# My Antler Finding Mutts (Photos)



## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

Thought you all might like to see and hear about my antler finding mutts. I started working with my dogs several years ago to find shed antlers in the spring. It's something to do in the springtime and the dogs absolutely love it. Both my Springers and my Chessies are very good at it.....can't say as one breed is any better than the other. I think any dog that will search/hunt and retrieve can be taught to find shed horns.

What I do is start by throwing them a shed antler to retrieve (like I would a training dummy). When they are good at bringing back the antlers I throw, I start hiding them in the tall grass, brush, etc. What I do when I'm first working with a dog or young pup is to put out a bunch of antlers (like a dozen) in a field of tall grass so that the dog is guaranteed to find an antler. I gradually reduce the number of antlers I put out and also gradually start placing them in heavier brush. Our best day this year was about 3 weeks ago when we found 9 antlers. I haven't found any large ones this year yet, but we've found a bunch of small and mid-size ones.

Here are some photos of 3 of my Springers (Lil, Echo, and Charlie) I took during a training session


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

thats pretty neat, what do you do with the antlers?


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

That is awesome....

I have trained my golden to find golf balls. (I live on a golf course.) One thing I like is when I spot one I work on my casting and dog handling. It is great. Plus I think he finds most of the ones I lose on the course. :beer:


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I trained my lab to find arrows that snaked under the grass when I was practicing saved me afortune in lost arrows


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## Goosehunterdog (Jun 12, 2005)

That is very interesting!!! Thanks for sharing that with us!!!


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## stonebroke (Dec 16, 2004)

Bobm said:


> thats pretty neat, what do you do with the antlers?


The interesting ones I keep, but I give most of them away. I have some friends who make things out of antlers and give them to them. Plus my wife said we have too many lying around.


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## kevin.k (Dec 31, 2005)

Yeah molly when we are pheasent hunting brings me back some sheds twice last year, it was pretty funny i fell to my knees lauphing so hard on the 2nd one because it was froze to the ground and she couldnt get it up lol


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## duckcommand (Dec 19, 2006)

Very cool I would like to train my Chessie to find Elk antlers here in Colorado.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

That's awesome....all my shelties do is bark. :lol:


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