It’s shed hunting season. And, every year, thousands of shed hunters descend on Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and its surrounding areas to collect shed antlers from elk and deer – for both fun and profit. While many use shed antlers in home décor, arts and crafts and even as dog chews, some sheds – especially big or unique ones – can put some serious cash in your pocket in exchange for hiking around the right places for a few hours.

“Interest in antlers in general has increased over the past two decades both as an outdoor activity and as a moneymaking venture,” Frank Durbian, project leader at the National Elk Refuge, told GOHUNT. “Demand continues to increase, and the price has been increasing as well over time, at least from what we’ve observed. That just further encourages people to go out and recreate and find antlers.”

Shed collection restrictions are in place in the Cowboy State until May in order to protect animals like elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer from the stress of recuperating from harsh winter conditions in the presence of humans. Closures also extend to other types of outdoor recreation like hiking, backpacking or ATVing in areas where animals are still weak to limit disturbances during one of the most critical times of year for wildlife. While the majority of shed hunters follow shed hunting protocol, every year, there’s a few who don’t. Instead, they trespass on land closed to shed hunting and even collect shed antlers and horns out-of-season. 

Antler poaching is on the rise, particularly on public land in and around the National Elk Refuge, where a large percentage of elk from the Jackson Hole herd spend their winter. And it’s likely because the Refuge creates the perfect storm: thousands of uncollected shed antlers plus thousands of unmonitored acres plus the price per pound (upwards of $15 or more). The result? Illegal shed collections on one of the nation’s most coveted swathes of land.

Collecting antlers in the National Elk Refuge is illegal at all times. Yet, in order to gain access to the Bridger-Teton National Forest where shed hunting occurs, shed hunters must pass through the Refuge; thus, opening up the opportunity for some unethical individuals to collect sheds in areas where it is prohibited.  

“Folks who are not interested in following the law and the rules sneak in from other places by hiking through the forest or other public lands around here,” said Durbian. 

Shed hunting crimes continue to plague state wildlife officials for a variety of reasons. Generally, most illicit shed hunting activities occur at night. Thieves can hide their finds, uncovering them during legal shed hunting hours during the legal season. Coupled with the vast amount of public land that surrounds areas like the National Elk Refuge and the 20+ supplemental elk feedgrounds run by the Wyoming Fish and Game Department, there are, unfortunately, plenty of ways for those who want to illegally collect sheds to do so. Further, sellers can earn $15 or more per pound for each antler, which can make collecting sheds – even if it means a criminal conviction – enticing. 

Especially if there’s no reporting system in place, according to Durbian.

“As long as you’ve legally picked them up during the opener, you can just take them with you and go,” said Durbian, which makes for an interesting loophole for those who pretend to do just that even if they’ve collected their sheds during illegal hours or the offseason.

For the past 17 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has sent additional law enforcement officers to the National Elk Refuge during shed antler season to assist City of Jackson, Wyoming law enforcement efforts and help protect both the resource and the wildlife, according to Christina Stone, public affairs specialist for FWS.

And, fortunately, some are caught. A recent incident in which a man poached about 1,000 pounds of antlers (valued at roughly $18,000) with the intention to sell them from the Refuge and forest lands resulted in a $6,000 fine, a three-year ban from all Wyoming public lands and the loss of hunting privileges worldwide for three years.

Yet, demand for sheds – and the continued popularity in collecting them – have increased to the point where hundreds of cars line up days before the season opener. 

This year marked a first when it comes to shed hunting in Wyoming. As of July 1, 2023, a new law gave Wyoming residents first dibs on sheds with the resident only season opening a week earlier and running May 1 at 6 a.m. through May 7. This year, more than 120 cars lined up to travel through the National Elk Refuge to the Bridger-Teton National Forest for their chance at shed antlers and horns, a decrease in roughly 200 vehicles as nonresidents wait for their turn, which opens on May 8. Nonresidents are required to purchase a conservation stamp prior to collecting shed antlers. 

Shed antlers are permitted to be collected on public land on the western side of the Continental Divide.