Utilizing our dogs for finding, pointing and/or flushing upland game is now behind us. Big game blood trails are mere memories. We have picked up our decoys, left the duck blinds with our retrievers at heel. The changing of the season brings the closure of our passion for working dogs. Unfortunately it also brings an untimely seasonal depression for hunters and dogs without something to actively hunt.
So now what?
Shed Hunting is the best way to take inventory of the lucky bucks that have survived the long deer season of being hunted by man and predators. It’s a nice way to extend the season for hunters and to have a reason just to get outside and explore. And everything is more fun using a dog.
A dog with a job makes a happy dog. Lucky for you, a trained bird dog or retriever has the perfect foundation to add shed hunting to their résumé.
Assuming that your dog shows interest in retrieving, it could be anything from birds to tennis balls, they will be a perfect candidate.
Without that natural desire, going through trained fetch (force fetch) would be necessary but that’s a topic for another time.
A dog with a natural desire to retrieve and using them to find sheds isn’t just limited to gun dogs, they can also be hounds, cattle dogs such as healers or collies, or even a mixed pooch you rescued. It’s really open ended on the breed but they all need to learn to apply that retrieving mindset in a way to actively look for sheds.
The absolute best way I have found to start is by a fun and simple game of fetch. Start off with a shed of a smaller buck so your dog learns to pick it up safely without getting jabbed itself in the eye. Make sure to keep the dog interested and enjoying retrieving the antler after you toss it a distance. Just like in teaching your dog to fetch, stop while the dog is interested and eager to please.
Remember this needs to be fun!
Dogs learn by repetition. So just keep repeating that simple process and start implementing the next step which is a command while your dog is retrieving the antler. I like to use “Find the Bone”.
With the command established its time to reinforce it and solidify it as a working command.
Keep tossing the shed, but now hold your dog on “heel” and release them with your command. This will reinforce the command and teach them what to look for once given that command.
Next I’ll scatter out some of their toys, sticks and rocks and have a shed antler somewhere in the mix. With the command, the dog should pick up the antler and the antler only.
As time progresses and your dog gets use to the previous steps, start making it slightly more difficult to find the antler. Maybe toss it in some higher grass or further distances. Make your dog hunt for it.
If your dog struggles at any time, take a step back to an easier find and then slowly move forward increasing the difficulty once again.
It is important to know that even with dogs, finding sheds is primarily hunting by eyesight. Unless a shed is a fresh drop, it’s not going to have a ton of scent, it will have a scent for a dog to smell, it’s just going to be very faint. A year or two old shed that’s been out in the weather will only be picked up if it’s seen. I believe my dogs pick up more sheds by sight than by smell.
With tougher retrieves under your dogs belt I move on to placing an antler out and letting it sit out several hours or all day or several days to let the human scent dissipate. Once you get your dog out get them focused with some short toss antler retrieves and easy finds in a different area. Get them back on heel, in the right area and the command is given to “Find the Bone”. I release him/her much like a blind retrieve. But instead of solely free casting them out I will walk with them allowing them to do their thing and keep them interested by repeating the command if necessary.
Always, always, always insure that you set your dog up for success while out hunting. I always carry a shed with me on a hunting/hiking trip to toss around while they’re not looking for them to find and get praise.
This will work for any dog that has a desire to fetch. It will give you a reason to get back outside, keep you out of that funk from the lack of hunting.
Shed hunting will give you and your dog a task to do in the off-season and make exercising the dogs by hiking in your hunting ground a little more enjoyable with something to actively hunt.
Pro tip on finding more sheds: late season food sources!
