"The Great American Antler Boom" - great article on increasing popularity of shed hunting, social media, and the repercussions

[deerhunt1988]

The Great American Antler Boom

Every spring, shed hunters head to the woods looking for deer and elk antlers that may fetch thousands of dollars, or social-media fame.

www.newyorker.com

It's a long article (~20-30 min read?) but totally worth it. A few things that stood out to me:

• Shed hunting "influencers"
• Influencer is now making ~$120k/yr off ads and sponsors
• In 2020, 20k people took an ethics that is required in Utah to shed hunt
• The giant market for sheds
• The overall craziness and growth of the shed hunting hobby/culture

Article also takes about the history of the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, WY. The antler auction that takes place there. The global market of antlers. Just a bunch of interesting stuff about sheds and antlers!

 

[ODB]

Ugg. Why does everything have to become a “thing”?

 

[Rifleman86]

Yeah, I’m gonna say this is something I don’t get. Sure, I walk my property to find sheds this time of year, but it wouldn’t be something I would go out of my way to do otherwise.

Antlers are only really cool attached to a bunch of meat.

 

[robby denning]

The Great American Antler Boom

Every spring, shed hunters head to the woods looking for deer and elk antlers that may fetch thousands of dollars, or social-media fame.

www.newyorker.com

It's a long article (~20-30 min read?) but totally worth it. A few things that stood out to me:

• Shed hunting "influencers"
• Influencer is now making ~$120k/yr off ads and sponsors
• In 2020, 20k people took an ethics that is required in Utah to shed hunt
• The giant market for sheds
• The overall craziness and growth of the shed hunting hobby/culture

Article also takes about the history of the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, WY. The antler auction that takes place there. The global market of antlers. Just a bunch of interesting stuff about sheds and antlers!

Man thanks for posting this but don’t have 20 to 30 minutes right now.

Just one question until I can—on the $120,000 per year per influencer, was that influencers in general or those who are promoting shed hunting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ODB]

Man thanks for posting this but don’t have 20 to 30 minutes right now.

Just one question until I can—on the $120,000 per year per influencer, was that influencers in general or those who are promoting shed hunting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You looking for a new gig?? ;-)

 

[fmyth]

If the price of gas increases much more this problem will fix itself. I suspect the number of people traveling out of state to recreate on public land will drop significantly once the public realizes just how much inflation is effecting their budget.

 

[dieselchessy]

When I started 20+ years ago it seemed like a hobby type thing that few people did. Then something happened and they started having to set seasons on the wildlife areas, and people started getting shed dogs, and now its a big race to chase the animals round trying to be the first one there to get the sheds.
I still do it, mostly for exercise and scouting, but I don't shed hunt places that I wouldn't or couldn't hunt. I only shed hunt as an excuse to go into areas I wouldn't take the time to go into during the season.
I recall the days I'd find some out of the way hole that hadn't been picked in many years and there would be all ages of sheds on the ground. We'd leave all the chalky ones lay. Now days that's pretty dang rare in my AO. The New generation seems to pick up everything.

Its a bit annoying how overcrowded the Western US is getting. Even though hunters are like 5% of the population, there is still too many of us for the accessible landscape to support and provide enjoyment to.

 

[cnelk]

Gotta luv all the shed hunters dressed up in camo - all those sheds must be skittish bastards

 

[deerhunt1988]

Man thanks for posting this but don’t have 20 to 30 minutes right now.

Just one question until I can—on the $120,000 per year per influencer, was that influencers in general or those who are promoting shed hunting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It was one particular shed hunting influencer. Here's the paragraph on it:

"The first year after leaving his job, Dettamanti earned around thirty thousand dollars, through ads and sponsorship deals. He has since quadrupled that. “This was always my goal—to earn enough to be able to support my family,” he said. “But then when you get there you’re just, like, ‘Well, maybe I could double it. Maybe we could do a bit more. Maybe I could be rich.’ Eric’s good about keeping me grounded. He reminds me, ‘Four years ago, you were freaking cleaning toilets.’ ”"

 

[robby denning]

It was one particular shed hunting influencer. Here's the paragraph on it:

"The first year after leaving his job, Dettamanti earned around thirty thousand dollars, through ads and sponsorship deals. He has since quadrupled that. “This was always my goal—to earn enough to be able to support my family,” he said. “But then when you get there you’re just, like, ‘Well, maybe I could double it. Maybe we could do a bit more. Maybe I could be rich.’ Eric’s good about keeping me grounded. He reminds me, ‘Four years ago, you were freaking cleaning toilets.’ ”"

ShedCrazy! one of the funniest guys on IG.

I remember when he was going to shed hunt full time, I was thinking "how?". Now we know.

 

[robby denning]

Gotta luv all the shed hunters dressed up in camo - all those sheds must be skittish bastards

dang! I've been wearing solids. No wonder I suck at shed hunting

 

[robby denning]

You looking for a new gig?? ;-)

no thanks!!!
hahahahaa

 

[Nickofthewoods]

dang! I've been wearing solids. Now wonder I suck at shed hunting

Just wait until the shed antler hunting blaze orange requirement.

 

[dustytrails30]

Interesting read, thank you for sharing. Can’t blame people for wanting to get out and see new country while looking for sheds, but it’s hard to see people getting out there for fame or cool pictures.

 

[Ross]

Why wouldn’t someone want to do something they enjoy and make good money at the same time? Is this no different that any entrepreneur? If I had thought of it 35 yrs ago before corporate America desk time I would have been alllll over itOh well any day closer to retirement and then being outdoors any day I want looking and roaming is going to be a very good day sitting in my tent back in drinking coffee not thinking about anything but the moment

 

[BluMtn]

I remember as a young man we would find sheds laying around and comment that there must be elk around. Never thought about packing it home. During elk season when it came time to pack meat out we would cut the antlers off because you can't eat horns. Fast forward 50 years and the shed hunting craze hit. I know two different young men who made substantial down payments on their home by selling their piles of sheds that they had been saving for that purpose. When you figure you can sell a set of elk sheds for 5 or 6 hundred dollars it kind of makes it a paying proposition. I do it, but I do it for the exercise.