The statewide shed antler hunting closure has officially been lifted. The Division of Wildlife Resources announced the statewide emergency closure to shed antler hunting on February 7th on both private and public lands. The reason was that big game animals were severely weakened due to the harsh winter making them highly vulnerable to repeated human-caused disturbances. The DWR emphasized that the expenditure of energy and stress associated with disturbance — like being repeatedly followed by someone gathering shed antlers — could significantly decrease the survival rates of big game animals, particularly deer. In addition to the lift on the shed hunting closure, the wildlife management areas have now reopened to the public, with a few exceptions in other areas of the state. Still, wildlife officials ask that you avoid disturbing deer. Don’t let dogs chase deer. Don’t approach the deer.
