I can't speak for other habitat types but here, shed hunting is work. The more time you can spend the better. Elk and Deer move and hang out in certain areas according to feed availability and comfort this time of year.

Tips I can share would be #1, Put the Time in..hours and hours and hours hiking. Its also a great way to scout for next fall and get in good shape. 2nd, go where the deer are this time of year. #3 you will develop a knack for seeing pieces of antler and not the whole antler. That skill can only comes from practice. Trails and what not are good, but I like feeding areas (thick brushy browsing areas) and bedding areas which are often thick and almost impenetratable at times. Lastly, I like sunny slopes (southern faces). If ya don't find any sheds on a hard day of hiking, don't let it bother ya. Keep at it... keep at it .....you will find a shed if you put the time in.

I also section off pieces of ground and make mental notes of how I am gonna cover it. I often walk in a typewriter pattern..I walk back and forth..and make sure I even over lap a bit incase I may have missed a shed by walking by it...

Good luck, I hope some of this may help out.... finding sheds for me is as rewarding as hunting in many ways. I can best associate it with finding a treasure!