Picking bones can have various connotations. “Picking a bone with someone” evolved from the idea of fighting over an issue or a bone of contention. Fighting over a bone, I guess. I always imagine two scavengers (human or animal) finding a marrow filled bone and fighting for the honor of cracking that bone and dining on the unctuous filling it contained. Back in those days, winning that fight could be a question of survival. There is another use for the term which brings us to another type of bone picker – The shed hunter. Here, the term describes modern folk who head into the woods, mountains, etc. and search for antlers “shed” by deer, elk and other hoofed critters after mating each winter. Over the years, I’ve been often surprised at how many folks are not aware that these animals use their antlers to attract a mate by “picking a bone” or “locking horns” with other males and demonstrating their male dominance only to drop the horns each spring and regrow them anew over the summer months.
Shed hunting has been a spring ritual I’ve enjoyed for over 20 years on the farm in Mississippi. Each spring around March 15, I would load a pack with lunch and plenty of water, sling on the binos (mostly for bird watching) and set out for an all day walk around the back of the farm looking for whitetail antler sheds. These sheds now adorn our living room and represent twenty years of stories about finding them in the most unlikely spots. I found one large white tail deer antler after I ran over it in heavy, wet brush with my Honda 4 wheeler. It punctured (and destroyed) the tire, began clacking on the fender and subsequently left both man and machine stranded miles from home and happy to have found another nice shed.
Since arriving in New Mexico, I’ve been longing to do some western style shed hunting in the mountains where the ultimate prize can be found – the bull elk shed. This weekend, the timing was right and I got my first opportunity.
NM High Country
We flew into Rol Murrow’s grass strip (NM99) on the continental divide in northern New Mexico to visit, test some new camping gear and do some shed hunting. For me, hunting sheds has never really been a focused, deliberate activity. It’s more something that you do by being aware that sheds could be around as one pursues another more productive activity – like hiking for exercise. The expectation of finding a shed can and usually does end in disappointment. However, getting in a great hike and doing some bird watching while keeping a keen eye out for sheds leaves one healthier even if the shed eludes. But, finding one along the trail is a thrill that has the power to convert any simple hiker or bird watcher into a life long bone picker.
My first elk shed
This shed was spotted in a sagebrush field from 200 feet above and 400 yards away while hiking on a sandstone ridge watching swallows diving on the cliffs and enjoying a great view of the New Mexico high country. I had binoculars but didn’t need them to spot this beauty – only to confirm the find. We descended the ridge and I hiked over and picked up the shed. It was a beautiful, perfectly formed and heavy 6 point shed – a real trophy.
Rol shares stories over coffee
Claudia snapped a couple of photos for posterity and the bone was presented to Rol as a small “thank you” for allowing us to use his airstrip and hang out on his property for the weekend. What a way to end a great weekend of hiking, bird watching, flying and camping. As a 20+ year bone picker, it couldn’t have ended any better.