shed hunting

Just got back from moose shed hunting with Garry on the Border Trail. This was the second time I have been shed hunting with Garry in the north wilderness. Garry was telling me that moose typically shed their antlers in January, but due to the amount of snow it makes them both hard to find, and hard to travel the land during this time.


We are currently in shed hunting season. It's still pretty early, but all the snow is gone.

We went up the Arrowhead Trail and set in on the South Fowl Lake Drive. Typically these trails are nothing short of an abandoned logging road, nigh impassible via vehicle most of the year.


It wasn't long before we hiked across the Pigeon River and on into Canada. We were traversing the landscape in hopes of finding a treasure of the fasting growing bone in all creation, the moose antler.

We knew full well before starting our expedition that the weather could be a nuisance, but that didn't stop us. The temperature was moderate enough that even a little rain couldn't stop our longing hearts to explore God's creation, even if we found nothing.


It has been my experience with shed hunting that heading in is the easy part, it's finding your way out that can be difficult. When you make your way in you're dry, feeling good, and full of expectation. When you're heading out you're soaked, soar, and wanting nothing but warmth and food.

If you've ever been in the wilderness of the extreme north of Minnesota you know what we just ventured into. It is beautiful, but it's not exactly a Sunday stroll through the park. I consider myself coordinated and I fell twice. In some places it's so thick that the only way to get through is to stick your hands out in front of your face, duck you head, and plunge your way forward. This is not for the faint of heart.


It's amazing how "far off" a not so far off looking ridge can be. We never made it to our destination. Due to the unpredictability of the winding Pigeon River, and the thickness of the Red Alder Bush, the ridge remains untrespassed. Next time...