Antler "poaching"

[Elkhunter]

As the popularity of antler hunting rises, so have the number of antler "poaching" incidents in the State. Wyoming Game and Fish officials have stepped up efforts to enforce closures on wildlife habitat management areas. They say the closures need to be observed to protect the wildlife that use these areas. Earlier this week, a 35 year-old Sheridan man pleaded guilty to violating a closure area. He was fined $400 plus court costs and received a suspended 90 day jail sentence. His hunting privileges were also suspended for 1 year. He was caught on the Kerns Wildlife Management Area after a Game Warden saw about 40 elk bolt from out of a patch of timber. The warden saw Randy Reece leave the area, apparently trying to keep a low profile. They later discovered a stash of about 135 pounds of antlers, worth more than a thousand dollars near Reeces truck. Reese confessed to stock-piling the antlers after questioning.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I'm glad they make examples of these people...

 

[D4570]

In mt our horn hunting season opined may 15th on the sun river game range, this is a very big thing!!! P eople come from far and near to pick sheds, there is a buyer there that pays top $ .
Peoply get set up days in advance, they will use spoting scopes and some times fly over looking befor the rainge opins.Then the race begines, Meny of the closesheds disapear at night???Some day some groop (like peda) should filum this , what a mess.

 

[Bambistew]

I wish they had more game ranges... Keeps the idiots away from my spots, cause we all know that the elk and deer only drop on the game ranges. I laugh when people tell me they covered a game range when it opened... Most of the game ranges around where I grew up consited mostly of cows and a few bulls. THey would see a 1000 head and assume that there just had to be some antlers in there... Then they blame someone for sneaking in and gettn' em all, which is probably true too. Shed hunting has gotten to be a rat race, I don't even like going anymore. Whats the point when you have assholes out there chasing after the deer and elk with hopes that one will "fall" off... It never works. Then you have to go every chance you get or someone will beat you to the antlers... Hell they start shedding around the first of march now... I never even went to the hill till the middle of april, and by that time the elk were just starting to drop. I hate what shed hunting has turned into.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I see gobs of elk and yes they are mostly cows, those are the areas I try and stay out of, usually have people tracks and 4 wheelers been all over those areas, I have yet to find one close around here. Still trying to figure where some of the bigger boy's over winter at. I seem to find quite a number every year during elk season, but they are usually eaten up pretty well by Sept/Oct and non are much of any size and pretty far and few inbetween. I will come across them sooner or later and then will be able to start showing some good pics of some good finds. I'm mostly out there running the hills for the excersise this time of year any way and any finds would be a bonus...

 

[MAD MAX]

It certainly has turned into a a bunch of $$$$ grubbers.
I agree.

 

[BuzzH]

Shed hunting is alot like any other hunting, you get out of it what you put into it.

It has changed, and not for the better, but theres still good spots and with more effort than the next guy, some planning, and good glass...

 

[Elkhunter]

Nice find and pics Buzz.

 

[Bowhunter]

Nice pictures man, I wish I could find a spot like that here in AZ.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I don't know how I missed those piles of bone...
Nice find Buzz...

 

[raybow 1]

Dang that's pretty expensive getting caught!!
Sure hope I don't have the same luck that guy had!!

 

[RockyDog]

Heres a load i found recently on a backcountry trip. Sorry about cutting out the background, but it showed enough that 280 would know right where i was.

 

[Oak]

That's a nice load, RD. It pays to get off the road a few miles.

Oak

 

[Bambistew]

Great pics boys, what ever you do don't smile Buzz

... The good ol days of shed hunting are gone... atleast in where I used to go. I had some great years picking up around 250-300 pounds of fresh brown elk each spring plus all the deer I could pack and couldn't... I used to haul in about 4-500 pounds of rack a year. I just miss those days, when you pick up a shed and look up to see another and so on. Now you're luckey to find 100 pounds or so of anything... and thats with a lot of work... To many people out there trying to beat me up the hill to make it much fun any more...

I haven't been elk shed hunting in about four years now. I did manage a deer trip, that netted about 25 antlers in about two hours though... no big ones but it was fun, brought back some great memories.

 

[ELKCHSR]

We have kids on four wheelers that jump righ on these right after the snow starts to melt. Nice pile of bone Rocky...

 

[307Fflam]

In mt our horn hunting season opined may 15th on the sun river game range, this is a very big thing!!! P eople come from far and near to pick sheds, there is a buyer there that pays top $ .
Peoply get set up days in advance, they will use spoting scopes and some times fly over looking befor the rainge opins.Then the race begines, Meny of the closesheds disapear at night???Some day some groop (like peda) should filum this , what a mess.

what??

 

[Oak]

18..................

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

18..................

Might be the record?

 

[MtnElk]

18..................

18..................

cue Kanye West's golddigger....

Eighteen years, eighteen years
Talk about Antlers on HuntTalk, got you for eighteen years