Here in Indiana they start dropping them late feburary , early march. I got video of 5 bucks comming into my food plot last weekend of feburary with their bones still on, then 2 weeks later same 5 without bones.

I've never shed hunted, but I heard you can take a 3ft tall by 2 ft wide piece of chicken wire, 2 pieces of rebar 4' long and a salt block. Put the rebar in the ground on each side of the salt block at a slight angle so they come over the salt block, then attach the wire with ties and when the deer come to the salt block they will rub their antlers, then when the antlers are getting close to falling the wire will facilitate the process and the antlers will be there waiting for you. I tried it last year with no success.