Utah: Ethics Course Required For Shed Hunting

Just a reminder that if you plan on collecting shed antlers this spring in Utah and plan on going shed hunting between Feb 1st and April 15th, Utah’s Antler Gathering Ethics Course is a requirement for you to be in the field. 

Moose, elk and deer drop their antlers during the later months of winter. This is a hard time of the year when it comes to animal health and available forage. If you spook animals and cause them to run a long distance they burn up unnecessary energy and can die. Of course, one person bumping big game animals may not be a big deal but when you have droves of people continually bumping and spooking big game animals, it wears them down unnecessarily. 

You can find the free online course on Utah’s DWR website which will help you to understand how to shed hunt during the late winter months. If you wait until after April 15th then you don’t need to complete this course. Shed hunting from Feb 1st to April 15th was previously illegal in the state of Utah but due to the nature of the law and the inability to enforce it, the course was instituted and is mandatory for all shed hunters. After you take the course you can gather antlers in all public areas throughout the state of Utah except Wildlife Management Areas. And of course on private land. Make sure you gain access before venturing onto private property. 

If you find a dead head, Utah requires you to take pictures of the skull from a variety of angles and not touch it, just in case it may have been poached. You will need to report the find to your local DWR office and a warden will investigate before awarding you the antlers. 

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