What is a Deer Antler Trap and How to Make One on a Budget

Deer antler trap is a device or a method that aims to collect deer antlers that fall off naturally in late winter and early spring. Deer antlers are valuable for hunters, collectors, crafters, or nature lovers who want to learn more about the deer in their area or use them for various purposes. Deer antler trap can help you find more sheds without having to walk miles in the woods or compete with other shed hunters or animals. However, deer antler trap can also have some drawbacks and risks, so you need to be careful and responsible when using them. In this article, we will explain what a deer antler trap is, how to make one on a budget, and what it’s good for.

How to Make a Deer Antler Trap on a Budget

There are different ways to make a deer antler trap, depending on your preference, convenience, and legality. Some of them involve using metal fences, wires, bungee cords, or tires, while others involve using natural materials such as brush piles, hay bales, or logs. Here are some examples of how to make a deer antler trap on a budget:

• The Fence Method: For this method, you need a firm welded wire fence that you can buy at any home improvement store for keeping critters out of your garden. You also need some bungee cords and some corn or deer feed as bait. You attach about a four- to six-foot section of the fence in a “V” shape between three trees using the bungee cords. You keep the bungee cords away from the bait far enough that the antlers will not contact them. The stretch provided by the bungee cords allows the fence to flex and will not force an antler to fall off. You put corn or deer feed in the corners of the “V” and wait for the bucks to come and feed. When their antlers are ready to fall off, they will get caught by the fence and drop right there.
• The Brush Pile Method: For this method, you don’t need any artificial materials, just some brush piles and some corn or deer feed as bait. You dump a bucket of corn or deer feed in a brush pile and wait for the bucks to come and poke around. The buck’s antlers will rattle on the limbs as they eat the bait and when the antler is about to fall, the gentle jarring of the antler on wood can often cause it to fall right into the brush pile. You may have to throw some more limbs on the brush pile from time to time as the deer will knock it down from feeding in it.
• The Tire Method: For this method, you need an old tire that you can tie to a tree in the woods using a rope or a chain. You also need some corn or deer feed as bait. You place the tire horizontally about three feet off the ground and fill it with corn or deer feed. You wait for the bucks to come and stick their heads into the tire to eat the bait. The tire will act as a ring that will pull off their antlers when they try to pull their heads out.

What is a Deer Antler Trap Good For

A deer antler trap can have some benefits for shed hunters who want to find more antlers without spending too much time or energy. Here are some of the advantages of using a deer antler trap:

• It can increase your chances of finding sheds: A deer antler trap can attract more bucks to your area and increase the odds that their antlers will fall off where you want them. You don’t have to rely on luck or chance to stumble upon sheds in the woods.
• It can save you time and effort: A deer antler trap can save you time and effort by reducing the area that you have to search for sheds. You don’t have to walk miles in different directions or cover different types of terrain. You just have to check your trap regularly and collect your sheds.
• It can help you learn more about deer behavior and habitat: A deer antler trap can help you learn more about deer behavior and habitat by observing their patterns, movements, preferences, and health. You can also identify individual bucks by their antlers and track their growth and development over