Shed Hunting- is there mounting opposition?

[Opah]

I wish as a community we could just be intelligent and not push wintering animals around, but there is always "that guy." A few greedy guys ruin things for the rest of us.

CM I hear its the bad few that ruin it for all of us, isn't it time that we recognize that its not just a few any more! it is a way of life for many! we have become a ME ME ME sociaty, screw them all to get what I want and its not been a few greedy guys for years

 

[Logan T]

Careful whay you wish for, I am sure California started with restricting shed hunting now it is ilegal all together. Not a big issue here in Socal its like rare the you see any sheds, kinda like seeing a Buck.

Pretty much how I feel and what I'd be worried about. If they it becomes illegal then is it illegal for landowners to pick up sheds off their property too then? If so then that is a joke. If not though, then your gonna have people screaming about how unfair it is. Kinda like the shoulder season in MT.


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[CM]

I would never want it to be illegal to just pick them up.

I just don't see a big difference in selling a bunch of elk burger and selling an elk shed. As far as I am aware selling the burger is already illegal.

 

[Opah]

And back in the day you got drawn, bought your tag, liciense, gear guide all legal like, now you have harvested 800 / 900 pounds of meat.
only really can eat 200 / 300 pound before freezer burn sets in, so you would sell off 400 / 500 pounds to a local restraunt or a Butcher.
no big deal you payed your money and harvasted it legally why should you not be able to sell what you legally hunted and havested?
OOH thats right because a few greedy people screwed it up for the rest of us, (so sick of hearing that)
we have become so accepting of laws retricting what we do on OUR property AND lives its pathetic. (sorry for the rant)

 

[Superkodiak38]

I didn't read all the posts in this thread but it is an interesting topic. Where I live I have picked up a few sheds while out spring turkey hunting but never really gone looking for them. It's neat to find a shed, even a spike. I like to give them to kids who are interested in hunting but maybe they are too young to go or can't go for what ever reason. I think it's like goldmining, ginsing, moonshine and all the other things that have been popularized by TV, social media etc. And the money people pay in pet stores for a little section of antler is obscene ! It is a shame that they government has to step in and regulate such a thing as shed hunting. I agree that harrassing game in a diminished capacity should not be tolerated but people do more harm through ignorance than intent some times. Education, PSA's might help and EVERYBODY comes back to the truck sometime, antlers are not that small. Wardens could check trucks and with a trained dog locate and seize stashes close by so there are enforcement practices that are available other than covering a wide and varied terrain. I am sure once they figure out how to tax it, like weed, they will regulate it.

 

[Opah]

This thread deserves a little reserarch dont you think the (Money factor)

According to the price list of Shed or Dead, a Colorado antler broker, large sets of whitetail antlers (160” and up) in best condition (Grade A Brown) will go for around $18 per lb. For brown and white antlers in good condition (the majority of sheds you’ll find) it’s $6-$11 per lb.

Not a fortune, But then again how much does a 160" brown shed wiegh? 10lbs would bw $180.00 a shed Not chump change either

Show Me the Money !!!!!

As for elk sheds, Mike says it’s somewhere around $9 to $12 a pound. I’ll add that a wildlife law enforcement officer from Nevada recently said a matched set of antlers from a trophy bull elk could fetch $500 to more than $1,000.

Heres the Money or is it?

Due to the influence of the deer farms / breeding operations and the fact they are producing so many deer in the 180″+ size, the market for both sheds and racks had come down considerably from what it was like ten years ago.

Commerce the Money Snake takes a big bite out of your shed value!

And now what is happening in some states
Some examples of these Western shed hunting regulations include:



•Federal Property


NO shed antler collecting in any National Park.

shed antler - National Park Service Search Results

except for the Frds them sleves and the Boy scouts



•Utah


USUALLY…Shed hunting in Utah requires an online course to hunt the limited shed hunting season between February 1 and April 15th. No deadheads (antlers attached to skulls).

Course required to hunt shed antlers

*However, as of February 2nd, 2016 Utah has officially closed shed hunting on both public and private land until April 1st. Follow the link below for more information.

Statewide shed antler closure





•Idaho


Restrictions not found. No license is needed, call ahead to make sure as regulations do exist on access.



•Colorado


Shed hunting in Colorado, certain units are closed from January 1 to March 14, and others units are limited to between the hours of 10 AM to sunset.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife -
Hunt Big Game



•Wyoming


Many Wyoming units are closed to shed hunting, other units are closed January 1 to April 30.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Antler shed collection closely monitored statewide



•Arizona and Nevada


Both Arizona and Nevada have regulations making it unlawful to retain antlers still intact to a skull, known in the shed hunting community as a deadhead.



•New Mexico and Kansas


Both these states have regulations requiring a salvage permit to retain antlers still intact to a skill, known in the shed hunting community as a deadhead.



•States with Bighorn and Desert Sheep populations


As a general rule it is illegal to take or possess the horns or head of a wild sheep without a tag.




So looks like we are well on the way down that Ban all together laws, welcome to the club

 

[JWP58]

No we aren't on our way to a ban. But it will happen if the assholes keep being assholes. It should be illegal to sell antlers, sheds, game meat, etc. But then how would all the kool kids buy their flat bills, bro?

 

[ChrisS]

If its made illegal, then a black market develops. Make it legal, but regulate it, especially the guys buying/selling them. If you're just picking up a few to hang in the garage, no big deal.

 

[Opah]

there are already Deer farms providing perfect sheds, the value of wild sheds will continue to decrease, no Black market when there is is big money in it anymore. Its the elk that is now the Bulls eye, don't think there is a ton of Elk ranches or farms are there?

 

[TheTone]

. Its the elk that is now the Bulls eye, don't think there is a ton of Elk ranches or farms are there?

Tons of elk farms unfortunately.

 

[slick]

It would be interesting to see the % of where captive cervid facility sheds end up? Vs. where naturally picked up sheds go

 

[robby denning]

Thanks Opah. But a guy driving from SLC to SE Idaho's gonna put 400 miles round trip on his truck. At AAA's 58 cents per mile for a sedan (4wd would be more) is $232 for the trip minimum. That's 19lbs of bone per trip just in mileage, no other expenses included. I've only ever had a few days where I got 19 pounds in one outing. Like I said earlier, they must be lots better shed hunters than me, or have way better areas


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[Opah]

Well the Elk farms I look at sell it all, meat hide and antlers (Note: not sheds) Huge antlers. you would think that it would be very hard to compete with home grown super fed and cared for not on the ground ever antlers with wild in the weather antlers?

 

[5MilesBack]

5miles, had some friends at Montrose cited for this.

I don't doubt it, I just don't think it would hold up if someone wanted to fight it, using CDOW's own rules against them. I mean even a buddy that is accompanying you on a hunt without a license doesn't have to wear orange at all....even while gutting the animal. The hunting is over.......even by the CDOW's definition.

 

[Opah]

Well isn't this the Pot calling the Kettle black? just read the the Feds collect the sheds on federal properties that forbid shed collecting by the public and then auction them off every year? HUM some where back a little I remember someone mentioning a Few Greedy people?

Leave it to the Feds to outlaw it to the public and then turn right around and do that same thing without retort?

 

[CorbLand]

To those that are debating the farm grown antlers vs the wild antlers. Obviously the supply of the home grown can not keep up with the demand for antlers thus the price for both is high. Its really simple economics.

 

[5MilesBack]

Tons of elk farms unfortunately.

I can remember when there was an uproar from the animal rights folks because the elk farms would cut off the horns in velvet and sell them to Asia for big bucks as an aphrodisiac. So there were no sheds.

 

[tipsntails7]

Careful whay you wish for, I am sure California started with restricting shed hunting now it is ilegal all together. Not a big issue here in Socal its like rare the you see any sheds, kinda like seeing a Buck.

Shed hunting is not illegal all together in California, selling them whole is, and certain areas it is illegal as well such as state parks, national forests and wildlife refuges.


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[Opah]

JACKSON, Wyo. — A booming market for elk horns pushed the federal government's annual antler auction to record-breaking prices over the weekend

Jackson District Boy Scouts of America
Annual Elk Antler Auction
2016 Auction Date
Saturday, May 21th 2016
antler ready for inspection - 7 a.m.
registration forms available to fill out - 8 a.m.
registration - 9 a.m.
auction starts - 10 a.m.

This is a Jackson tradition that you should not miss. Bring the whole family to Elkfest and see this signature event, started in 1968, and visited by people from all over the world. See the thousands of pounds of naturally shed elk antler gathered on the National Elk Refuge and sold by the Boy Scouts.

OK I give up, guess the animals that require the antlers and the refuse don't count when it comes to the Dollar
everybody collects and sells sheds, the feds, the Boy Scouts of America, meat farms and the public forgot what the issue was now

 

[robby denning]

5miles. This happened on east side of Uncompahgre in last 11 years. By the time I found out about it, it had already gone to court and hunters lost. I do not know if they tried to fight it or just pled. I'm certainly no lawyer but brought the case up only because I keep seeing the "unenforceable" card come up.


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