When I grew up, shed hunting wasn’t a thing, at least not as the organized sport we see it as today. Back then, you might look for the shed of a particular animal to keep track of its progress, but most of the time, sheds were just something you stumbled upon.

Boy, have times changed.

Shed hunting is now almost as popular as deer hunting itself, with thousands of people scouring the woods and fields each season. Unfortunately, many of these shed hunters will come up empty-handed. This is not because there are no antlers to be found; it is because most keep making the same mistakes over and over.

Before their first shed hunt, the newbie often envisions walking a game trail, finding antlers lying haphazardly where they fell, and returning with a pack full of trophies after a short stroll. If only it were this easy. The truth is that unless you have access to a heavily used open field where animals gather and spend a great deal of time, this is not reality. In the real world, you will be searching the same trails and crossings that hundreds of others see regularly. You will be competing with both humans and animals, all looking for the few sheds a small area may hold.

To succeed, you need almost every factor to align perfectly, and this is where most mistakes are made.

The most common mistake is simply not seeing sheds when they pass them. Having a methodical, detail-oriented approach to viewing the area is key to spotting an antler tip peeking out from leaf debris or a tangle of briars. Keep your eyes on the ground and scan slowly, taking in everything you see and noting anything different. You can not get distracted by the tracks you crossed, the turkey that struts through the field, or the potential stand location for next season. Every time your eyes leave the ground, you risk missing a shed.

Next on the list of mistakes shed hunters make is going too fast. In most cases, you will not see a shed lying out in the open. Instead, they will be caught in a tangle of briars, partially covered by leaf debris, or hidden among ground cover. You are literally looking for a needle in a haystack. Anytime you are scanning for a hidden object, success lies in slowing down. Investigate every anomaly. Any lump in the snow, tuff of grass, or pile of leaves could hold a treasure.

Finally, there is the biggest mistake of all — looking in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like most hunters, those looking for big sheds will hit the woods early, getting out and searching as soon as possible. If you shed hunt on public land, you too will feel the urge to get there first and, in all honesty, should probably take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself. However, while this may be your best opportunity for early sheds, it may not be when you get your best sheds.

For bigger sheds, you need to leave the beaten path, and that may mean waiting until the spring thaw. As the spring sun starts to warm the area, look for the peaks and ridges that thaw first. These are the same areas that draw deer during cold winter months and where sheds are likely to fall. Although forest creatures will have dragged away some sheds, some may survive under the snowpack and only now be visible to those who search.