Shed Hunting with Purpose - 10 Tips to Find More Shed Antlers this year

Shed hunting is more than a hike with hope—it’s a strategic pursuit. Whether you're after elk or deer sheds, using a tripod for shed hunting can give you a serious edge. Just like preseason scouting, it starts by patterning animals on winter range and understanding where and when they drop. In this post, we’ll break down ten shed hunting tips, how to glass effectively with a tripod, and what gear helps you cover more ground—and find more bone.

1. Pattern the Animals Before the Drop

Shed hunting begins well before the snow melts. Deer typically shed earlier and often drop their antlers close to where they winter. Elk, on the other hand, stay active a bit longer. They may already be moving as the days warm up, the snow melts, and new spring plants grow.

Your best bet? Scout winter range and transition areas. The more time you spend learning where they are and when they shed, the better you’ll get at predicting where those antlers end up.

It's like preseason scouting for a hunt. When the guy tags out on the first day and you ask: "Are you sad it's over already?" His reply: "I've been watching this buck all summer, It feels like I've been hunting for a month already." The work pays off.

2. Use a Tripod and Glass Smarter

This is where the difference gets made. Glassing for sheds from a stable tripod on a good vantage gives you a huge advantage. You can cover big country without burning boot leather—and pick apart areas where an antler blends in just a little too well.

Our MTN HNTR tripods are made for trips like this. They are light enough to carry deep into (and out of) the wilderness, and provide a rock-solid base to take advantage of your optics. If you're serious about shed hunting, a tripod isn't optional—it's essential.

3. Keep Notes, Use Apps, and Track Snow

Every winter is different. Keep a log, mark spots with pins on OnX or ScoutToHunt, and note when and where you’re finding sheds. Cross-reference your notes with SNOTEL stations or snow depth data.

Less snow early? Sheds might be spread out. A long, hard winter? They're probably concentrated tight to the winter range. Over time, you’ll build a system that produces.

4. Green Grass = Antlers

As animals come out of winter, they’re looking for feed. South-facing slopes, windswept ridges, and lower-elevation benches with green-up are money spots. These early feeding areas are high-probability zones—don’t skip them.

5. Don’t Overlook Bedding and Trails

It’s not just about where they eat. Bedding areas, trails, and movement corridors between feed and cover are shed magnets. Bucks and bulls often drop antlers when standing up, shaking off, or hitting a branch. Get to know their daily routines and work those lines.

6. Cover Ground—but Do it Smart

Some folks pride themselves on putting in 20+ miles a day. That’s great—but if you’re walking past sheds while someone else is glassing up piles from a ridge, you might be missing the mark. Cover ground, yes—but use your eyes first.

7. Find the Pockets

Shed antlers aren’t evenly spread across the mountain, they’re often found in pockets.

Once you find a good one, slow down and grid it. Sometimes there’s more just out of sight—buried under brush, in shadow, or just tucked in a depression. Be thorough.

8. Don’t Pressure the Animals

It’s tempting to jump the gun and beat the crowds, but spooking deer and elk before they’ve dropped can push them into inaccessible terrain or cause stress that hurts winter survival. Respect the animals and give them space. The sheds will be there.

9. Know the Rules

Different states have different rules about shed hunting. In some places, there are seasonal closures and opener dates. In others, you might need a permit.

Make sure you know the laws before you head out. Play it straight—it protects the resource and keeps shed hunting open for everyone.

10. Share Your Finds

Found a good one? We’d love to see it—especially if you were using a MTN HNTR tripod or gear to help glass it up. Tag us on Instagram or shoot us a message. We live for stories from the mountain, and your love to see your success!