Tips on Training Your Dog to Hunt for Deer Sheds

It's an annual rite of the forest. Male deer, or bucks, shed their antlers every winter. Deer shed hunters comb the woods to find the antlers, which are in demand for home decor and artwork. A well-trained dog makes the process of locating antlers much easier. Spend time in the outdoors with your canine best friend and bring home the bounty of deer sheds.

  1. Basic Obedience

    • Before training a dog specifically for deer shed hunting, make sure it has basic obedience training. The dog should know and obey commands for "sit," "stay" and "come." In addition, train the dog to drop objects from his mouth with the "drop it" command. In "A Nose for Shed Antlers," Steve Hornbeck points out that bones are bones to dogs, and antlers are made of bone material. Even an experienced deer shed hunting dog may find a bone his owner does not want him to eat, so obeying the drop command is important. Most dog clubs hold basic obedience classes.

    Antler Retrieving

    • Teach the dog to retrieve by using a shed antler. Hornbeck uses the "find a bone" command with his dogs. Hide the shed in various areas and tell the dog to find the bone. When the dog returns with it, give small treats as a reward.

    Best Type of Dog

    • While any dog can be trained to hunt for deer sheds, certain breeds are better suited for it. Labrador retrievers are a favorite of many deer shed dog trainers due to their scenting abilities and ease of training. In "Hunting Antler Sheds With The Use of a Dog" author Roger Sigler says that best results come with training from puppy-hood, rather than an older dog, due to the bonding and trust developed between puppy and owner. Sigler states he would not try to train a dog older than one year for deer shed hunting, or any dog that has hunted live game. When out in the woods, such a dog is likely to revert to his live game training.