I have a plastic 55 gal berrel that i cut an oval out of the middle big enough for a deer to stick its head into for some cracked corn i hang from a tree limb high enough so only deer can get to the feed ive dont this for 3 years and have found sheds laying on the ground just below the opening
as for time of year i havnt seen a deer packing any bone for at least a week so now is a good time to try it i live in s.w.pa and the harsh weather we have had is the trigger for antlers to drop in less severe years march is by far the best time to find sheds