Exploring new territory

I got to go explore a new area the other weekend looking for sheds. Here's a few photos from the journey.

One of the coolest pictures I've ever taken.

I don't believe an elk put this antler here, but I'll take it anyway.

It was getting hot, and I while I was looking for nice spot along the creek to cool off, I almost walked right past this one.

 Well, this year's antler hunting is over, and I didn't get time to share my experiences. So here's the stories and pictures:

This was an old big muley shed I picked up on Easter weekend.

The Utah Opener with a few friends. We only found deer sheds this year.

I went back to where I found the big elk shed a few weeks before and was lucky enough to find the match! Besides finding the first side, this was definately a highlight of the year!

Then a few minutes later I finally found my first fresh elk antler for the year.

Not a bad haul for three guys, but only 2 were fresh.

Another fresh elk shed.



This was the load of antlers me and a couple other friends picked up near the elk refuge in Jackson.
We found 20 antlers total. We started looking for them at midnight while riding horses and found 5 in the dark. We also had to cross a river in the dark which was scary. But the way back was especially difficult because the horses were tired and the pack horse was very full and kept getting stuck in the timber. Once we finally re-crossed the river and got back to the horse trailer we were relieved and very happy that we all found antlers and were all safe. I can't wait to do it again next year.

A view of the Tetons. Unfortunately, I was so consumed finding antlers and riding the horse I didn't stop to take any pictures while finding the antlers. I will have to try better next year.

I got to take Kerrilyn hiking one day and all we found was just this old chewed up elk antler.

So here's my final antler collection for this year. Not bad, but not many were fresh. We didn't have the usual snow pack, so the wildlife was scattered more and didn't winter in their normal wintering areas as much. But I did find my biggest elk set yet (it scores right at 360") and the muley set Kerrilyn and Alma found is also the biggest deer set we found (is scores right at 180").

March 31

Here's a few pictures from our hiking trip this Saturday. Our friends had a UTV with tracks so we were able to get further into the mountains despite the deep melting snow. Even though its been a dry winter, and the warm weather melting the snow quickly, it is still hard to hike even with snow shoes. However, most of the south facing slopes are bare which makes it easy to look for antlers.

This was a huge antler, just sitting out in the open for a whole year.
Easton, Saralyn, and Alma having a good time. They waited 3 1/2 hours while dad went and found these antlers.
Saralyn got real tired on the hike out. So Tre packed Easton, I carried Saralyn, Kerrilyn, Savannah, and Casey packed the antlers and gear, and Alma hiked all by herself. It was a fun day for us all. Can't wait to get back up there with less snow!

March 24th

Kerrilyn and I decided to take all the kids hiking today since the weather was so nice and most of the snow has melted. Kerrilyn started the day off finding a huge 5 point deer shed that was a year old but in good condition.

After searching a little while, Kerrilyn, with Alma's, help found the match.

This set scores over 180". Here's the "Beauty's and the Beast".

Saralyn also found her own antler (after she stepped on it first). She really had a good time today!

We then found a nice spot to have lunch and roasted hot dogs over a fire. While I was gathering sticks to roast the hot dogs, I found three more antlers. After lunch Kerrilyn and kids played while I went and found a couple more to add to our collection.

We ended up with three matching sets and few singles. This was a very fun day for all of us!

March 12th

Today Easton and I went out again looking for deer sheds. We found a few fresh ones and one big old antler hidden in a sage bush.

March 5th

Easton and I went for our first antler hunt today and found a couple of nice antlers. The first one was where a deer jumped the fence. You can see frost on the fence wire, but Easton was bundled up good and really enjoyed finding "deer" as he says it.

Finished the job

Well it's nice to find a big set of antlers you dream about finding and then getting to have the mounted. Last spring (the last post) I found that dream set of elk antlers. They measured about 350" (huge for my collection)! This January I put them together and did a pedestal mount for myself. It turned out really nice and I got a first place ribbon in masters at the Utah Taxidermy show in Salt Lake City.