Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Pederson.
Hi Patrick, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Minnesota, I love going on exciting adventures in the outdoors and I love sharing my experiences with others to inspire them to create stories of their own. My story began when I found a trophy set of shed, whitetail deer antlers, that I had previously dreamed about. Whitetail bow hunting and shed hunting is a tradition in my family. To the shed hunting newbs; deer shed their antlers in late winter and they grow a new, bigger set of antlers through the spring and summer before mating season in the fall. Shed hunting is a sport in which you hike out in the wild and find their fallen antlers.
I had been going out shed hunting with my Dad for a few seasons prior and never had any luck. Meanwhile, he was finding them all the time. I had a rough day and I didn’t feel like going, but Dad convinced me that today was going to be the day. This was in February of 2018. We hiked a couple of miles to the spot we thought we would get lucky. He covered one area while I covered another. Sure enough, within 5 minutes, there it was. The first time I had laid eyes on a beautiful, fresh drop. The shed was covered in snow, but I knew it was a nice one.
I snapped a quick picture of the antler and pulled it out of the snow. I knew right away that this was special. It was huge! As I started to get goosebumps from holding it, I looked down, and there was the other side. An enormous 15-point match set. I immediately called Dad on the phone and told him he had to get over to where I was and check it out. I waited excitedly as he slowly worked his way over to me. I had them hidden behind my back, and as soon as he got up to me I pulled them out. His jaw dropped and we shouted in excitement! He said, “see, son, it’s like picking up a miracle.” He was right, and from that moment on, I was hooked. I couldn’t find what I wanted online to display these antlers in my home. So I had to invent one, and I did.
For the past 5 years, My wife and I have been building a business out of this passion. I love creating, inventing, and sharing the perfect ways to display these amazing trophies. All along, finding more and more antlers each year. I even went to the extent of purchasing a beautiful Labrador and training her to help me find more antlers. We have done trade shows for the business in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, at some of the premier whitetail events. I also created a social media following of over 10k people who enjoy our adventures and share their own shed hunting experience with us as well. The displays I invented became a big hit and now supply a sustainable side income for our family. Being able to show the antler on the wall or on your mantle by using a completely clear display is appealing to most because it does not take away from the integrity or beauty of the antler. It presents it in a classy way that other display methods may lack and does not require damaging the antler. The displays are a great couple’s compromise, a way to show off these outdoor trophies inside your shared living room.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all a smooth road. Challenges came from the competition: shed hunting local ground and providing the best display in the sport while others were trying to bring me down. Building a business from the ground up, starting with only 1 idea, might seem impossible for most, but having a tenacious attitude is what will create your success. The most amazing thing about finding a trophy deer antler is what that animal went through in order for you to find it. Born as a tiny fawn and surviving in the wild for sometimes 8-12 years. Covering thousands upon thousands of miles, being hunted by man, avoiding other predators, fighting for breeding rights (sometimes to the death), all to drop its weapons of defense, just for you to pick up. Picking them up proves to be sometimes just as difficult. I think my dog Penny and I hiked a good 400 miles in frigid cold last season alone. We competed with the other deer fanatics during subzero temps to find the same trophies. I think chasing such an amazing animal, that is born with such a strong will to survive, has shown me many lessons on what it takes to not only survive, but thrive. If a tiny fawn in the wild can grow and live to be the biggest, baddest buck in the forest, can’t I start a business that I love and keep it alive? Absolutely!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The business I run is called Invisible Shed Stands LLC, known to most as “Shedpeds.” Putting your shed antler on a “pedestal” also goes with my last name, Pederson. I run an Etsy store with close to 3000 sales, with a full 5-star review. I intend to continue to create new products and sustain the popularity it has obtained in the shed hunting world. We make displays for whitetail deer, mule deer, blacktail deer, moose, elk, and caribou. I have even sent some products overseas to Europe for other stag species. My full-time job is in the printing industry. I have been printing and graphic communications for 22 years and have done almost every role, from prepress design, to plant manager. I use the skills I have developed in this career to create displays and art for my business. I am known to most folks on social media as that dude with a dog who finds a lot of deer antlers, or the guy with those sweet invisible antler displays.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
It is more fulfilling to live free of fear and follow your dreams than to fall in line. In the end, we all die. Do something inspiring with the time you are given and be grateful for it. If you are going to start a business, then start it. Someday is not today.
Pricing:
- Display options range from $9.99 to $14.99 per antler
Contact Info:
- Website: shedpeds.com
- Instagram: @patrickpederson
- Facebook: facebook.com/shedpeds
Image Credits
Gideon Fuchs Alexandra Paige
