Bounty for spring hikers: trophy antler sheds

Move over, morels. You may have some competition this spring.

While Leelanau's woods are famous for producing a bounty of delicious morel mushrooms, spring hikers may want to keep their eyes open for another type of trophy — shed antlers.

"This is what you get with quality deer management," said state Conservation Officer Mike Borkovich, who is stationed in Leelanau County. "You can look for antlers when you are mushroom hunting."

Older and bigger bucks make for sheds that are easier to find, even for youngsters who aren't looking. Such was the discovery of 11-year-old Sophie Gamalski, who found a 6-point shed on her grandparent’s farm that was obviously dropped by a very healthy buck.

Sophie's trophy helped her grandfather through a trying time. The shed was found on the day before the funeral of Ellie Panek, her grandmother.

"It gave me a reason to smile," said her grandfather, Jim Panek. "At first, she didn't realize how large it was. She didn't realize how excited other people would be to find it."

Panek has quit hunting in recent years, but he knows about trophy deer. He has taken 8- and 10-pointers whose mounts are hanging in the family farmhouse near Cedar.

Ellie's 7-pointer, however, dwarfs his bucks. "The diameter of those horns is much larger," he explained.

Family members unsuccessfully searched for the shed's mate. Borkovich figures the buck would have scored 142 inches by Boone and Crockett measurements — a true trophy. And Leelanau County is producing more and more trophies. Surveys have shown that Leelanau, which has just finished its fourth year of QDM regulations, is now growing more bucks with larger antlers. That offers more chances for shed hunters to come upon antlers — and makes it easier to find them.

Vern Bauer of Suttons Bay is an official "antler measurer" for Commemorative Bucks of Michigan, a non-profit organization that keeps tabs on the largest bucks taken in the state. He estimates that Leelanau will produce 20 bucks that qualify for the Commemorative Bucks 2006 list — more than any other northern Michigan county.

Shed hunting has become very popular in western states, especially in Jackson Hole, Wyo., where Boy Scouts and community organizations gather elk sheds from the fenced-in National Elk Refuge. The giant antlers are auctioned off each spring to raise money for the refuge and community projects.

But the largest antlers aren't always the top trophies for ardent shed hunters. Borkovich's top two favorite finds are a pair of 1 1/2-inch "button" antlers shed by immature bucks. Their size makes them difficult to discover.

"Talk about a trophy, that's when you can find one of them. I'm like a crow, I collect everything," said Borkovich.

He considers right now to be the prime time to search. Starting earlier can move deer out of secure wintering areas, making it more difficult for them to survive winters.

Many hunters are surprised to learn that bucks often keep their antlers into early spring if they remain healthy and are not stressed, Borkovich said. He once spotted an 8-pointer with both antlers still attached on April 10 while working in Clinton County. He's seen bucks sporting antlers as late as March 25 in Leelanau County.

Each buck is different, he added, imprinted with a "normal" time to drop their antlers year after year.

Perhaps because there were fewer large, healthy bucks in past years, Borkovich found himself continually answering the same question last month.

"People are surprised to be seeing bucks with antlers. A lot of people have asked me if it's normal for bucks to hold their antlers into March."

In April, shed hunters consider it a thrill to be holding those same antlers.