Pinedale Online!
www.PinedaleWyoming.com
www.PinedaleOnline.com

Visitor's Guide to Pinedale, Wyoming
www.PinedaleOnline.com

Home | Calendar of Events | Photo Gallery | Local Businesses |

Pinedale Online > News > April 2006 > Antler Hunting

Mule Deer Shed. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
Mule Deer Shed
This forked antler shed was fresh from this season.

Spike deer shed. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
Spike deer shed
This little spike shed was at least a year old, showing signs of weathering.

Deer on the open range. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
Deer on the open range
Antler Hunting
April 2, 2006

The snow is melting and the weather has started to turn pretty decent, making the great outdoors beckon again for weekend day trips. A fun activity this time of year is to go antler hunting. Each spring, mule deer, elk and moose lose their antlers to make way for new ones to grow. If you know where to look, you can find some very nice specimens. Some people take antler hunting very seriously and are out on a mission each spring to collect trophy racks. This past Sunday, we just wanted to get outside and enjoy the warm weather and stroll through the hills around Big Piney where deer and antelope have wintered and see what we could find.

We’ve been watching where the herds have been roaming and were careful to make sure we were on public land, well away from any closed winter range areas. There were deer in the area, but we made sure to keep our distance and not spook them. In this area, we knew we were looking for mule deer antler sheds and did not expect to find any elk antlers. Our goal was more to just get outside, do some hiking and enjoy a beautiful day outside, whether we found antler sheds or not.

By the end of a couple of hours, we had found a couple of small mule deer antlers, an antelope horn shed, a horned toad and a nice obsidian arrowhead. Below are pictures of what we found on our outing.

If you go out antler hunting this spring, be sure to know the ownership of the land you’re on (public or private) and the access rules. Winter range closures are still in effect for many areas. Keep dogs under control and don’t let them chase wildlife. Be sure to have everyone who goes out walking through the brush check for ticks when they get back. Check the dog too.

Photos by Clint Gilchrist and Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online!



Related Links
  • Antler Hunting
  • Ticks
  • Winter Range Closures
  • Mesa closed to vehicles through April 30

  • Antelope Shed. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Antelope Shed
    Pronghorn antelope do not drop their antlers like deer, elk and moose do. As their horns grow, they will lose the outer sheath covering, dropping the hollow, fibrous shell on the ground.

    Arrowhead. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Arrowhead
    It is treat to find an arrowhead, left by native inhabitants thousands of years ago. It is illegal to collect historic cultural artifacts, such as arrowheads, old bottles, etc. on state and federal lands.

    Desert Cactus. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Desert Cactus
    Cactus can also be found growing in the dry sagebrush desert.

    Badger Hole. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Badger Hole
    Whether you are on foot or exploring on horseback, watch out for deep badger holes.

    Round Rocks. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Round Rocks
    Far from moving water, these round rocks with all the sharp edges tumbled smooth are evidence of the ancient geologic past when glaciers covered this area.

    Golf Ball in the middle of nowhere. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Golf Ball in the middle of nowhere
    With the nearest home miles away, this golf ball caught in the sagebrush was an interesting discovery out in the middle of nowhere.

    Battery. Photo by Clint Gilchrist, Pinedale Online.
    Battery
    Just when you start to think you're the first person to walk this remote area in years, you find a fresh battery on the ground, lost by a hunter or someone with a digital camera.

    Ant Hill. Photo by Dawn Ballou, Pinedale Online.
    Ant Hill
    Ant hills are common throughout the dry open sagebrush plains.
     
    Pinedale Online > News > April 2006 > Antler Hunting

    Pinedale Online!
    Pinedale Online! PO Box 2250, Pinedale, WY 82941
    Phone: (307) 360-7689 or (307) 276-5699, Fax: (307) 276-5414

    Office Outlet in Pinedale, 43 S. Sublette
    E-mail:support@pinedaleonline.com

    Copyright © 2006 Pinedale Online. All rights reserved.
    Pictures and content cannot be used in whole or part without permission.