Public invited to conservancy's first Mid-Michigan Shed Hunt March 23

Looking for a new outdoor adventure? Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy has invited the public to its first Mid-Michigan Shed Hunt, noon–2:30 p.m., Saturday, March 23. The free event is at an 81-acre preserve in southern Shiawassee County. Participants may keep the shed antlers they find.

Deer shed, or drop, and grow new antlers each year. Many people collect shed antlers. They are also used to make chandeliers, ornaments, tools, table legs and other craft items.

The hunt is at Atherton Natural Area, located in Antrim Township, northeast of Perry and Morrice, near the corner of South State and Lansing roads.

“Shed hunts have become wildly popular,” said Jared Harmon, executive director of Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy. “Atherton Natural Area is full of opportunity to find quality shed antlers. This will be a great family experience that will get you outside at a natural, undeveloped property.

“For the conservancy, we want to expose the beauty of natural scenic, recreational and agricultural lands so more people will understand the importance of land preservation and environmental stewardship.”

Reservations are recommended; email Harmon at executivedirectormmlc@gmail.com. Directions and parking information will be provided.

Participants will meet briefly with Harmon at noon. He will share shed-hunting tactics and information about the preserve, including the location of several heavily used deer trails. The preserve has many resources that attract deer: food sources, bedding areas and field edges.

The official event will conclude by 2:30 p.m., but the preserve is open until dusk. There are mowed walking trails through shrubland and forest, primarily oak and hickory trees, with views of Atherton Creek and Looking Glass River. The mixture of shrubland and woodlands is an ideal attraction for birds and mammals.

Harmon said, “Shed hunting is fun because it can be challenging. Sometimes an antler can’t be seen from one angle, but from another angle it almost shines. This is even more prevalent on a cloudy or rainy day, so come even if the weather is not perfect.”

The preserve is named for Atherton Creek that flows through the property. It is open to the public January-October, dawn to dusk. When closed in November and December, the conservancy manages deer that harm native plants.

Prior to 2018 when David G. McConnell donated the acreage to the conservancy, it was used for grazing livestock. A major step in improving the ecological function of the property, a goal of land conservancies, will begin this summer. Invasive plant species will be removed to allow native flora to recover, which will support more and a wider diversity of insects and animals.

About Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy

Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy is a not-for-profit land protection organization established in 2002. The conservancy protects natural, scenic, recreational and agricultural land from development in perpetuity and improves its ecological function. This is accomplished through educational initiatives, establishment of conservation easements and partnerships with organizations.

The conservancy works with landowners and conservation partners in seven counties: Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Eaton, Ingham, Jackson and Hillsdale. It has 21 conservation easements that protect about 2,500 acres of private land by permanently limiting use to maintain their conservation values. The conservancy owns eight preserves that total more than 500 acres of land; seven are open to the public to hike and explore. More information is at www.MidMiLandCons.org.