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  #1  
Old 03-25-2019, 06:41 PM
Cow Town Bill Cow Town Bill is offline
 
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Smile What to do with deer antlers

I'm cleaning out my garage (at last) and have a number of deer antlers that I harvested over the years.
I hate to throw them out if there is some use for them.
Would appreciate some ideas---I'm in Calgary.
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  #2  
Old 03-25-2019, 06:53 PM
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Big Lou Big Lou is offline
 
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Default Antler buyer

There’s a number of antler buyers throughout the province. If memory serves, $12/lb is the going rate for deer. Believe it’s higher for elk and moose. Could try Alberta Antler. Think he’s a member here. Few guys run continuous WTB adds on Kijiji.

*Edit* Just noticed the harvested portion of your post. My idea only works for sheds.

Last edited by Big Lou; 03-25-2019 at 06:55 PM. Reason: I need to read better before posting.
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Old 03-25-2019, 06:54 PM
badbrass badbrass is offline
 
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I gave mine to a dog owner! They chew on them! The Dogs that is!
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Old 03-25-2019, 06:57 PM
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Uses to include, bases for lamps, drawer pulls, tooth pick holders, knife handles, utensil- garden tool handles, crib boards, picture frame supplement, business card holders, hangers, shelf brackets, rope pulls, to name but a few.. Come on guys, there are lots more uses.........
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Old 03-25-2019, 06:58 PM
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NINJABABY NINJABABY is offline
 
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Cut em and make chandelier
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Old 03-25-2019, 07:14 PM
Walking Bear Walking Bear is offline
 
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You can sell sheds. Check for the rules if the skull plate is attached.
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  #7  
Old 03-25-2019, 08:12 PM
Cow Town Bill Cow Town Bill is offline
 
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Default Deer Antlers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walking Bear View Post
You can sell sheds. Check for the rules if the skull plate is attached.
Mine are NOT sheds---don't think they can be sold.
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  #8  
Old 03-25-2019, 08:37 PM
deercamp deercamp is offline
 
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Hang em up!
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Old 03-25-2019, 09:05 PM
JimmerAB JimmerAB is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saddleup View Post
Uses to include, bases for lamps, drawer pulls, tooth pick holders, knife handles, utensil- garden tool handles, crib boards, picture frame supplement, business card holders, hangers, shelf brackets, rope pulls, to name but a few.. Come on guys, there are lots more uses.........

We cut the last few inches off the larger points, polished and smoothed the bone, drilled a hole for the rope, and made handles for homemade coyote drags. Gave the extras to other hunter friends.
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  #10  
Old 03-25-2019, 09:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cow Town Bill View Post
Mine are NOT sheds---don't think they can be sold.
You could sell them only if you register them and wait 3 years. Otherwise you can donate them to anyone provided you provide a Bill of lading for each animal clarifying your info and you are donating to that person, outright or for a set amount of time.

Another thing you could do if so inclined is return them to the land. Put them in brushy areas where rodents, hares and porcupines can have a chew, a set here and a set there.
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Old 03-25-2019, 10:08 PM
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Hood ornaments.
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  #12  
Old 03-26-2019, 07:13 AM
longshot270 longshot270 is offline
 
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I'd go with dog chews as well, but cut them into 4-5 inch pieces and sell them. At pet smart they're worth $15-20 a piece. I nearly choked when I seen that. It could be my retirement income...LOL.
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Old 03-26-2019, 09:12 AM
roosterman roosterman is offline
 
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X2
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Old 03-26-2019, 10:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by longshot270 View Post
I'd go with dog chews as well, but cut them into 4-5 inch pieces and sell them. At pet smart they're worth $15-20 a piece. I nearly choked when I seen that. It could be my retirement income...LOL.
What’s the legalities surrounding this idea tho... because once they are cut up, there is no way to prove if they are sheds or were cut off of a skull cap. I’ve always wondered how this is ok to cut them up and sell as dog chews because there is no way to prove how the antlers were acquired and now being sold for a profit.
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Old 03-26-2019, 10:27 AM
Diesel_wiesel Diesel_wiesel is offline
 
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I built an archway and strung LED lights through them
my daughter used it in the entrance way to the hall she rented at her wedding, now she has it as an entrance way into her flower garden and back yard
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Old 03-27-2019, 02:40 PM
Z7Extreme Z7Extreme is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diesel_wiesel View Post
I built an archway and strung LED lights through them
my daughter used it in the entrance way to the hall she rented at her wedding, now she has it as an entrance way into her flower garden and back yard
That sounds cool. Can you post a pic?
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  #17  
Old 03-27-2019, 02:53 PM
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Cut them into scales and have someone make you a nice knife.
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Old 03-28-2019, 06:56 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DeadEyeGardner View Post
What’s the legalities surrounding this idea tho... because once they are cut up, there is no way to prove if they are sheds or were cut off of a skull cap. I’ve always wondered how this is ok to cut them up and sell as dog chews because there is no way to prove how the antlers were acquired and now being sold for a profit.


Not legal. And yes I know..how will they prove it but none the less, not legal


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  #19  
Old 03-28-2019, 12:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blgoodbrand1 View Post
Not legal. And yes I know..how will they prove it but none the less, not legal


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The onus is on the seller/buyer to be able to prove they are sheds.
Typically this done by the presence of the "button" showing natural shedding occurred.

Any pieces of antlers without the button would lack the required evidence.


Commercial products get past this requirement through licencing and paperwork to prove origin of the antler. Though I suspect that if desired, AB F&W could have a heyday at PetSmart....
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  #20  
Old 04-04-2019, 03:21 PM
50bags 50bags is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cow Town Bill View Post
I'm cleaning out my garage (at last) and have a number of deer antlers that I harvested over the years.
I hate to throw them out if there is some use for them.
Would appreciate some ideas---I'm in Calgary.
Am afraid there is none
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  #21  
Old 04-04-2019, 09:25 PM
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I have made pens out of them on the wood lathe , makes a nice keepsake. People make rings and other jewelry from them. I have taken cut sections and mounted them to the top of a walking stick to make an excellent shooting stick for the next deer that comes too close.
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  #22  
Old 04-04-2019, 10:17 PM
Buckwheat Buckwheat is offline
 
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Saw this antler arch in milk river last fall





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  #23  
Old 04-05-2019, 07:13 AM
jcrayford jcrayford is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckwheat View Post
Saw this antler arch in milk river last fall





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Nice pic! I like Thumper looking up - like he's trying to figure out which set are Bambi's? ha ha ha....

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  #24  
Old 04-05-2019, 09:54 AM
Pathfinder76 Pathfinder76 is offline
 
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Hang them up out of the way.

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  #25  
Old 04-05-2019, 07:18 PM
freshtinov freshtinov is offline
 
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Use them to rattle in another tasty deer
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Old 04-06-2019, 05:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckwheat View Post
Saw this antler arch in milk river last fall





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Great looking archway. I have the same plans with all the older aged white sheds i have picked up over the years.
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  #27  
Old 05-28-2019, 07:41 PM
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botwood botwood is offline
 
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I'm in the process of starting up a Taxidermy business and am mounting as many game heads as I can to gain as much experience as I can as quickly as possible.
I'm having no problem finding capes. My bottleneck is finding antlers. If you want to give me a set of antlers (not legal for me to buy them) I will mount him and send you lots of pictures. Cool thing is I get more experience and you get some new pictures of a deer you shot in the past.
I've mounted quit a few of these - I call them my rescue bucks. My last one was an 8 year old set of antlers mounted on a 4 year old cape.
The antlers were all but lost in a storage shed and the cape was on the verge being too freezer burnt to be saved - but here he is - my rescue buck #4.
My wife hates all things taxidermy and hunting but even she likes my rescue bucks - she recognizes that these capes and antlers were destined to be trash but now they will be admired for decades to come.
What a crime it would have been for this rack and this cape to have been lost.
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Last edited by botwood; 05-28-2019 at 07:58 PM.
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  #28  
Old 05-29-2019, 07:06 AM
jcrayford jcrayford is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by botwood View Post
I'm in the process of starting up a Taxidermy business and am mounting as many game heads as I can to gain as much experience as I can as quickly as possible.
I'm having no problem finding capes. My bottleneck is finding antlers. If you want to give me a set of antlers (not legal for me to buy them) I will mount him and send you lots of pictures. Cool thing is I get more experience and you get some new pictures of a deer you shot in the past.
I've mounted quit a few of these - I call them my rescue bucks. My last one was an 8 year old set of antlers mounted on a 4 year old cape.
The antlers were all but lost in a storage shed and the cape was on the verge being too freezer burnt to be saved - but here he is - my rescue buck #4.
My wife hates all things taxidermy and hunting but even she likes my rescue bucks - she recognizes that these capes and antlers were destined to be trash but now they will be admired for decades to come.
What a crime it would have been for this rack and this cape to have been lost.
Hey bot, I might have a few to donate. PM me if you're local to me. You didn't specify where you're located...

J.
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  #29  
Old 05-29-2019, 06:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by longshot270 View Post
I'd go with dog chews as well, but cut them into 4-5 inch pieces and sell them. At pet smart they're worth $15-20 a piece. I nearly choked when I seen that. It could be my retirement income...LOL.
Especially if you know where your buddy stashes all his
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  #30  
Old 05-31-2019, 08:07 AM
510-Gem 510-Gem is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by botwood View Post
I'm in the process of starting up a Taxidermy business and am mounting as many game heads as I can to gain as much experience as I can as quickly as possible.

I'm having no problem finding capes. My bottleneck is finding antlers. If you want to give me a set of antlers (not legal for me to buy them) I will mount him and send you lots of pictures. Cool thing is I get more experience and you get some new pictures of a deer you shot in the past.

I've mounted quit a few of these - I call them my rescue bucks. My last one was an 8 year old set of antlers mounted on a 4 year old cape.

The antlers were all but lost in a storage shed and the cape was on the verge being too freezer burnt to be saved - but here he is - my rescue buck #4.

My wife hates all things taxidermy and hunting but even she likes my rescue bucks - she recognizes that these capes and antlers were destined to be trash but now they will be admired for decades to come.

What a crime it would have been for this rack and this cape to have been lost.


That’s really cool! Adds a real artistic touch to a mount. I have a nice 150 class whitetail rack that I always thought would look better as a shoulder mount.


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