It is officially spring. The spring equinox, you may recall, occurred back on March 20. And if your senses seem to have been dulled a little over the winter months, getting out in nature can help give them a boost. Consider going for a walk through the woods, grassland, or other places to soak up what nature has to offer in the spring. And while you are out there, keep an eye out for deer sheds, or perhaps elk and moose for that matter.
As you may know, deer and other members of the deer family shed their antlers during the winter, and the prime time for shed hunting often occurs around this time of year. If a goodly amount of the snow has melted down, but remains covering the ground, the shed antlers can be fairly easy to spot. And although they can be spotted later when all the snow has melted, they are more difficult to spot.
Finding a shed is a treasured experience for many. And it tends to bring out our sense of wonder and awe in nature. What is it all about? Is this buck still around? If so, how will its rack look next fall?
To increase your odds of finding a shed, walk deer trails or other areas where you know deer have been present. And be aware that if you find a shed, often times the other antler may have been shed within the same general area (i.e. within a hundred yards or so).
Sometimes antlers are incorrectly called horns. Antlers are produced by males of the deer family. There are a few exceptions. Female caribou, for example produce antlers. Antlers are composed of bony material, are generally branched, and are shed each year. While developing, they are covered in velvet, a covering of skin and soft hairs which brings blood and nutrients to the developing antler. When the antler is fully developed, antler growth ceases and the velvet is shed, leaving the antler composed of a dead bony mass of material.
Horns on the other hand, are produced by members of bovid family which includes cows, bison, goats, and sheep. Horns are composed of a bony core and an outer sheath composed of keratin-like material that is similar to fingernails or agglutinated hairs. Horns grow from the base and the growth generally continues throughout the life of the animal. And with the exception of pronghorn antelope, horns do not branch.
So, go out and enjoy nature this spring! And be on the lookout for sheds.
