Shed Hunting Talk with Game Warden

[ewade07]

I went out yesterday morning in MT to hunt some ducks and geese and ran into a game warden for the area. After checking my licenses I started asking him about shed hunting in the area. I had called this gentlemen the year previous and had talked with him about areas to go and such. I picked his brain for about a half an hour and some of the things we talked about surprised and some did not. He informed me that Montana will most likely be instituting a shed season, which I personally have no problem with. For the guys out there who are all up in arms about a shed season and don't think human pressure doesn't adversely effect the animals, I recommend you go to the source and talk to some one who is actually out in the field and seeing how these animals are affected first hand. He told me that hands down human pressure has the most adverse effects on wintering deer and elk than any other source (ie. bears and wolves). We also talked about Wildlife Management Area closures and he told me that 90% of people will access WMAs early. That put a sour taste in my mouth. We talked about penalties and the possibility of of a shed season tag. Basically, he told that in order for change to happen we as outdoorsmen/women need to talk to out legislators. He said that many people will continue to break the current laws and take the fines and confiscation of antlers as one time is only a dent in the amount of many they are making. I asked him about the possibility of a shed season license and he said the matter has been talked about. I would have no problem paying for a shed season license personally, as antlers have a monetary value that many of us go after them for. We also talked about the effects of social media on shed hunting. All you have to do is go on YouTube and you will see how big this trend has become. I have no problem with this as I watch these videos myself, but one thing you never hear is those guys talk about the importance it is to not push animals during their weakest times. I think it would be great to hear something like that from these guys as they all have such a vast audience of viewers.

I know this topic has kind of been touched on in an earlier thread, but with shed hunting right around the corner I just wanted to put this out there. That being said, this post probably pertains to mostly the Mountain West states the most. I know people are going to go out early and push deer and elk, follow them step by step, and go into closed areas early and get away with it. I know there is going to be comments on this thread about all sorts of varying things, but I just ask that as a fellow hunter, sportsmen, outdoor enthusiast and shed hunter, please be responsible and adhere to closures and do not push these animals early.

Happy hunting everyone!

 

[Mountain_Life]

A license to pick up sheds?? What's next, a license to pick flowers?

 

[BuzzH]

I'm not sold on shed seasons or the massive amount of negative impact that human presence has on deer and elk.

Anyone care to cite a study that shows deer, elk, moose, etc. are dying from shed hunters pushing them around. I haven't found anything specifically regarding shed hunting.

Anyone that gets out and hunts lions/small game/birds in the winter, traps, etc. after the big game seasons close know those animals act wayyyy different. They don't run like a scalded cat when they see a vehicle drive by, they move off a ways and settle down very quickly.

The other thing is we seem to be in a hell of hurry to pick on ONE activity on public land in an attempt to save deer. Lets say a shed season is in place...I can still shoot coyotes, trap, snowmobile, hunt small game, hike, photograph, bird watch, ATV, ski, snowshoe, have a picnic, essentially do anything I want except pick up an antler.

Also, in the height of, this doesn't make any sense, I can be out elk hunting in Wyoming until January 31, kill a cow elk and have it fall dead on an antler and I cant pick it up. I guess that picking up a shed is more damaging and more harassment than actually killing them? If Montana were to implement a shed season, keep in mind they pound on elk until February 15.

That said, I am all about closing the most critical winter ranges to ALL human presence. If there are those special high use areas out there, and the GF/FWP is that concerned, then keep everybody out.

As far as people that are caught harassing wildlife to get their antlers to drop...which I do know has happened, then fine them on existing laws regarding wildlife harassment and throw the book at them.

IMO, any kind of seasonal shed antler closures are feel good legislation/regulations.

I think the better approach is to just keep trying to educate ALL recreationalists to give wildlife their space during the winter.

 

[Phat Cowboy]

I say make it a season and sell a $10 license for shed hunters and lower some of my hunting permit costs. And while we're at it start a hiking season and start charging for a hiking & camping license. If your caught hiking without a license they'll confiscate your boots & granola on the spot and you'll have to walk home barefoot.

 

[S.Clancy]

I'm not sold on shed seasons or the massive amount of negative impact that human presence has on deer and elk.

Anyone care to cite a study that shows deer, elk, moose, etc. are dying from shed hunters pushing them around. I haven't found anything specifically regarding shed hunting.

Anyone that gets out and hunts lions/small game/birds in the winter, traps, etc. after the big game seasons close know those animals act wayyyy different. They don't run like a scalded cat when they see a vehicle drive by, they move off a ways and settle down very quickly.

The other thing is we seem to be in a hell of hurry to pick on ONE activity on public land in an attempt to save deer. Lets say a shed season is in place...I can still shoot coyotes, trap, snowmobile, hunt small game, hike, photograph, bird watch, ATV, ski, snowshoe, have a picnic, essentially do anything I want except pick up an antler.

Also, in the height of, this doesn't make any sense, I can be out elk hunting in Wyoming until January 31, kill a cow elk and have it fall dead on an antler and I cant pick it up. I guess that picking up a shed is more damaging and more harassment than actually killing them? If Montana were to implement a shed season, keep in mind they pound on elk until February 15.

That said, I am all about closing the most critical winter ranges to ALL human presence. If there are those special high use areas out there, and the GF/FWP is that concerned, then keep everybody out.

As far as people that are caught harassing wildlife to get their antlers to drop...which I do know has happened, then fine them on existing laws regarding wildlife harassment and throw the book at them.

IMO, any kind of seasonal shed antler closures are feel good legislation/regulations.

I think the better approach is to just keep trying to educate ALL recreationalists to give wildlife their space during the winter.

I agree that, like most things in ecology, the effects are additive. I believe there is research out there that shows while elk behavior doesn't change much in response to human pressure in winter the physiological effects are much starker. I'll try to locate a citation for this paper.
I am in favor of shed seasons and potentially a tag, with the caveat that all or most of the revenue generated goes to enforcement budgets.

 

[netman]

Jeez more licenses and seasons???

 

[Rob5589]

If money is the driving force behind shed hunting, there are two options to control it; one, force sellers to have a business license in order to sell them; two, make unlicensed sales of antler illegal.

But like @BuzzH stated above, if the impact is that negative, close the winter ranges to all human contact.

 

[KoolBreeze]

Shed season sounds like a way to generate more revenue more than anything else to me.

From a pressure stand point, it has been my experience that Whitetail deer get use to and adjust to a certain amount of pressure. I have 2 tracts of land that I've hunted for years. On one track, the deer don't encounter humans all that often and when they do, they disappear in a hurry, change their habits and etc. The other tract 80 miles away is a farm where row crops and cattle are grown. The local herd encounters humans almost daily working the cattle and fields. Those deer act completely different. You can ride to within a few yards of them on an ATV, horse or even on foot before they'll even bother to move out of the way, let alone change their habits much. They just simply don't pay humans much attention. Now the mature bucks are certainly more cautious on both tracks.

 

[Redarrow]

The only way a shed hunting season would be enforceable would be to close the area to all human traffic. Other wise, it’s a guarantee that guys would go in early and stockpile antlers, and who’s going to prove they weren’t just on a “nature walk” unless they actually get caught with sheds.

I’m afraid the only people a shed season would stop is the guys that wait until later in the year anyways.

 

[Marble]

I did read a fairly in depth study in October that talks about pressure from people in calving areas of elk, and something areas. It touched on all aspects from the rut, age of the cow, age of bulls, pregnacy rates and then a correlation between being disturbed by people during these times. It shao discussed the rate of birth, and survivability rates for calves and cows when disturbed and how often.
Basically it boiled down to if people are pressuring elk in calving areas, birth rates and survival rates go way down.

I don't mind the shed hunting permit. And at the same time I wouldnt mind some of the hikers behind restricted with the requirement of permits. Some areas are just hammered so badly animals wont live there and entire basins remain night time areas or empty all together.

I think there was a thread on here awhile back thst gift fairly heated on this same topic.

 

[BackcountryBloodline]

Can confirm, dudes glassing across a valley for sheds a few hours a day is far more detrimental than wolves chasing down and thrill killing entire herds 24/7 once the snow freezes up. If he's talking about all human impact over the past couple centuries I think there definitely might be a discussion there but if he's simply talking shed hunting I think that statement is pretty laughable in my humble opinion, game warden must want that brown town honey hole to himself

 

[Phat Cowboy]

The Ethics of Shed Hunting

Shed hunting has become a wildly popular off-season activity for many hunters who hold a deep love of the animals they pursue. It’s a great way to cure cabin fever and gather a few totems from favorite game animals. Finding a matched set of dropped antlers from a big buck or bull is like hitting...

www.themeateater.com

Here's an interesting write up from Meat Eater.

 

[WannabeHunter]

"Why won't these people let the biologists and states manage the game?"

When the state does so....

"I totally disagree with this racket. These guys are idiots!!!"

The same guys will say both.

 

[Scottyboy]

Are most people doing this for recreational purposes (ie; they want to throw a shed in their landscaping) or for $$$? Being from the Midwest shed hunting for the most part is non existent. Just curious is all. I have no bone to pick either way, just wondering the number of people that look for sheds and the motivation. Lastly, how much does the average person make shed hunting, assuming it’s a for profit exercise?

 

[Justin Crossley]

I don't shed hunt so I don't have a dog in this fight. But, what is the point of not allowing someone to pick up a shed antler in an area open to other activities like snowmobiling? Seems like critical areas should be completely shut down to me.

 

[Wrench]

I'd be real interested in how they quantify their data. I mean you could sell me on it, if there weren't 80 elk 2 miles from my house getting hazed and coming back every damn day.

Human pressure isn't going to help survival....unless you're from the areas with wolves and then realize that human pressure is what does keep the wolves at bay.

 

[Phat Cowboy]

Are most people doing this for recreational purposes (ie; they want to throw a shed in their landscaping) or for $$$? Being from the Midwest shed hunting for the most part is non existent. Just curious is all. I have no bone to pick either way, just wondering the number of people that look for sheds and the motivation. Lastly, how much does the average person make shed hunting, assuming it’s a for profit exercise?

Out where I’m @ these guys are serious about it. And it’s pretty competitive a couple of my buddies hiked their asses off to get way into a spot from public access they ran into a guy on a quad that came up from the Private and he was extremely dismayed by the whole thing you’d had thought he owned every shed on the mountain. There’s big money in selling good sheds. I just throw them in the landscaping or give them to my folks.

 

[KSadventures80]

Seems simple find someone shed hunting early suspend hunting privlidges for a couple years. How is not following that reg and different than trespass or hunting the day before season.

 

[Ross]

Having almost 3 decades shed hunting and having many friends who do so, there is a small percentage that would do something to jeopardize the deer or elk. The impact by wolves daily in four feet of snow is far worse than a slow prodding human out a few times. Things always change and you have to adapt until there is a season I’m off to snowshoethis pack was in an area of a nursery herd 3 monthslast year do we think they just watched them...used to find a ton of sheds on this hillside since the wolves no more only carcasses also sheds are cool

 

[Dust Rider]

Are most people doing this for recreational purposes (ie; they want to throw a shed in their landscaping) or for $$$? Being from the Midwest shed hunting for the most part is non existent. Just curious is all. I have no bone to pick either way, just wondering the number of people that look for sheds and the motivation. Lastly, how much does the average person make shed hunting, assuming it’s a for profit exercise?

The going rate on average for a fresh brown elk shed is $12- $13.00 per pound. Deer are around $10. Then figure a average elk shed is about 10 pounds. So a average shed set can bring in $240. A matching set of 400" horns could fetch a cool thousand. I do it for art and landscaping but not for income. And I got a special load of rock salt in my M2 for the next meth head tweeter who tries to steal my sheds in front of my house.
Some of these guys are the same as poachers, they don't give a shit for laws or the animals. They will sneak into closed WMA's and steal them from private property. A season or tag will not stop them, they are driven by greed.
Lots of guys do it right and play by the rules. Our elk population is not suffering. If dumb asses can stay out of the WMA's all will be ok as it is. I am personally against a season or added cost for shed hunting. A new government regulation on a situation that is not problematic will create issues and conflict that FWP can't enforce or afford.
Good luck and happy horn hunting this spring!