The nature of antlers

[jejack26]

As I lay here with COVID for first time bored out my mind, I'd thought I'd post something that I've think about for awhile.

The largest mule buck I've seen dead or alive, was quartered, barrel hitched with the antlers left at the gut pile. This was in Northern Nevada mid 1970 on what at that time was the third largest private ranch in world. It was my first full-time riding job, and owner shot the buck legally, while we were gathering in the fall. No pictures, no fuss no big deal.

Fast Forward a decade, and I shoot my best bull elk at the time with a recurve, but not a monster. And leave the antlers at the gut pile, until I get home. My wife made me go back and get for our then infant son.
I was telling this to some young men who couldn't understand, one asked, " why would bother killing them". The answer is the value of animal used to measured in meat.

I'm not sure when antlers became so important. I feel sometimes like i woke up and stuff changed while I was napping.
Anyone else seen antlers left at the gut plie?

 

[Flatbrimmer]

As I lay here with COVID for first time bored out my mind, I'd thought I'd post something that I've think about for awhile.

The largest mule buck I've seen dead or alive, was quartered, barrel hitched with the antlers left at the gut pile. This was in Northern Nevada mid 1970 on what at that time was the third largest private ranch in world. It was my first full-time riding job, and owner shot the buck legally, while we were gathering in the fall. No pictures, no fuss no big deal.

Fast Forward a decade, and I shoot my best bull elk at the time with a recurve, but not a monster. And leave the antlers at the gut pile, until I get home. My wife made me go back and get for our then infant son.
I was telling this to some young men who couldn't understand, one asked, " why would bother killing them". The answer is the value of animal used to measured in meat.

I'm not sure when antlers became so important. I feel sometimes like i woke up and stuff changed while I was napping.
Anyone else seen antlers left at the gut plie?

Never. Id be a happy if I did though…

 

[Dsnow9]

I’ve never seen any left at a guy pile but two years ago my hunting partners jaw hit the floor when I cut the deer antlers right off the skull. No skull plate or full skull. I have a nice little pile of antlers on the shelf but wasn’t planning on doing a euro and didn’t see the point in packing out the weight. I hunt for meat and antlers are a nice little memory of the hunt but won’t let them rule my hunt.

 

[shannerdrake]

I’ve never seen it and I’ll never do it. Sure the food is memories, but the antlers are memories and they outlast the food!

I write the date and some quick hunt info on the bottom of all my antlers and talk about them to anyone who will listen. None of them are exceptional, but they matter to me.

It’s also in our DNA. We as humans appreciate the big, the different, and the unique. Even a nonhunter looks at a 400in bull differently than a spike.

Point being we love to draw this line where it’s food or it’s meat that matters. Turns out they both do. They also serve a different purpose at a different time. My best buddy inherited a mule deer mount when his grandpa died. It’s a 135in mule deer that most would agree is not exceptional and it is one of his most prized possessions. His g-pa shot it in the 80s. Needless to say he didn’t inherit any meat. However, although he doesn’t remember it, he had a few dinners from that buck when he was a kid. Both of those stories are special.

 

[Griztrax]

I had the good fortune of working for a few days (during hunting season) in a remote Alaskan village about 10 years ago. While there, I drove by the landfill each day and was shocked to see very large moose antlers in the dump. The locals were clearly not interested in keeping the antlers - it was the meat that they were after and that would sustain them through the upcoming winter. I so badly wanted to take the racks but had no way of doing so and it might have been illegal - no idea on that. Antlers are fascinating to so many people including myself but hold very little value to others - to each their own,

 

[Bambistew]

I think antlers have been an important part of the hunt to people since forever. I do think they have become the center point of focus for the hunt, mostly because I think, most people don't really have a large collection of antlers? I ran out of space a long time ago and sell or get rid of most all my racks unless they are really special, even then, when I'm dead I hope my kids sell them and get some money off them, and maybe keep one or two as a remembrance. Antlers mean a lot to the individual, and basically zero to someone else.

I think there was a mindset that used to look at them as a worthless part of the animal along with a lot of meat I suspect, i.e. ribs, neck meat, shanks, etc. Yet during the same period you mention, there was hundreds/thousands of entries into record books, antlers hung on garages/barns/fence posts, etc. Just because someone doesn't value antlers doesn't mean others don't.

I've left a number of antlers at kill sites in the last 8-10 years. When hunting in CO a few years back, I called the Department to find out if we had to pack them out. Turns out you do, but can toss them in the dumpster when you get the meat processed and in the freezer. We didn't want to fly them home...

When it comes to packing I weigh the thought of the extra weight vs what will happen to them. They either get sold, or go to the dogs anymore so its an easy thing to leave and not pack. Many states require the antlers to be packed out to verify legality to some point. I think we all reach antler pile capacity at some point, and they really just become a fleeting memento of a hunt. I have 3 elk racks of a couple dozen bulls I killed. I've sold all the moose racks of bulls I've shot, or the dogs ate them. I've left my last 3 caribou racks on the mountain. Probably the funniest was when @Wyodeerhunter tossed a B&C caribou in the brush. Easy come, easy go.

 

[BenP]

The value depends on the person. My brother about fell over when he came over and saw I cut the antlers off the skull of my first buck. And some thing with my turkeys. I've thrown almost all the beards away but currently have most the spurs cut off. My brother on the other hand has antlers from deer he never shot but got from friends that were just tossing them. I don't know what his plan is but for me I can't justify the space for something that just sits there and doesn't do anything for me. Some I have in hopes of knife handles or other things of the sort.

 

[gouch]

I've never left them with the gut pile but, all but two deer racks ended up on the pile of sheds and were sold. The two I put on the wall represented something special about those particular two hunts. The only elk rack I ever put on a wall was a dead head that was just because it was too darn purdy not to. Then again, all my elk have been spikes or cows anyway. I have thrown away every bear hide I ever got. I guess I'm just not into trophies. Killing an animal is my least favorite part of hunting and if they didn't taste so damn good, I would just do like I do the rest of the year and just try to find them and see how close I can get.

 

[rwc101]

They are the last thing I pack out. I could could envision a scenario where I'm just to warn down to make another trip and I leave them, but I wouldn't say it's likely to happen.

 

[belshawelk]

I am the odd man out on this. I have antlers yes, some good ones. But I am no longer driven to get more. Not sure if there is something wrong with me, but I am now just a meat hunter. I get LOP tags on my property every year and hunt in other states every year. On my own property which i have had almost 10 years I have only shot cow elk. Every year. Never even hunted for a bull. See lots but I just enjoy the whole process of hunting not killing. Last few years I gave my tags out and guided hunters and just taking a porting of the meat for my freezer. Heck this year I am taking several guys hunting who have never shot and elk or only shot 1 or so. If had a choice of shooting an animal or everything after the shot, give me a knife and pack frame every time. I have an above average ability of seeing game and getting on them. I do it every month on my property just to see how close I can get and study them.

maybe I got to spoiled early on in my hunting getting some great antlers. I do enjoy looking at them on my walls but not sure If I will ever get more. The big test for me will be when they finally draw my name after 17 plus years of waiting in Oregon, 14 years in Colorado and 9 years in Wyoming if I actually shoot one.

Maybe I just got tired of never getting drawn and convinced myself to settle for cows? I dunno

 

[Ben Long]

I have seen this cultural shift over the years, emphasis away from meat toward trophies. It's a generational thing. You can see it in old outdoor media as well. Sure, big bucks and bulls got attention but there was a LOT less emphasis on B&C score and the like. My dad has walls full of elk, moose, bear and deer trophies but none ever saw a tape measure. It never occurred to him.

But perhaps it also reflects the fact that, overall, we have healthier herds nowadays and we have more leisure time, so more hunters can be choosey about what kill.

American culture tends to like competition and "bigger = better." The locavore movement may tip this pendulum back a bit. I'm a sucker for a big bull or buck but I also think we have taken the horn fetish a bit too far.

 

[Dougfirtree]

I generally keep them for the memories and because antlers are just cool, but I left a pair once. A forkhorn that I shot years ago. I'd actually forgotten about that until I read this thread. The meat was definitely the important part to me, but I have to be honest and say I wish I had those antlers today. I can't quite picture that deer the way I can with others.

 

[Bambistew]

American culture tends to like competition and "bigger = better." The locavore movement may tip this pendulum back a bit. I'm a sucker for a big bull or buck but I also think we have taken the horn fetish a bit too far.

A lot of truth to this, considering that people measure mountain goats for the record book. There isn't a less impressive trophy than a mountain goat, a pronghorn is second. A couple inches means the difference between a really big one and an average one. Neither of which are that impressive or awe-inspiring. YMMV of course.

Same goes with fish... There is a record for just about every test line for every species. Its like they had to make up a category just to stroke their ego. ... same goes with hunting, i.e. bow hunting, biggest with 'traditional' bow, biggest with muzzleloader, biggest with a rifle.

Bow hunters can't take a picture without their bow, nor can fly fishermen take a picture without their rod. I once looked through 500 pictures posted on a bowhunting site. Less than 2% of the pictures excluded the bow. I saw a picture just the other day, of a whole dead bear, in a garage, propped up on log, with the hunter holding his bow... My absolute favorite are the guys who stage a field picture with a shoulder mounted deer and their bow. So thirsty...

 

[SAJ-99]

A lot of truth to this, considering that people measure mountain goats for the record book. There isn't a less impressive trophy than a mountain goat, a pronghorn is second. A couple inches means the difference between a really big one and an average one. Neither of which are that impressive or awe-inspiring. YMMV of course.

Same goes with fish... There is a record for just about every test line for every species. Its like they had to make up a category just to stroke their ego. ... same goes with hunting, i.e. bow hunting, biggest with 'traditional' bow, biggest with muzzleloader, biggest with a rifle.

Bow hunters can't take a picture without their bow, nor can fly fishermen take a picture without their rod. I once looked through 500 pictures posted on a bowhunting site. Less than 2% of the pictures excluded the bow. I saw a picture just the other day, of a whole dead bear, in a garage, propped up on log, with the hunter holding his bow... My absolute favorite are the guys who stage a field picture with a shoulder mounted deer and their bow. So thirsty...

Every spend any time on Instagram? It isn't just the hunting community that loves to post pictures of themselves on the internet.

 

[shannerdrake]

So not trying to throw a match into a dumpster filled with flammables, but for those who don't care or don't really care about antlers, why hunt antlered animals at all?

This is a legitimate question and not an attack in any way. Is it because there are no anterless tags available in your desired hunting area or because horned animals yield more meat?

 

[jejack26]

So not trying to throw a match into a dumpster filled with flammables, but for those who don't care or don't really care about antlers, why hunt antlered animals at all?

This is a legitimate question and not an attack in any way. Is it because there are no anterless tags available in your desired hunting area or because horned animals yield more meat?

I don't think there many today that don't appreciate the anters.. I know plenty who focus on filling the tag, horns are just a bonus not a priority.
There is alot of hunters who completely focus on cows primarily due available access they have, There certainly is no right or wrong in it.

 

[gouch]

I don't think there many today that don't appreciate the anters.. I know plenty who focus on filling the tag, horns are just a bonus not a priority.
There is alot of hunters who completely focus on cows primarily due available access they have, There certainly is no right or wrong in it.

That's an odd question. I have hunted does, cows, bear, squirrel, rabbit and birds of all sorts, none of which have antlers. It isn't as though I don't like antlers and would consider not hunting an animal because they have them. Antlers just aren't a big factor in why I hunt.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I have also always wondered why anyone who would say that they don’t care about the horns even draw a tag for an antlered animal.

 

[COEngineer]

And then there's this guy:

https://www.outdoorhub.com/news/201...an-phillips-man-collected-16000-shed-antlers/

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

I have left more than one set of antlers with the gut pile before but I grew up a bit old school. It was always about the meat. I've never left a BIG set of antlers out there but I have left both deer and elk antlers in the woods. The last elk I left out a buddy couldn't believe I was leaving them. When he came in later to hunt the area he cut them off and took them. I only have probably half my the bulls that I shot and even less of the deer.