2017 SHED HORN HUNTING

[outrider58]

I had a nice first find today with a dog I started training last fall.

That's a nice chunk of bone he found there!

 

[Doco Overboard]

That dog will save you alot of footsteps!

 

[Bboarder]

Well, 1/2 mile from our property today I saw 12 deer in a herd. Multiple 6-8 points in the pack, full racks still.

 

[outrider58]

Well, 1/2 mile from our property today I saw 12 deer in a herd. Multiple 6-8 points in the pack, full racks still.

They said "they are mostly dropped by the end of January".

I disagreed.

 

[Antarctica]

I had a nice first find today with a dog I started training last fall.

So this might be a moronic question, but when you train a dog to hunt sheds, is there any risk that you mess the dog up for other game? I.e., you've got a lab for waterfowl or something and train him for sheds. Is there a chance he starts to associate the scent of the sheds you train him on with deer and start to be interested in running deer, etc?

 

[outrider58]

So this might be a moronic question, but when you train a dog to hunt sheds, is there any risk that you mess the dog up for other game? I.e., you've got a lab for waterfowl or something and train him for sheds. Is there a chance he starts to associate the scent of the sheds you train him on with deer and start to be interested in running deer, etc?

Most deer seeking dogs are very valuable. They are not left to wander. Your average antler sniffing dog should be treated the he same way.

 

[CSS]

Anyone finding shed's in SOMD yet?

 

[Jack McCauley]

There is always a risk of messing up a dog that is trained for a specific discipline. But there are several ways to curtail improper behavior. When training a dog using any scent theory, I work to isolate a very specific odor. When I train a dog to hunt for sheds, they tend to ignore live deer, deer trails, deer droppings, etc, because the odor of the shed is different than that of the deer itself. I clean the antlers of my human scent each time I train. I only handle the antler with a rubber glove. I isolate the antler inside of a scent board, eliminating any other odors connected to that scent. When they master locating the odor in a controlled environment, I then begin working outdoors in the open fields and then in the woods. The dog mostly smells the wax like substance of the antler that has been dropped. Dogs that find a deer skeleton typically don't give me the same final response as they do with the antler. I also train the dogs in a contaminated areas, where the deer frequent, only rewarding them for finding the antler...nothing else. I use a specific command to tell the dog what to hunt for. Many police dogs have two disciplines. But we would never train a dog to find bombs and drugs. We would choose one or the other. It really depends on the sport. I do think you can teach a dog to retrieve ducks and search for antlers both. But I wouldn't train a dog to track a wounded deer and antler hunt both because it is so easy to accidentally mix up the scents when training. They are too similar. Because if I train a dog to track deer blood, they will naturally pay attention to the deer itself. They will, without training, automatically pair the odors and relate them. They on't do this is much when just hunting antlers. It can be done, but you have to be extremely careful not to mess them up. I hope that makes sense.

 

[outrider58]

There is always a risk of messing up a dog that is trained for a specific discipline. But there are several ways to curtail improper behavior. When training a dog using any scent theory, I work to isolate a very specific odor. When I train a dog to hunt for sheds, they tend to ignore live deer, deer trails, deer droppings, etc, because the odor of the shed is different than that of the deer itself. I clean the antlers of my human scent each time I train. I only handle the antler with a rubber glove. I isolate the antler inside of a scent board, eliminating any other odors connected to that scent. When they master locating the odor in a controlled environment, I then begin working outdoors in the open fields and then in the woods. The dog mostly smells the wax like substance of the antler that has been dropped. Dogs that find a deer skeleton typically don't give me the same final response as they do with the antler. I also train the dogs in a contaminated areas, where the deer frequent, only rewarding them for finding the antler...nothing else. I use a specific command to tell the dog what to hunt for. Many police dogs have two disciplines. But we would never train a dog to find bombs and drugs. We would choose one or the other. It really depends on the sport. I do think you can teach a dog to retrieve ducks and search for antlers both. But I wouldn't train a dog to track a wounded deer and antler hunt both because it is so easy to accidentally mix up the scents when training. They are too similar. Because if I train a dog to track deer blood, they will naturally pay attention to the deer itself. They will, without training, automatically pair the odors and relate them. They on't do this is much when just hunting antlers. It can be done, but you have to be extremely careful not to mess them up. I hope that makes sense.

Makes very good sense. Thanks for the info.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Next fresh horn you pick up, smell it to see if a fox pissed on it. That odor is pungent and will last a long time.

 

[Bboarder]

while "walking" the dog around field lines, stumbled onto this lil guy. Super excited to see it! Searched around for the other side but didn't see anything.

 

[BigCountry14]

Ive yet to find any. In fairness Ive got a 6 week old and have only been able to walk the edge of the neighbors field and my main trail when its nice outside. But I did get this picture off my camera of one holding late.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Doco Overboard]

There will be one around there somewhere and another to boot! Still some antlered bucks running around my way but most have dropped off.

 

[Bboarder]

There will be one around there somewhere and another to boot! Still some antlered bucks running around my way but most have dropped off.

I saw two more nice 8 points this morning leaving the farm.

 

[Hunter4991]

Found this antler 2 days ago, but notice the amount of bone that is still on the antler. I was talking with my dad and we thought it probably came off during a fight in the rut. Just wondering if anyone else has found something like this or knows why they would drop them with that much bone beyond the base.

 

[outrider58]

View attachment 200292

Found this antler 2 days ago, but notice the amount of bone that is still on the antler. I was talking with my dad and we thought it probably came off during a fight in the rut. Just wondering if anyone else has found something like this or knows why they would drop them with that much bone beyond the base.

Yes. I've read that it is normal in some cases and the next year's growth will be normal as well. I've found similar sheds.

That's a nice shed, BTW.

 

[Antarctica]

There is always a risk of messing up a dog that is trained for a specific discipline. But there are several ways to curtail improper behavior. When training a dog using any scent theory, I work to isolate a very specific odor. When I train a dog to hunt for sheds, they tend to ignore live deer, deer trails, deer droppings, etc, because the odor of the shed is different than that of the deer itself. I clean the antlers of my human scent each time I train. I only handle the antler with a rubber glove. I isolate the antler inside of a scent board, eliminating any other odors connected to that scent. When they master locating the odor in a controlled environment, I then begin working outdoors in the open fields and then in the woods. The dog mostly smells the wax like substance of the antler that has been dropped. Dogs that find a deer skeleton typically don't give me the same final response as they do with the antler. I also train the dogs in a contaminated areas, where the deer frequent, only rewarding them for finding the antler...nothing else. I use a specific command to tell the dog what to hunt for. Many police dogs have two disciplines. But we would never train a dog to find bombs and drugs. We would choose one or the other. It really depends on the sport. I do think you can teach a dog to retrieve ducks and search for antlers both. But I wouldn't train a dog to track a wounded deer and antler hunt both because it is so easy to accidentally mix up the scents when training. They are too similar. Because if I train a dog to track deer blood, they will naturally pay attention to the deer itself. They will, without training, automatically pair the odors and relate them. They on't do this is much when just hunting antlers. It can be done, but you have to be extremely careful not to mess them up. I hope that makes sense.

This is what I was looking for - good information thanks.

Follow-on. With a two discipline dog, would you train different commands? I.e., "hunt 'em up!' for birds and 'find it!' for antler?

 

[Antarctica]

FYI - I saw three bucks last night still holding full racks.

 

[wilcam47]

View attachment 200292

Found this antler 2 days ago, but notice the amount of bone that is still on the antler. I was talking with my dad and we thought it probably came off during a fight in the rut. Just wondering if anyone else has found something like this or knows why they would drop them with that much bone beyond the base.

nice ones...I still cant get out on the roads yet...still lots of snow.

I could be wrong but it looks dropped to me...if it was skull it would be smoother on the inside portion. that looks porous like it was dropped normally.

 

[outrider58]

Call for rain showers this weekend. If they aren't too heavy, it will be great shed hunting. When the ground is wet (and dark from moisture), antlers really stand out.

Edit: At least for those who aren't stuck with this ice and snow.