STORIES

The Bull That's Never Been Seen

It’s the end of February and antlers are dropping all around us. Follow two hunters in their search for this season's finest sheds.
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Shed Hunting

Photography by Isaac Nelson

There it was, mostly buried in the snow, the white burr of the antler contrasted against its dark brown base. How long had the antler been here? Which bull finally shed? Had we seen this bull before? All these thoughts were running through my head as my friend Steven Drake yanked the antler out of the snow.

We were shocked. It was from a bull we’d never seen, a bull significantly larger than any we’d ever laid eyes on, one that had evaded wolves and hunters for many years. We were new to shed hunting, but we were hooked.

Fast forward to today, and the pursuit of shed antlers has taken the outdoor community by storm. Many are fueled by monetary motivations. For others, there’s a greater purpose behind shed hunting. For my friends and I, it’s a way to learn about the elk we pursue in the fall—their travel patterns relative to weather conditions, which animals survived hunting season, and a way to identify bulls we never knew existed.

Shed Hunting
Starting in December, we begin glassing elk winter range from a distance. In the mountains, bull elk tend to occupy isolated pockets of windswept country away from larger herds of cow elk. As ethical sportsmen and women, it’s important to keep one’s distance during this time to avoid harassing the elk in deep snow.
Shed Hunting
Our winter afternoons are spent searching for deer antlers at lower elevations, and then glassing the upper elevations for elk in the evening. Deer will often shed before elk, sometimes in January and February, depending on geographic location.
Shed Hunting
My first elk antler—one that taught me to keep my eyes peeled for a single tine, and not the entire antler.
Shed Hunting
Snow levels typically dictate the location of wintering elk. Learning how elk adapt to these conditions has proven valuable in not only locating shed antlers, but also locating bulls during late season hunts.
Shed Hunting
A spectacular antler from a mountain bull we’ve yet to see. We have two years of sheds from this bull and can’t help but wonder where he resides during the summer and fall. We’re still speculating— but that’s half the fun, right?
Shed Hunting
The largest antler Steven Drake and I may ever find. We never found the other side, and to this day, don’t know anyone who has.
Shed Hunting
Exhausted, wet, and cold— sometimes under a heavy pack, sometimes not. Longer days allow for longer hikes, and it’s the days that involve a little suffering that have been the most memorable.

Bull elk often return to the same areas each winter. Human activity and weather can be factors; however, it’s not uncommon to find multiple years of shed antlers off of one bull elk in a relatively small area.
Shed Hunting
I rarely shed hunt alone. My favorite part of each day is the reunion with friends to compare notes and see what everyone found. Here, Steven Drake descends to the trailhead with a pack far heavier than mine.
Shed Hunting
A shed hunter’s home away from home. After several days on the road, antlers are sometimes crammed into the truck like Tetris blocks, leaving one to spend the night under the stars.

Isaac is a self-taught photographer specializing in hunting and mountain sports. He has a strong affinity for backcountry experiences, and when not behind the lens, can be found scouting for his next hunt, or at home in Bozeman, Montana.