Shed Hunting: Where’s the beef and what’s the best way to manage it?

[5MilesBack]

this right here. Should pretty much put an end to the debate.

Oh it does. Actual first hand accounts of CPW either being incapable of or refusing to enforce harassment laws AND their new shed laws. Debate over.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Oh it does. Actual first hand accounts of CPW either being incapable of or refusing to enforce harassment laws AND their new shed laws. Debate over.

Which is why if you turned shed sales into a black market item you wouldn’t need as much enforcement at stage one…antler collecting.

 

[5MilesBack]

Ya, that's what we always need.......more government.

 

[OMB]

Ya, that's what we always need.......more government.

This sentiment has been echoed throughout this thread, so I'll ask:

What is the non-governmental solution to curb the problems that have come with exploding activity around picking up shed antlers?

 

[Ucsdryder]

Ya, that's what we always need.......more government.

Yeah because wildlife did so well before government involvement when they were hunted to extinction or close. Go put your tin foil hat back on.

 

[CorbLand]

This sentiment has been echoed throughout this thread, so I'll ask:

What is the non-governmental solution to curb the problems that have come with exploding activity around picking up shed antlers?

You ask really really nicely that people don’t pick them up.

 

[Idaboy]

Duck stamps, hunting seasons, fish slot length limits..... such regulations are not "more government", but simple policy that is trying to manage a resource, so in all due respect I can't really buy the logic that shed regulation can be equated to "more government"..... Resources have to be managed, and thank God people like Teddy Roosevelt had the foresight to look at game and land management and take the long view
- it could be very difficult to enforce. Guys are gonna go out and "find sheds" (scout for sheds) and then go back at a later date to pick them up
- probably a compromise is needed
- we have to buy a federal duck stamp, that program has been very important and successful long term....some people would probably become incensed for federal over reach if we were charged a "federal shed stamp", but I would pay, if that money was put directly towards ungulate management
- individual states could charge a harvest stamp, and they could charge as much as they want, cripes an elk tag can run you $1000. (Unintended consequences is that then the market price might go higher)
- set a poundage limit, say 50lbs of sheds a year, would prevent the guys that you see with literally truckloads and garages full of sheds
- sportmans groups, wildlife biologist, forest service and state fish & game agencies probably need to formulate a long term management plan

In most cases, you should be able to harvest a resource off pubic land....but it probably needs regulation to manage the resource in the long run, or the public will ruin it

 

[Idaboy]

History can often be instructive

 

[TSAMP]

History can often be instructive

View attachment 544424

Literally how I feel each time I hit my 25 fish limit of crappie.

 

[bridgerlabau]

Demonetize selling antlers

 

[BRTreedogs]

The money isn't in the antlers.
Its the social media and merchandise.

Ban social media. And the merchandise site will die as well.

 

[Idaboy]

The money isn't in the antlers.
Its the social media and merchandise.

Ban social media. And the merchandise site will die as well.

As much as I feel social media contributes to the problem,I can't say a ban is really all that feasible, practical,or legal for that matter....now demonitize social media, or create other disincentives for owners of social media, that is a different discussion....Is Rokslide social media?

 

[BRTreedogs]

As much as I feel social media contributes to the problem,I can't say a ban is really all that feasible, practical,or legal for that matter....now demonitize social media, or create other disincentives for owners of social media, that is a different discussion....Is Rokslide social media?

Rok is social in a way.

But hush is supporting 3 people full time.
Bro is supporting 5 or more full time.

They have to be grossing around 1 million a year.

 

[Idaboy]

Rok is social in a way.

But hush is supporting 3 people full time.
Bro is supporting 5 or more full time.

They have to be grossing around 1 million a year.

Agree....was just throwin it out there

 

[7mm-08]

Yeah, it comes down to what you care more about - the sheds or the animals that made them. To me, sheds are very, very secondary.

Good opinion right here. Stressing ungulates at one of their most difficult times of year (after a long and lean winter) is not a good idea.

 

[Oldffemt]

I get a little hot about these kinds of issues because I live in an area where there’s a well known lack of LE. All of the experiences I posted about earlier happened within a 10 day span. It’s an easy drive to my area from the front range and people take full advantage of the fact that they likely won’t be punished for acting a fool. I’m not for more govt regs in any way. As was stated earlier in this thread, murder=illegal, harassing wildlife =illegal, CPW has every ability to make this a non issue. They just choose to look the other way currently. If we as hunters can’t police ourselves and practice some self control we will get more regs pushed on us.
The social media “likes” aren’t worth it fellas. If you want to pick up sheds and sell them, go ahead. Just don’t be an a**hole about it and push around a bunch of animals that have been stressed to the max for the last 7 months trying to find something to eat.

 

[MTtrout]

Oh man where to begin… I’ve only read the first post so maybe some of these responses have already been addressed or just completely dismiss my thoughts for not following along.

It seems there is reasonable concern for the protection from displacement while animals are on critical winter range

Yes any winter habitat is just as important and calving, summering,… and in many cases winter range is the limiting factor.

There also seems to be unreasonable concern about what the public should be entitled to do with public resources and use public lands, with cries for government oversight, overreach, and all out banning

This is always a touchy subject for many reasons. We are ‘entitled’ to do many things on public land and for that reason we cherish them. When public resources are used for personal monetary gains is when regulations step in and should be in place. This happen when filming a product to be sold, collecting commercial harvest of goods like berries and mushrooms, to heating your house from wood you cut. Even though not monetary value but you can’t cut a Christmas tree without a small few permit on the FS lands I’ve done it on

In Arizona, the business does not impact the herds. Other western states have real winters and some have a problem or a perceived problem with encroachment of winter range when the animals are vulnerable and have passed laws to mitigate this. In these instances it seems reasonable to have some reasonable rules to manage this

Is this true? I understand that winter in the southern most Rockies or southern US in general has a much different climate than the snow driven ranges further north. With that said I have a very hard time thinking those animals further south don’t experience a caloric deficiency during the winter with the less forage available. It’s not just cold that hinders nutrient.

Some states are trying to address this but most states are lagging. See UT for an example.

My opinion in a nutshell as a starting point is that dropped antlers on public land is a public resource and the public should have access to it, and when done ethically is a wholesome and worthwhile activity for a myriad of reasons. Quite obviously, this activity should not be done in a matter that negatively impacts the herds or comes at a notable expense to the species as conservation of the species is the goal of hunters as a group and the general public interest besides.

I believe your approach to this activity is full hearted, as many people that partake in the same enjoyment.

On the topic of emotion-based, reactionary opposition to a legal activity that one doesn’t participate in and therefore feels the need to condemn it outright for these reasons, well, I don’t think very highly of this line of thought.

The world is full of all of this. I also believe you started this thread from an “emotional-based, reactionary opposition” same as many people responding this post

The example that picking up a shed to put on my mantle is just and picking up an antler and selling it is unjust, seems about as reasonable as someone not liking the color of my truck or the type of beer I drink

Depends how you look at it. Going back to what I said above, if you can’t gather x amounts of mushrooms then why is it OK to collect x amounts of antlers to sell? ‘Mantle’ displays are different to me

I absolutely love shed hunting. It’s a great way to get out in the offseason, to find new habitat and learn travel patterns and scout for hunting spots, to spend time outdoors and stay in shape, and to generally find cool stuff.

Absolutely as it should be!

The real problems that affect wildlife populations are multifaceted. Actually winter range across the board has been shrinking, plant communities are changing (mostly for the worse) in many of the animals yearly requirements, changing in weather cycles that dictate vegetation growth, tolerance of certain land owners or their practices, the story goes on and on…

The only thing that I will say about social media that promotes shed hunting is they have been pissing on the post for far too long. I’ll bite my tongue now

I wasn’t going to respond to this thread but against my judgment, I did. Shed hunting to me is the same thing as the ethics I put on myself when actually hunting.

OP, don’t take this personal but posting pictures of your sheds doesn’t help the cause either

 

[5MilesBack]

What is the non-governmental solution to curb the problems that have come with exploding activity around picking up shed antlers?

I didn't say "no government", I said "more" government.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I didn't say "non-governmental", I said "more" government.

Everytime I see someone say something like this I think about this clip.

 

[TheTone]

The money isn't in the antlers.
Its the social media and merchandise.

Ban social media. And the merchandise site will die as well.

100%. Don’t support the influencers you don’t agree with and don’t support the sponsors and let them know why is the only way I can think to make a difference. Unfortunately I think the “industry” is such a small little circle that companies don’t care