Shed hunting pointers

[Coach]

The way I see it, there are those that are great at finding sheds, and those that try really hard but rarely find them. I'm in the second club. Year after year I go looking for sheds and have only a nasty little worn down knife handle size of an elk shed to show for it. That said, I've picked up a few when I'm not looking for them. I find more when I'm turkey hunting or just randomly running around. While on an actual elk hunt in the fall, I took a mid-day nap, got up and found a matched set not 15 yards from where I had been - really nice rack.

 

One year I went to my favorite salt lick and there were 5 sheds within 15 yards.

 

I've found some really good coues sheds, but just by stumbling onto them.

 

Shed hunting is a science to those who really know how to do it, and they keep it a closely guarded secret for good reasons. I know guys who charter planes this time of year to keep track of where the elk are and how they move.

 

My hat is off to those that really work hard at it and make it work for them. I know a guy who actually paid for most of his college by finding sheds. To this day that guy could load up a pack frame with browns before I could find an old white stub.

[Chris]

LOL.

 

I can tell you, MANY of the guys that have piles.....don't work hard. They romp everywhere with that quad. Just go check your elk country and you'll see the tracks. From what I've seen from elk, the sheds are the same locations as the summer/fall elk. I liked finding them, but you can only do so much with them. I wish G&F would outlaw the sale of them.

 

Before the quad boom, I found 5 to 10 elk sheds a year and only walked 5 miles or less. (the good ole days...apparently)

[reezenhunter]

They are definitely not in the summer locations or there would be alot more easy browns

[core2]

My best spot the elk don't move all year. They are in the exact same place in August as they are right now. They seem to head up higher to eat the aspens in the summer and sit lower in the sun spots during the winter but don't move more than a few miles.

[core2]

I've hiked 2 spots recently, no more than a few miles from I-17, and found 2 nice sheds from last season. I was shocked considering all the shed hunters I've seen parked out there. Every time I get more than a few miles from a road, basically out of lazy man's hiking or quad range, I find sheds.