shed antler traps

[sharpstick]

I was wondering what you guys use (if any) for antler traps? I have heard of several different types but was wondering what you guys use? Pictures are always a bonus. I have a couple deer on trail cams from this year that I would love to find their sheds and have heard that antler traps are the ticket.
Anyway, please share if you have any ideas/pics.

Cheers,
SS

[Lefty-Canuck]

Personally I don't use or agree with antler traps. They can cause harm and distress if not made correctly. Boot leather and fresh air is a good way to get sheds.

LC

[Kevwood]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Personally I don't use or agree with antler traps. They can cause harm and distress if not made correctly. Boot leather and fresh air is a good way to get sheds.

LC

^^^good advice^^^

But if you do make a trap avoid chicken wire and other designs that can trap the animal and force the antlers off too early...use natural materials such as trees, maybe bales or placing feed under materials as to cause a gentle brush of the antlers...not something that will entangle the deer...I seem to remember a good thread with lots of info and ideas last year if you do a search...

[DiabeticKripple]

I think I read somewhere about using a picnic table and some apples under it

[Albany]

When I was younger back in Ontario we used to put out feed on the property in winter. Over the feed buckets was a section of telephone pole (about 4 feet long) hung up with chain. The deer would have to slightly nudge the horizontal pole section (maybe an inch) to get the feed. It was just enough pressure to knock something off if it was very loose. There was also little risk of injury and it doubled as a bird perch.

Regards

[play.soccer]

I'm going to try 2 square bales positioned in a "V" shape and throw some feed in the crotch of the "V"

[dshaw]

I don't really agree with antler traps as they can cause harm to the animal. People think that antlers are like teeth and they slowly get looser and looser until their ready to fall off. Fact is though they fall off when triggered by chemicals in the body that are for the survival of the animal. A few hours before they fall off those antlers are on their solid. If you do your homework and know where the animals are and where they like to feed and bed you can find more sheds than any "trap" will get you.

[Dan4570]

They either fall off when the body rejects them or they don't. They're not teeth. It's a rejection from the body that drops them like someone said before. You want to find sheds? Do some real scouting,setup some cameras,put some miles on the boots. Don't trap animals into dropping antlers. Work for them.

I've been hardcore shed hunting for many years now. I put on an average of 1500 kms a year. By no means an expert. But i will never trap an animal into shedding.

[Big Red 250]

I don't use antler traps or agree with them. I like walking the deer trails in the spring. I have run across antler traps a couple of times and after checking them out, looked to me like they could trap a deer by the antler's if he wasn't ready to shed yet.
I also ride my Big Red in hay and summer fallow field's shed hunting.

[sharpstick]

thanks for all the responses and concerns of antler traps. I am certainly not interested in building a trap that may cause harm or pose any danger to them so I will not be using ropes, chicken wire or anything like that. I like the idea of the heavy beam above the feed pail and the picnic table. I tried the 2 bales in a V last year and didn't get a single antler. maybe try and stack 2 up, maybe it wasn't high enough.
I also plan to get out with the boy and put on some miles on some property that we have permission on.
I live in acreage country and you have no chance of getting permission on hiking through peoples 2 or 4 acre lots to look for antlers but there are some nice bucks in the area, HENCE why I would like to try an antler trap. If you don't believe in antler traps and prefer to hike to satisfy your crave, knock yourself out and fill your boots, I will put on some miles too.
My question wasn't whether or not you agree with antler traps or not, it was simply asking what works for the guys that use them. If you don't use them or have an opinion on what might work, please move on and preach to someone else or start your own thread.

Thanks for the POSITIVE responses.

Cheers,
SS

[boonedocks]

The only advice that I could offer would be to set up some deadfall around the feed source, as a kind of " fence", to force the bucks to jump as they pass threw. Then cross your fingers really hard . This year, the deer in our area are pretty widely dispersed due to all the unharvested grain crops. I suspect that my shed hunting trophys will be harder to earn this season.

[WHITIEY]

I have been using a few of my hunting dogs that i trained from pups. They love to go early spring .

[Okotokian]

Is trapping of cervids legal?