched hunters through my spotter on winter range pick up antlers and they didn't even know I was around. No not everyone would get caught but the way it stands right now there's zero deterrent. And as it says in the article above the game wardens in Colorado were getting it done


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[Stwrt9]

I agree with Robby g don't think this would be as hard to monitor and control as others seem to think. once there's a season and laws in place most will have to fall in line. as with anything there will always be people who break the law, some get caught some don't cut hopefully it will make them think twice about doing it. it's basically the same as hunting and poaching. except from what I gather most animals are concentrated on traditional winter ranges so wouldn't that be easier to monitor than hunting?

 

[ckleeves]

The Gunnison basin has had a season the past few years, and yet on opening day there is human tracks everywhere you go it seems and some are weeks old.

 

[robby denning]

The Gunnison basin has had a season the past few years, and yet on opening day there is human tracks everywhere you go it seems and some are weeks old.

Sure, like any law, doesn't stop everyone but sounds like it stopped you from going out ha ha


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[Tim M]

The Gunnison basin has had a season the past few years, and yet on opening day there is human tracks everywhere you go it seems and some are weeks old.

Keep in mind that the dow also allows the boy scouts to go in one of the main Gunnison areas a week or two before the public is allowed in... but only if the animals are moved out again for the most part.

 

[ckleeves]

Sure, like any law, doesn't stop everyone but sounds like it stopped you from going out ha ha


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That's the problem. The guys who follow the law don't find much because it's been hit hard already and the enforcement obviously isn't there to stop the guys who don't care.

As a teenager and into my early 20's I loved shed hunting. Nobody did it and I wasn't doing it to sell them. Just loved finding antlers and hiking in the spring. Now days I hardly even bother going. I really wish antlers were worth as much as bone. Nothing.

 

[robby denning]

Shed Hunting- is they're mounting opposition?

Oh great now we got to compete with little freaking Boy Scouts!

Yeah Ckleeves, like any law, they really only affect the honest people. I guess what I'm saying is there's a lot of honest guys that want to go shed hunting so if the law decreased pressure on the winter range I know guys like us would probably end up supporting it.
Sounds like there's a lot of guys on this thread that I've given up shed hunting for the most part


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[ckleeves]

Keep in mind that the dow also allows the boy scouts to go in one of the main Gunnison areas a week or two before the public is allowed in... but only if the animals are moved out again for the most part.

Ya I'm not talking about where the Boy Scouts go. From what I know that's a very small area. And I'm not sure they really do a ton of hiking but maybe I'm wrong.


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[Tim M]

That's interesting have you talked to the dow? I'm from Gunnison (grew up there years ago) and as a boy scout got to go into the two big areas up there... I bet they would definitely appreciate the info that someone snuck in again.

 

[Logan T]

I could definitely see it working better in areas like CO and ID than in MT, because it seems (emphasis on "SEEMS", I'm not going to look it up to figure out the exact answer) like there is both larger/more known migration areas and dedicated winter ranges than here. There are a few winter ranges here that are very well monitored and successful but there are a lot of areas where the elk drop that FWP definitely can not monitor easily at all, even on foot or horseback they might see someone hiking across a face for a second but good luck trying to get to them.

I'm definitely not against trying a season out here in MT, but I do hate giving more power to groups and people against hunting and the way of life. I feel that's what would be happening, in a round about way. Anti's don't want us out there- ever- in the first place and this would be a step in that direction--If there was a season and it's stated purpose was to try to "relieve" the wildlife, I would definitely hate to restrict only the hunting/shed hunting crowd. There are so many people around that in those areas I know of where I said the FWP would have a hard time monitoring shed hunting that it would not restrict the movement of people enough to "relieve" the critters.

This is just how I feel about MT and the areas I'm familiar with. And I don't really go out very often, maybe once or twice every 2-3 years. As far as other states, I wouldn't have a clue on what it's effect may be. Also, a lot of the elk that wintered on public where shed hunting was most popular (Park area) were killed off once the wolves were introduced and that really reduced the number of people out looking for sheds and I believe is a reason why shed hunting in MT is probably a little less popular than say UT and CO. That and a lot of elk wildlife are on private this time of year.

 

[topher89]

Even now with the whole state closed I saw two guys walking fence lines today.

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Did you call it in?

When people say a shed season is a bad idea because of "people without morals", I go crazy. With that logic, there should be no laws because there is always someone willing to break it.

 

[robby denning]

With that logic, there should be no laws because there is always someone willing to break it.

Yip


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[Logan T]

One more thing... like I said, I don't hardly ever go shed hunting. And if there was a season, maybe I would get to go look more often and have descent luck! But that is how I see it, as someone who wouldn't be affected by the "season" at all.

 

[ckleeves]

I'm all about a season if it's enforced. The problem I see is the season now only helps the outlaws. I'm sure they love it. No competition for weeks!