As winter turns to spring, a non-traditional form of hunting emerges- shed hunting (otherwise known as horn or antler hunting). This activity is essentially analogous to a pirate looking for treasure for passionate Wyoming outdoorspeople. But instead of gold and riches, the prize is the antlers or horns that have been seasonally shed from the animals that carried them.
For many species of animals that roam Wyoming, their antlers and horns are crucial for mating season which typically occurs in the fall. However, after this, as a cold and unwelcoming season emerges, it is a strategic survival tactic for many animals to lose their heavy and bulky antlers as a way to conserve energy and also allow for regrowth in the near future. When this happens, the animal’s antlers are left behind, claimed by the land- becoming a perfect treasure to be searched for and found by avid outdoorsmen and women within designated land areas.
What You Might See When Shed Hunting
Animals that participate in regular annual shedding’s are those with antlers; this might include male deer, elk, and moose in Wyoming. The only animal with horns that seasonally loses them is the pronghorn antelope in this area.
On top of traditional sheds, it is possible, but more unlikely, to come across whole heads from deceased animals that have succumbed to natural selection and the unforgiving nature of the great outdoors.
Finally, along with the animal treasures that a shed hunter hopes to find, they get the chance to be immersed in magnificent Wyoming nature and the opportunity to run into other wildlife while conducting their hunt. It truly is a special way to get outside and keenly observe nature and the beauty that Wyoming has to offer.
If you are curious about participating in shed hunting, go check out information provided by Wyoming Game and Fish. Although shed hunting is not harvesting and hunting an actual animal, there are regulations that are required such as certain shed hunting time frames, designated lands, and even necessary permits in specific scenarios.