Winter Tips for a Successful Spring Shed Hunting Season for You and Your Dog

As we sit here in the midst of a snowy winter, we would like to share some advice to increase success for your upcoming shed hunting season with your four legged partner.

Have a Training Plan

trainasheddog.com members, this is a great time of year to watch or review some of our training modules and videos to refresh your memory. It is a good time to update your training plan and reflect on specific skills that you would like to improve. Grab a hot beverage and start watching! Not a member yet? If you've read this far, join below and get 30% off.

Be Patient

We always talk about patience in dog training, but this time it is in another context. We are all itching to get out shed hunting, but you won't benefit from pushing deer that have not shed their antlers out of the areas you shed hunt. In areas with significant snowfall and cold weather, shed hunting too early could also have a detrimental effect on deer, especially pregnant does. Deer that are in survival mode and trying to get through harsh winters are extremely susceptible to unnecessary displacement, stress, and pressure. The exception for us are agricultural fields away from any daytime bedding if we happen to get a winter melt.

Plan your Shed Season

For successful shed hunting, you must shed hunt where deer shed their antlers! Most deer will shed their antlers January to March in our area. Winter is a great time to scout remotely and start securing permissions for the spring. Go for a drive, identify fields and food sources that deer are using, note your observations on where deer have been crossing roads, and try to get permissions on adjacent properties for the upcoming spring. We spend a great deal of time studying maps and topography with iHunter – Public and Private Land Hunting Maps App to mark areas of interest . We maximize our shed season by identifying higher percentage areas well in advance and making a list of the properties we will shed hunt by priority/expected success.

Clean Up The Retrieve

Winter is a great time of year to formalize the retrieve for your dog. This is a good time to start, complete, or revisit hold conditioning or a trained retrieve process. There are lot of great resources available for these processes, feel free to reach out for recommendations based on your goals and training methods.

Winter Training

Winter training can be difficult due to weather conditions. It is a great time of year to continue to focus on obedience which should be ongoing in your training regime. Get creative, and keep building confidence for your dog. We like to utilize plowed private parking lots to do visual antler drills. We also use plowed lanes for memories and pile work. It is a good way to focus on drills that will teach the dog to be confident going away from you and retrieving at distances. Don't overlook scenting drills and antler plants covered with some snow for more experienced dogs.

Update your First Aid Kits

Winter down time is also a great time to inventory and update your first aid kits for the season ahead! # 1 priority should be yours and your canine partner's safety while shed hunting.

Shed season can't come soon enough! Happy training!