Shed Traps

Have you guys ever tried setting out a shed trap?

https://www.google.com/search?q=shed+traps&biw=1024&bih=658&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0rNXOx_zRAhUPySYKHbREDVwQ_AUICSgC

Just make sure they aren’t set out too early. I’ve seen a few bucks runn8ng around with chicken coop wire hanging from their rack

My friend just made these.
DT

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Don’t waste your time. And don’t be lazy. Get out and walk. The best way to do a shed trap of you are going to do one is find a dead fall and put corn in and around it. All the traps out there with wire and other stuff is a joke. They will fall off when that are ready. Forcing them off will only hurt the deer. Good luck.

mattgroff wrote:

Don’t waste your time. And don’t be lazy. Get out and walk. The best way to do a shed trap of you are going to do one is find a dead fall and put corn in and around it. All the traps out there with wire and other stuff is a joke. They will fall off when that are ready. Forcing them off will only hurt the deer. Good luck.

And.. They are illegal in many states…Including MN.

Matt is right though, they fall off when they are ready.. It’s not AT ALL like a lose tooth like many people think. I’ve seen dead deer with a completely shed out side laying next to the skull and the other side on so tight that I couldn’t bust it off.. A buddy of mine came across a deer in the fall that had been shot, grabbed the antlers and both of them came off. It’s a very odd thing in how deer shed their antlers.. It’s a testosterone thing and when the level drops (like when they are sick or injured) they literally POP off. There’s absolutely NO forcing the issue.

I have really only been shed hunting seriously for a couple years, but I have kind of felt the traps would be like cheating. I just think it’s so rewarding to finally walk up on an antler after miles of searching. I also go for hikes a few days a week regardless so it’s nice to know I may stumble in to a antler or two in the process.

It’s very rewarding when you score a shed. Its especially nice when you get home and the wife is just as happy as you are so she can display somewhere around the house. Lol

So people that get out and walk for their sheds don’t try to stack the odds in their favor too? What about walking fence lines or ditch crossings where jarring may knock them loose, those are no more ethical than pouring corn into a brush pile. Besides, the extra nutrition is probably appreciated.

I absolutely walk areas that get heavier deer traffic choke points, thick cover, etc, but that’s natural deer habitat. If you didn’t look where the deer are you would never find any. However I’m not influencing the deer’s habits by baiting them into something specifically put out to knock antlers off. I work very hard for the antlers I find. I have walked just over 30 miles(on GPS) in the last 3 weeks searching multiple properties looking for sheds, and I have picked up 11 antlers. I’m not driving my wheeler up to a pail of corn.

I’m sure circumstances will change someday where I don’t have the time to do this or I physically can’t, and then maybe traps would start to make sense. Until then I’ll keep lacing up my boots.

To each their own though. I knew a lot of guys that did this in WI when I lived out there, and they picked up a lot of antlers each year running their “trap line”.

Regardless of how you get them lets start seeing some more of your finds guys. The motivation never hurts! The small 4 point side I found this afternoon already has some chewing on it…dang mice! Some of these I have already posted, but here is this years pile to date.

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jwellsy wrote:

So people that get out and walk for their sheds don’t try to stack the odds in their favor too? What about walking fence lines or ditch crossings where jarring may knock them loose, those are no more ethical than pouring corn into a brush pile. Besides, the extra nutrition is probably appreciated.

Really?? That’s natural. Dumping corn into a brush pile for the benefit of the antlers has no benefit for the deer. You need to do some more research into this.

@hillhiker, apparently your deer prefer to drop their left side first.
DT

I didn’t realize it till laying them all out, but yeah it sure looks that way. Hopefully the rights start dropping soon I’m excited to match my first set up.

Shed trap… Deer trap.

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I am hoping to get back to the farm next weekend. I have some burn piles to burn, hinge cutting to do and some giant antlers to find. If I get any I will post them.

Keep up the good work Hillhiker … or should we start calling you lefty

Good luck sticker! I still have a four big sets to track down as well. Two of the bucks I have glassed up on a CRP covered hill side twice, and they are still carrying both sides as of Monday afternoon. Hopefully they stick around.

I put out 2 trail cams on bedding areas last time up, so I should have some idea if they have dropped or not.