Cordell’s “hit list” of bucks for the fall is often complete following shed season in the spring.
February 24, 2026
By Danny Farris
There’s something special about finding a shed antler. It’s not just about the bone itself. It’s about the story behind it. The place you found it. The trail that led you there. The deer that carried it and the hope you have for crossing paths with that buck in the future.
I wish I could say I’m a big shed hunter, but I’m not. By the time spring rolls around, I’m caught up in other activities. Most of the sheds I find are by happenstance while I’m hunting during the fall, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not interested in becoming more serious about it one day. Many of the biggest shed heads I know also happen to be some of the best hunters I know, and that’s no accident. The time they spend with boots on the ground each spring teaches them a lot.
Shed hunting is about more than picking up antlers — it’s about picking up information. You start to notice where the deer bed, where they cross fences and where they feed. Every trail, every rub, every track tells you something about how the deer use the ground you hunt.
But just like hunting, shed hunting takes some know-how. So, I turned to an expert to learn a little more about it. Cordell Turner owns and operates Circle Cross Outfitters in southern Iowa. I’ve hunted both deer and turkeys with Cordell, and the mountain of sheds decorating virtually every room in his home is a testament to the fact that he is as serious about shed hunting as most folks are about deer season itself. He finds piles of them every spring and says there are a few common mistakes that keep people from becoming successful shed hunters. Here are five of the biggest ones he sees.
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Cordell Turner owns and operates Circle Cross Outfitters in Southern Iowa and is one of the biggest shed hounds I know. He directly correlates his fall success to the time he puts in shed hunting his properties each spring. Going Too Early The first mistake, Cordell says, is going too early. It’s tempting. You see a couple of bucks that have dropped their antlers, then you get a warm February afternoon, and you just can’t stand it anymore — you want to get out there and look. But if you go too early, you’re walking through when a lot of bucks are still carrying. Every time you bump them, you risk pushing them off your property before they drop.
“Patience pays,” Cordell says. “Wait until most of your bucks have shed before you start covering ground and avoid pressuring them with other nonsense. Keep people and pets out of the deer woods this time of year!”
The best way to know when to go? Check your trail cameras. Let them tell you when the deer in your area are dropping. Timing can fluctuate depending on the region, but Cordell says March 1 is a good date to circle on the calendar.
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Going Too Late The second mistake is waiting too long. Once spring starts to pop, things change fast. Green-up happens, and suddenly those white antlers that stood out in the grass are buried under a carpet of new growth. Worse yet, the rodents find them before you do. Mice, squirrels and porcupines all love to chew on antlers for the calcium. A shed that would’ve looked great on your shelf can turn into a pile of tooth marks in a matter of days.
So, if you’re too early, you risk spooking the deer before they drop. If you’re too late, you risk losing the sheds to nature. It’s a balance. That’s why Cordell says, “Keep an eye on your cameras, and be ready to go when the time’s right.”
Not Slowing Down This one might sound simple, but it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make. Shed hunting is not a race. You can’t cover ground like you’re out for a jog. The guys who find the most sheds are usually the ones who move the slowest.
“Slow down,” Cordell says. “Look around. When you think you’re going slow, go slower.”
He’s right. Antlers have a way of blending into their surroundings. One minute you’ll swear there’s nothing there, and the next, you’ll spot a tine poking through the grass right in front of your boot. I’ve walked past more antlers than I care to admit. Usually, I don’t spot them until I turn around and see one from the opposite direction. It’s amazing what you miss when you move too quickly.
Not Searching the Whole Property Cordell says a lot of people focus on just a few “good-looking” spots — food plots, fence crossings or bedding areas — and skip the rest. That’s a big mistake.
“If you’ve got 240 acres,” he says, “your eyes need to see every square inch of it.”
It’s easy to assume you know where the sheds will be, but deer have a way of surprising you. I’ve found antlers in creek crossings, logging roads, open pastures and even in spots I’d never seen a deer before. Don’t just look where you think they should be — look everywhere.
Leaving Your Binoculars at Home The last mistake is one most folks don’t even think about: not taking binoculars. Binoculars allow you to cover more ground with your eyes and less with your legs. They can save you hours of walking and help you spot antlers you’d never see otherwise.
Cordell says he glassed up six sheds one afternoon from the same ridgetop without taking a single step. That’s hard to argue with. A good pair of binos also helps when you’re trying to tell whether that flash of white ahead is a shed — or just a stick that’s been teasing you for the last 30 yards.
Just Have Fun This is the very same buck that from the lead image above. It was harvested by one of his outfitting clients that fall. At the end of the day, shed hunting is supposed to be fun. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors, shake off winter and learn more about the deer you’ll be chasing in the fall.
The more you walk your property, the better you’ll understand it. You’ll start to notice how deer travel, where they bed and what food sources pull them in. And all that knowledge pays off when the season rolls back around.
Finding antlers is exciting because every shed you pick up isn’t just a trophy — it’s a clue. However, what you learn about your property while you’re looking has the potential to be even more valuable.
