SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 28, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is reminding Utah residents that those who wish to collect shed antlers at this time of the year need to complete an Antler Gathering Ethics course.
After dropping their antlers, male deer, elk and moose will grow a new set starting this spring, said a news release from the Utah DWR. However, late winter and early spring is a tough time of year for deer, elk and moose, the news release said, which is why the educational ethics course is required if you want to go “shed hunting” between Feb. 1 and April 15.
“During winter, big game animals, especially deer, often have a difficult time finding food,” DWR Law Enforcement Chief Justin Shirley said. “If you spook an animal and cause it to run, the animal has to use up fat reserves and energy it needs to make it through the winter.”
From late winter through early spring, the habitat that big game animals rely on is usually wet, which means it’s more at risk for damage, the news release said.
“Fortunately, you can gather shed antlers without stressing the animals or damaging their habitat, and the free antler gathering ethics course will teach you how,” the news release said.
You can find the course on the DWR website. After you finish the course, you must print your certificate of completion and then carry it with you while you’re gathering antlers, the news release said. If you have young children and you’ve completed the course, your children don’t need to take it if you accompany them to look for antlers— your certificate will cover them, too.
Completing the course is mandatory if you want to gather shed antlers from Feb. 1 through April 15. If you wait until after April 15 to gather antlers, you don’t need to complete the course.
After you’ve completed the course, you can gather antlers almost anywhere across Utah, except for the following areas:
- Wildlife management areas: Many of the state’s wildlife management areas are closed in the winter and spring to protect animals and their habitat. Make sure to double check for any closures before entering a WMA to gather shed antlers.
- Private property: You must have written permission from the landowner before gathering antlers on private land.
If you find a skull with the antlers or horns still attached, it’s possible the animal was poached. Do not pick up or move the skull or disturb footprints or other evidence at the scene. Instead, please do the following: take photos of the skull from a couple of angles, pinpoint the location of the skull, preferably using GPS coordinates, report your find to the nearest DWR office and provide specific details in your report.
The DWR will send a conservation officer to investigate. If it’s clear the animal died of natural causes, you might be allowed to keep your find.
For more information about gathering shed antlers in Utah, call the nearest DWR office.
