Want to Gather Shed Antlers in Utah? You Must Complete an Online Course First

If you enjoy gathering antlers that deer, elk and moose shed in the
winter, one of your favorite times of the year is almost here.

But before you head outdoors to gather antlers, you need to head to
this Web page first -- www.wildlife.utah.gov/shedantler.

At the page, you’ll find a free shed antler gathering course. You
must complete the course -- and print a course completion certificate --
before you gather shed antlers in Utah.

“Make sure you carry your certificate with you,” says Mike Fowlks,
Law Enforcement Section chief for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

“By law, you must have your certificate with you while you’re
gathering shed antlers.”

If you have young children, and you’ve completed the course, your
children don’t need to complete it. As long as you’ve completed the
course, your certificate will cover your kids too.

You can gather antlers across Utah

Fowlks says if you complete the course, you can gather antlers across
Utah. “Please remember, though, that many of the state’s wildlife
management areas are closed in the spring and the winter to protect
wildlife,” he says.

You must complete the course if you want to gather shed antlers before
April 15. If you wait until April 15 or later to gather antlers, you
don’t need to complete the course.

Helping deer, elk and moose

The antlers of deer, elk and moose drop off their heads each winter.
During the summer, the animals grow a new set of antlers.

“Gathering shed antlers is an activity that’s grown in popularity
across the country, including here in Utah,” Fowlks says.

The challenge with shed-antler gathering is that it happens during the
worst time of the year for the animals and the places the animals live
in the winter.

“Two things are happening at the end of the winter,” Fowlks says.
“The animals are stressed, and the habitat they rely on in the winter
is wet.

“Fortunately, you can have fun gathering shed antlers without
stressing the animals and damaging their habitat. This online course
will show you how.”

For more information, call the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources
office or the DWR’s Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.