Shed Hunting Talk with Game Warden

[wymtnpounder]

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 20 pounds. So a average shed 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!

 

[Jon Boy]

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 20 pounds. So a average shed 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!

Elk antlers rarely get to 20 lbs. I have a 390+ inch set and the heavy antler weighed 14 lbs. I was offered 600 bucks for the set by multiple buyers. A great 6 might weigh 10 lbs. There ain't shit for money in sheds by the time you factor fuel, gear and time. I couldnt even tell you why guys are so friggen nuts about it. Hell I know guys who cant or dont hunt for shit but are shed hunting nuts. Kind of like the ring in the lord of the rings. I suck at it for what ever reason and would rather spend my time bear hunting. But a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while!

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[wymtnpounder]

If your average shed is 20lbs I wanna go with you!
I spend a little bit of time watching elk and in my experience its not people going at 1mph it the f-ing wolves that do it 24-7. But I'm sure more government regulation will solve our problems.

 

[Dust Rider]

Your correct. I meant to type 10 pounds per horn and a set at around 20lbs. Better off working than banking on that shed income

 

[Phat Cowboy]

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 20 pounds. So a average shed 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!

Holy Shit!!! A G for an elk set Well that does it for me boys I’m headn out tomorrow daddy needs a new shelter. Ima find me some sheds. Shit! I bet I’ve given my parents at least a couple thousand dollars in sheds over the years. Damn! I got at least $700 worth of a matching set in my front yard all faded & weathered now of course.

 

[JMo25]

Very interesting stuff


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[mtnkid85]

You guys comparing shed hunting pressure to wolf predation pressure aren't getting it.
Nobody is saying shed hunting is directly killing elk.
It is all accumulative, look at the research coming out of Colorado right now. Their elk populations are in free fall, some of the data is suggesting that the constant human presence is stressing the elk out. Causing less calf recruitment, more winter kill.

Its already been stated but we are using our landscapes more and more at all times of the day and night, season in season out. Trail runners, bikers, skiers, hikers, hunters etc etc.

What the fear is; is shed hunters specifically targeting and bumping animals during there weakest period of the year. In ADDITION to all the bumping and pushing they are already dealing with from all the other user groups, predators, etc. Generally speaking other user groups aren't purposely pushing bachelor groups out of there hidey holes just to do a grid search "nature hike" of the entire area.

The solution doesn't need to be more laws placed upon us. The solution is we (us, the shed hunters) need to WAIT one more freaking month before we purposely go out "shed hunting". By then the elk will have probably moved off from where they've wintered and it will just be one less stressful human interaction that they need to endure.

 

[KSadventures80]

What mtnkid85 said^

 

[PNW bow hunter]

In the state of Oregon it is illegal to sell wildlife parts. For whatever reason sheds are treated differently than the meat, hide, or antlers still attached to the head. As far as I know the only exception to the rules against selling wildlife parts , is for taxidermist who can sell wildlife parts.

It seems like if this is a huge problem, fish and wildlife in each state with a problem should be talking with the legislature to take the money out of the shed hunting. I can’t imagine too many people would care if the sale of shed antlers was not legal. You could still pick up sheds for personal enjoyment .

Obviously some people would still buy and sell sheds, but if money is a large driving factor in the shed hunting craze it would drastically cut it down. Also if the sale of sheds was made illeagal,the penalty for breaking that law should be in line with illeagally taking a game animal.

 

[Phat Cowboy]

You guys comparing shed hunting pressure to wolf predation pressure aren't getting it.
Nobody is saying shed hunting is directly killing elk.
It is all accumulative, look at the research coming out of Colorado right now. Their elk populations are in free fall, some of the data is suggesting that the constant human presence is stressing the elk out. Causing less calf recruitment, more winter kill.

Its already been stated but we are using our landscapes more and more at all times of the day and night, season in season out. Trail runners, bikers, skiers, hikers, hunters etc etc.

What the fear is; is shed hunters specifically targeting and bumping animals during there weakest period of the year. In ADDITION to all the bumping and pushing they are already dealing with from all the other user groups, predators, etc. Generally speaking other user groups aren't purposely pushing bachelor groups out of there hidey holes just to do a grid search "nature hike" of the entire area.

The solution doesn't need to be more laws placed upon us. The solution is we (us, the shed hunters) need to WAIT one more freaking month before we purposely go out "shed hunting". By then the elk will have probably moved off from where they've wintered and it will just be one less stressful human interaction that they need to endure.

Sounds reasonable

 

[tracker12]

I know guys that make anywhere from $8-11000 a year shed hunting. There's big competition for that bone and some guys will go to any means to get them. It's always a few that make the Government get involved.

 

[beason_us]

Elk antlers rarely get to 20 lbs. I have a 390+ inch set and the heavy antler weighed 14 lbs. I was offered 600 bucks for the set by multiple buyers. A great 6 might weigh 10 lbs. There ain't shit for money in sheds by the time you factor fuel, gear and time. I couldnt even tell you why guys are so friggen nuts about it. Hell I know guys who cant or dont hunt for shit but are shed hunting nuts. Kind of like the ring in the lord of the rings. I suck at it for what ever reason and would rather spend my time bear hunting. But a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while!

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I spent time doing it because I would find over 1000 lbs a year. I average 10 sheds per walk. Some spots I don't stop hiking until I hit 75-100 lbs. Unless your gas costs more than mine I can still make a bunch. I only went for 2 days on the Colorado opener year before last and I found 40 elk sheds

 

[Jon Boy]

I spent time doing it because I would find over 1000 lbs a year. I average 10 sheds per walk. Some spots I don't stop hiking until I hit 75-100 lbs. Unless your gas costs more than mine I can still make a bunch. I only went for 2 days on the Colorado opener year before last and I found 40 elk sheds

You are an absolute shed lord if you are doing that on public ground. Heck by the numbers you just spit out it would only take you 10 days to find 1000 lbs, or around 13-15 grand. I'd surely quit my job if I had that kind of success

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[beason_us]

You are an absolute shed lord if you are doing that on public ground. Heck by the numbers you just spit out it would only take you 10 days to find 1000 lbs, or around 13-15 grand. I'd surely quit my job if I had that kind of success

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This was couple hours. With dog. You won't find 1000#'s in 10 days. Yes I've found over 1000 antlers my best year. 2012. On public. Between March and June. I had over 3000 lbs. Not all brown obviously. I made over $15,000 that year

 

[Jon Boy]

This was couple hours. With dog. You won't find 1000#'s in 10 days. Yes I've found over 1000 antlers my best year. 2012. On public. Between March and June. I had over 3000 lbs. Not all brown obviously. I made over $15,000 that year

That's nuts! How much does the dog aid in finding sheds?

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[beason_us]

That's nuts! How much does the dog aid in finding sheds?

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He's a beast. Not always, he has good and bad days. His best day was 23 elk sheds. It's actually just as good to have the companionship.

 

[Werty]

Leave it to us humans, we eventually screw everything up in the end.

 

[beason_us]

Leave it to us humans, we eventually screw everything up in the end.

?

 

[wymtnpounder]

This was couple hours. With dog. You won't find 1000#'s in 10 days. Yes I've found over 1000 antlers my best year. 2012. On public. Between March and June. I had over 3000 lbs. Not all brown obviously. I made over $15,000 that year

Good work.... But that doesn't really help the shed hunting situation

 

[Werty]

?

In response to having a shed season and having to get a shed hunting license.