Here are a few random facts about our dogs:

• A dog’s heart beats between 70 and 120 times a minute, compared with a human heart which beats 70 to 80 times a minute.
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the smallest dog on record was a Yorkshire Terrier in Great Britain who, at the age of 2, weighed just 4 ounces.
• Dogs have sweat glands in between their paws
• During the Middle Ages, Great Danes and Mastiffs were sometimes suited with armor and spiked collars to enter a battle or to defend supply caravans
• The American Kennel Club, the most influential dog club in the United States, was founded in 1884
• Those born under the sign of the dog in Chinese astrology are considered to be loyal and discreet, though slightly temperamental
• A dog's favorite treat is an antler chew (ok, maybe we added this one)
  

Heading out into the great outdoors with the goal to hunt for shed antlers can be an exciting and rewarding adventure. Some people do it for recreation and others do it with commercial interests in mind, —like antler dog chews. If you're wanting to test your luck at finding sheds, here are a few tips to help improve your odds.

Deer and Elk lose their antlers once a year so they can grow new, usually larger antlers. When you see a deer with the soft, furry antlers, those are known as "velvet" antlers.  Deer start growing their velvet antler immediately after shedding their previous antlers.

There is no denying that the the most important factor in having a successful shed hunt is the time of year you go. Most deer shed their antlers between the months of December and March, so as you might expect, this is the ideal time to go. If you go looking for shed antlers too late in the year, there's a chance that the shed antlers will be damaged or eaten by squirrels and rodents.

So where is the best place to look? Easy, where ever the deer are. You can look for signs of deer (bucks especially) such as antler scrapings, droppings, tree rubs, and even deer themselves. Hopefully this will give you an idea on the number and sizes of the bucks in the area. 

Another effective way to track deer is by following trails. Game animals will tend to stay on trails by habit, so by following a trail you have a good chance of coming across some shed antlers. Most important, keep your eyes open. Look not only at the ground, but also at eye level in the trees and branches. It is not uncommon for bucks to lose their antlers in branches when running down a trail.

Another great place to look is at a water source. You have to realize that deer will lose their antlers just about anywhere. There's really no set rule as to where you can find antlers, but start with places where deer are likely to be.

Some antler hunters even use dogs to find them. We all know that their sense of smell is superior to humans, and in turn can find more than what you and I could alone.

Most important, have fun!

So, Why Grow Antlers? 

Even though its hard to believe, deer, elk and moose grow antlers for reasons other than antler dog treats (grin). Evidence shows that strategies have evolved in each and every animal population to help sure that the strongest individuals have the greatest opportunity to mate and perpetuate the species. This is very true in the case of antlers. Incidentally, antler growth and size has little to no bearing on the age of the animal, it is more of a indicator of its overall health. Antlers are renewed each and every year which means the stags need to find a source of calcium to supply their antler growth. Since they have a diet primarily of green vegetation, you may wonder where this secret source of calcium originates. The simple answer - from their own bones (mainly their rib cage). Since only the healthiest of males will be able to afford such a huge diversion of their body resources, an impressive set of antlers represents an impressive pedigree for parenthood and thus attracts the most suitable mates.

During the rut in the autumn months, the individuals with the largest antlers (generally matched with the toughest temperament) have an advantage when it comes to competing for their mates. Even though a large pair of antlers means mating priority, it does have some disadvantages. The battle for ultimate supremacy will inevitably use up summer stores of energy, leaving them in poor condition at the onset of the coldest months in the year. Being the most successful stag in the herd just might result in their demise during a long mountain winter.

While only male deer, elk, and moose grow antlers, caribou are very unique in that both the males and females go through an annual process of antler growth. Most commonly, male caribou grow antlers during the summer, use them to compete for mates, and then shed them. Interestingly, once the rut comes to an end, the female caribou grow a short spike antler. This will allow the females, who must divert resources to reproduction during the time of year when food is scarce, to have an advantage over the stags for limited winter food sources.

Most often, mule and white-tail deer loose their antlers during the month of December (moose and caribou usually loose their antlers during the winter months as well). However elk hang-on to their antlers throughout the winter and don't begin shedding them until the spring. Antler hunters search out and find the sheds and then sort them for a variety of uses, one being antler chews for dogs. If the antlers aren't found, the generally don't stay on the ground for long, —the local rodent population will begin eating the antler as a high quality source of calcium and minerals.

While the antlers are impressive to look at, they are even more impressive on an evolutionary scale...more to come!