Why is shed hunting so popular now?

Forky finder correct. Most people think. They find a chewed horn it a squirrel or porcupine. But it elk or deer moose. Calcium.
 
Critical calving time. Surprised fwp don't have clinic for cow elk. Kinda they do
 
Idk u find a huge elk set on public land. Maybe tougher than actually killing it
I'd agree. I don't purposely look for sheds very often, but when I have, finding them is rare. But during actual hunting season I tend to have better luck. It's kinda like bear hunting. When I look for them, I can't find them. When I'm hunting other things, they are everywhere.
 
My opion this. And iam an avid shed hunter. Fwp should protect the elk winter range. But look at the way they hunted. Kill them all. So game ranges ect. Good thing but not enough. What I have seen elk shed season basically like another hunting season. Pressure. My guess the shed hunting pressure like the elk hunting pressure in the 90s.
 
I picked up my first shed when I was around 6 years old and have been picking them up ever since. I haven't spent much time hunting for them, just picking them up as I run into them while working or playing in the woods. They would just end up in a pile in the shed until I had a friend who along with his wife, started up a business making antler art. Everything from knife handles and belt buckles to chandeliers and coffee tables. He would always give me a few bucks for my antlers. Up until about 20 years ago I would find them everywhere but then for some reason it became a popular pastime. Now there are people crawling all around the woods, some with dogs, some riding ATV everywhere they will go. It's a mad house, worse than opening day of elk season, so I rarely run into antlers anymore.

I do miss the old days.
 
My opion this. And iam an avid shed hunter. Fwp should protect the elk winter range. But look at the way they hunted. Kill them all. So game ranges ect. Good thing but not enough. What I have seen elk shed season basically like another hunting season. Pressure. My guess the shed hunting pressure like the elk hunting pressure in the 90s.
Are you not a native English speaker?
 
I started going for deer sheds mainly a lot in Washington this was about 10yrs ago and within 2-3 yrs instead of being by myself middle of the week there would be multiple rigs and about half with dogs looking for them. I stopped going. That kind of pressure is not what the deer or elk need that time of year and if your a hunter you should understand that. Your shed hunting everytime you bump a doe or cow is drastically reducing that years offspring health.

I have tried for years to get a shed season in Wa based off start of turkey season but wdfw to busy arguing over limiting predator hunting which we have absolutely no shortage of.
 
I’ve explored and learned some great country with shed hunting as the number one excuse and picked up a bunch of antlers from animals I couldn’t hunt for one reason or another. My keeper piles are kinda silly at this point and take up way more room than my wife likes. I kinda hate how many I have sold but they’ve also helped pay for a lot of great hunting gear

The popularity is fairly dumb in certain areas. Biggest thing that could change that for the better would be some rule that you either have to be retired or prove full time employment (influencer doesn’t count) before you could pick up an antler
 
I do a lot of "shed hunting" but it's just a excuse almost a purpose for hike in beautiful country after a winter of being cooped-up plus I am horrible at it. I have always been a competitive person and having something to look for makes me hike over that next hill. I have sold horns only once to buy a new bow and set it, almost all others have been given away, used in crafts or displays etc. I annually see people breaking laws and doing things I consider wrong cause there is now money involved. I wish sale of horns was illegal but a minimum there should be no nonresident horn hunting 1jan-1july, there is zero reason for people to travel to look for antlers.
 
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I’ve explored and learned some great country with shed hunting as the number one excuse and picked up a bunch of antlers from animals I couldn’t hunt for one reason or another. My keeper piles are kinda silly at this point and take up way more room than my wife likes. I kinda hate how many I have sold but they’ve also helped pay for a lot of great hunting gear

The popularity is fairly dumb in certain areas. Biggest thing that could change that for the better would be some rule that you either have to be retired or prove full time employment (influencer doesn’t count) before you could pick up an antler
I know guys that have extensive collections. Mostly in rafters or piles that they never deal with. I find sheds while out and about. I sell them . mtmuley
 
I never understood the shed hunting thing. Why would I want antlers off an animal that I didn’t kill ? Then again, the entire antler/score/tape measure thing is not important to me. Different folks have different priorities. We each set our own.
 

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