If you have ever spent any time in the woods or hills you probably have seen one of these…a shed antler.  I feel like it’s a safe bet that if you are reading my blog the need to explain what a shed antler is probably doesn’t exist.  In the unlikely event that you may not know, I give you the readers digest version.  Antlered animals; such as Elk, Mule Deer, and Whitetail Deer drop their antlers every year.  This typically happens late winter to early spring time.  When the snow melts here in Montana these antlers litter the hills and mountains like a forgotten Easter egg hunt.  Just as the trees start to bud leaves and spring wildflowers bloom; the deer and elk start to show new antler growth.

Now to some, finding these dropped trophies is a real treasure!  There are intentional trips made and miles of boot time that goes into hunting them down.  I can remember the first time I found an elk shed out in the Breaks of Montana.  I was in awe of what I found.  I knew it happened I just had never found an elk shed before.  If you’ve never held a shed antler then it’s a little tough to explain exactly what was going through my mind! I instantly felt connected to that animal.  There was a clearer understanding of where he was going, the battles he’s won, and the readiness of the hills.  That antler had a story much like the one in this photo!