Any shed hunting dogs out there?

[CC Hurl]

I have been training my 8 month old lab to become a shed hunter and things are going good. I first got him to love his antlers and retreive them back to me after throwing them for him. I no longer throw them and now hide them on him so he can search them out. He is doing that well but I was told to make sure he is hungry before training and to feed him cold cut chicken or venison for his reward and it is working out good so far. Does anyone else train there dog to do this and is there any tips you could give me to help the training go? When one takes them out hunting for sheds do they make sure they are hungry then to? What do you do for training in the winter time if anything? Thanks for your time.

[BLACKJACK]

I've worked with my 8 year old lab the last few years by just basically throwing old shed antlers in the grass and having her retrieve them, then giving her a lot of praise. I also give her 'smoked' antlers to chew on, these are antlers that I find after I burn my native prairie, she likes them. Then when we are out shed hunting I carry a shed with me, throw it a few times during the hunt, and always praise the heck out of her when she does find it or a new shed. When I find one that she hasn't found, instead of running over to pick it up, I make her hunt it up, and praise the heck out of her.

Still a work in progress but it does help having her along, she finds a few I don't see.

[CC Hurl]

Boyd is doing great now at 8 months old. One thing I will say is he does not give up as long as I am telling him to get the bone. I have been stashing five different antlers of varying sizes from an 8 point to a fork. I put them under leaves,on swamp edges and in low branches of evergreens. Once I get him out, show him the real meat treats I have for him. Cold cut chicken or venison works great.

I then tell him to get the bone and off he goes. Took him roughly 30 minuts last night to retreive all five for me.

I now need to get him to places other than here at home. If anyone has some tips to help us out I would sure like that. I know not many folks do this but I am glad Boyd an I are on our way to a future of shed hunting together. I am not a bird hunter and this is my first lab (black) ever. I am wowed at how smart they are. He is awsome. Bow hunting and Whitetailed deer is my passion and now having a lab to share the outdoors with is becoming very rewarding to me and I hope for Boyd as well. He sure seems to be enjoying life so I think things are going in the right direction.

[LABS4ME]

are you making sure all his saliva scent is off the antlers prior to hiding them? I think he can easily track down the scent he is leaving on the antlers. Dogs actually zero in on that same scent on bumpers when training. Try givin them a quick boil in water and air dry only handling with latex gloves... then start to train him to zero in on the scent of the antler vs. his breath scent left on the antlers...

Good Luck!

Ken

[CC Hurl]

Good Point Labs4me, I have not been boiling them. I have found a place I can buy fresh antler scent and once I get that I will do as you mentioned here and then put the scent on them. I didn't even think he is sniffing out his slobber. Lol I am wondering how the training will go with snow on the ground and with colder temps. Do you think I will have problems as a result? Just don't want to waist time if I need to wait for warmer weather to return. Thanks for the tip.

[slimngrizzly]

CC, I am working with my young lab for the same thing. I think once the dog picks up the concept of antlers and being rewarded for them they with start to "hunt" for the appearance of the antler in addition to the smell. There will be some days where the conditions simplt dont allow your dog to smell the shed, but hopeful your dog will recognize the tines, beam, etc. and pick it up based on the visual. I would keep changing up antler so they dont get familiar with "their" antlers. I would be interested in collaborating with you on some training ideas. I have many sheds. I could put some out and you and your dog could come and find them... like a game farm experience??

[CC Hurl]

Grizzly, That sounds like a good idea. I am not sure were you are located but from the looks of your pics on the Bowhunting forum you are in bluff country. Oh! did I forget to tell you what a good job you have done this year. Congrat's. I am located in Zimmerman but Bowhunt alot near Redwing.

You are right on when it comes to sight for the Dog to locate antlers. Since my lab was 7 weeks old his antlers have been his main toy. First he just chewed them,then fetched them and now we are searching them out. I have been putting them up in tree's and stashing them in leaf piles with only a partial tine sticking out and he finds them. Glad to hear someone else is doing this as I would like to hear others and there progress. Getting together would be a good thing I beleive. I am sorry but I don't remember what kind of puppy you have for your training? As said here earlier I want to get the antler scent and boil the antlers like Labs4me said to do. I have been using 5 diferent sizes of antlers to try and keep him honest. Will chat with you again soon.

[slimngrizzly]

i have a female lab whos almost 4 monthes now. Antlers are her toys and we are doing some fetching and retrieving as well. Im a bit behind you in the process but I will get more intense here soon. Im just trying to get her interested and familiar with different antlers right now. I have an older lab which I never trained for sheds and try as i might, I just cant teach that old dog a new trick! He has no interest in putting an antler in his mouth.

Im about 90 miles from Zimmerman. More than happy to compare notes. I see you dont have PM so feel free too shoot me an email at the_antler_man at hotmail dot com.

Thanks,

Slim

[Heartman]

Somewhere along the way I read an internet discussion about the value of antler-finding dogs. Big deal in the south - try to buy one and the price is in the big money range several thousands of dollars and typically more. They get big bucks for these dogs on the market.

[CC Hurl]

I agree heartman, when I was looking on line for more training info I came accross a site that sold dogs ready to go for 7500.00 bucks. For me and most on this forum I think we like to train and realize it is priceless to see your dogs progress into what you have trained them to do. Oh, and not to mention the wife would have my U know what if I came home with a dog at a 7500.00 price range. Lol

I paid 250.00 for Boyd and he is worth a million to me now. Well he did cost me another 1300.00 to have a #2 hook removed from his stomache at ten weeks old. Lets just say we had a bad first cat fishing trip on Friday the 13th awhile back. Found out he has an appitite for chicken liver.Lol All is good now thank god. I keep him indoors with us here and it is funny to watch him out in the snow the last couple days. I thought I was going to have to start potty training all over again. Lol He would have nothing to do with walking in the snow and I finaly had to walk him out back so he knew the snow was no big deal. Nice to hear back from folks on this topic.

Grizzly, You may allready know this but when your playing with your pup and antlers keep telling him to get the bone. Boyd can be in a deep sleep and I will say get the bone Boyd and he is up and ready to go. Once he turned 5 months I would make sure he was good and hungry before working him. Once I show him the baggy with meat chunks in it... It is game on for him.

[slimngrizzly]

Thats what ive been doing now. Her "bones" are laying all over and shes so proud to bring them to me. We will start the real "training" here in about a week with the rewards program. I think that will work well as it sounds like it has for you! thanks!

[WoodsDork]

Very Excited to see a thread about this! I have just started working with sheds and my one year old lab. After words we went into the woods for a walk. about a hour into it she dug up a 2 year old shed that was buried in about 2 inches of dirt! I praised the heck out of her and she was very excited. now when we go for walks I tell her to "find the shed" she has not found another one yet but has found many old bones. should I praise her for this? I dont want old bones but I dont mind old sheds. Should I keep her out of the woods until this years sheds fall? any help or ideas would be appreciated. I do train her with other sheds i have and I am now going to boil those as suggested. Thanks

[shedaddict]

Woodsdork,

My black lab is 3 years old now and once each duck season is over, I immediately start working with her again on shed hunting. This may go aginst what some professionals would tell you, but when my dog occasionally brings back another bone, I still praise her. I'm sure there is a certain smell to a shed, but I also think that that scent eventually where's off and it is just a bone smell. It is routine for my dog to bring other bones to me, just not as much as she used to.

As far as times of year, I stay out of the areas that I've found sheds in until I think most of the deer have dropped. I am out walking new areas until that time, or just practicing in parks. Having my dog along shed hunting has made it way more enjoyable. She loves it and so do I. Good luck!

[WoodsDork]

Thanks Shedaddict,

I have been taking her to the same land (about 80 Acres) she has found a 8 pointer skull a six point shed and a nubbins buck. she walked past a 6 point shed that a buddy picked up before i could have her hunt for it. I am getting real excited to take her to a few places i know of with some real big bucks. I wonder how this year's weather is going to affect when they drop there sheds. we are going to get our first snowfall Thursday. in your experience have you noticed if they fall off earlier or later during mild seasons such as this one?

[BLACKJACK]

Was out walking last night and was taking a break, sitting on a bench, when all of a sudden my 8 year old lab came dancing up with a 3 point shed antler!!! I praised the heck out of her and then went looking for the match, no luck. I have worked with her in the past, throwing antlers and letting her chew on some. Its been kind of hit or miss, sometimes she'l find them, sometimes she'll walk right by them.

Good reminder that I need to start throwing some antlers for the 5 month old pup.

[CC Hurl]

As stated before, praise your dog for bringing back bones as well. In all reality that is what they are after. I always tell Boyd to (get the bone) I am going to get him out for our first rael search in the next two weeks so I am excited to see how he does. He is doing great while training at home but I am just now going to begin boiling the antlers and putting that rack wax stuff on them for scent. Picked some up at Cabela's yesterday. I would like to have a couple weeks of working with him on the scent before we head out.

[CC Hurl]

Well it went very well with the new scent. Boiled them,put on the rack wax and then stashed them in some tuff spots with two buried in leaves. With the wind blowing before the storms hit we went out to search. He found the first four with no trouble and then I hid them all again only this time up in bushes and on top a wood pile. He found three and then my daughter helped him out with the one I had about two feet off the ground wrapped in tree branches. She got close to it and then he was on it. I really enjoy watching him search them out. I give him chickes or venison for the reward. All I have to say is (Get the bone Boyd)and he is ready to go. Very cool.

[HooknHorns]

CC i took my 2 gsp out sunday and thought maybe even just working them for 2 weeks they would be able to pick one horn up. As it went we found two and they walked over them both.

I think its going to harder for me to try and rewire them from bird smell to antlers. Plus they were out of shape and by the time we found the horns they were ready for a break. Im going to keep the traing up and hope by next spring the hard work will pay off.

How hard do you think it would be to train a squirrel? They seem to find every single horn out there. LOL

[CC Hurl]

Lol, Yes a squirrel seems to have no problem finding them. They make very sharp points on them tines to if they get to much time to chew on them.

Seems I read on here somewere that it is hard to shed train a dog once it had been trained as a bird dog. I do not bird hunt and got Boyd for a fishing buddy and shed hunting.

He struggled last night on one I stashed in a big pile of leaves. Just a little fork horn. I left it out there so my wife can tell him to get the bone today when she lets him out. Lol Gives her a chance to train him some too. He found the other three and then I ran out of time and had to get him in the house.

[lungdeflator]

anybody done this or had success with springers?