“You have too many”

[perma]

My wife and I were out cow elk hunting a few weeks back. The terrain is very open and flat once you get over a few bumps, imagine typical pronghorn country.

As I was walking, I noticed a weird white spot coming from the ground. I headed over and happened to find my first deadhead pronghorn. To my surprise, I look over a few feet and find his sheds. One was being nibbled on and the other looked to be skull capped an inch above the eye socket. Some hair still on there. I told her that we should take these and put it on our mantle. She reluctantly agreed to which her point was “you shot two bucks this year, why would you want more”?

Fast forward to two weeks ago, I was hunting a bull elk and found another dead head with the shed out of the socket. I grabbed that one and slid it in my backpack. This one was in much better condition.

I brought that home and she asked why I keep bringing them home. I explained that while finding elk and deer sheds are nice, they stay in better condition for longer. Pronghorn sheds are often eaten by other animals or overlooked because they’re too dark and small, or dismissed as tree bark. I feel that pronghorn sheds are a much more valuable find than deer or elk antlers, and that antlers just have way more visual appeal.

Pictures for reference.

 

[Bullshot]

Oh great, now there will be thousands of sheath hunters scouring the sage. How much $ per lb? J/k, i think they are cool, 1 or 2 to have on a shelf. Most I’ve found are small and in poor condition, I always pick them up and look over, then usually chuck. On the other hand, I could never chuck a non chalky / chewed up antler.

 

[MTLabrador]

I had a buck run across the road in front of me a few weeks ago, and this hung up on the wire as he crossed the fence. I’ve found a few fresh ones and they’re pretty cool.

 

[6mm Remington]

Man can never collect too many sheds!

 

[madtom]

I must have lived in casper too long. I don’t even stop to look at pronghorn sheds unless they’re big or unusual. This is the only one I’ve brought home.

 

[perma]

I had a buck run across the road in front of me a few weeks ago, and this hung up on the wire as he crossed the fence. I’ve found a few fresh ones and they’re pretty cool.

View attachment 304400

That must have been cool to witness. Never seen a pronghorn shed his horn.

 

[Raisin Bran]

Finding any shed is way cool! Only found a couple Antelope over the years but never left one. Horn pile in the yard and garage is off limits for the wife….at least that’s my story….until it’s not.

 

[bullbugle307]

What’s really cool is when you find them and they’re that reddish pink color. I’ve found quite a few of those over the years.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I've found a few over the years. Kept a couple. Wish I would have kept these.

 

[peterk1234]

My elk deadhead to me is of greater personal value then the elk I shot. I figure the odds of the deadhead with full antlers is more rare then the one I shot myself. This guy was still attached to the body. Still had a hide, for the most part. Can't tell you what killed him. But I can tell you a bear played a role at some point. The front of his skull was crushed. I had to cut it off a rotting body. It was full of maggots. It stunk so bad while I carried it out. I even got an infection on one of my fingers days later. I probably had a little cut and well.... you can figure out the rest. I was proud of that infection. Even needed antibiotics. Heck, I probably dodged the bear by a matter of days.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I wish I had all the ones back I sold in college for beer money. You can never have enough IMO.

 

[TheTone]

I’ve sold a ton and still have a bigger keeper pile than I probably should. It’s just hard to get rid of cool ones and big ones.

The only pronghorn shed I have was in a sell pile with me at the antler buyer when I pulled it back out and took it home. Not sure what I was thinking.

 

[perma]

I’ve sold a ton and still have a bigger keeper pile than I probably should. It’s just hard to get rid of cool ones and big ones.

The only pronghorn shed I have was in a sell pile with me at the antler buyer when I pulled it back out and took it home. Not sure what I was thinking.

What does a buyer do with pronghorn sheds? Decor I guess? I know others will buy deer family sheds for dog treats.

 

[squirrel]

I know a guy who did a knife handle out of an antelope shed, most awkward creation ever, but dogs love them for chewing.

In fact the biggest problem is keeping the dog from following along behind and making me a criminal. Sometimes it isn't real obvious whether she is crunching a leg bone or a shed.

Ive got an apple box full of fresh antelope and never found anything to do with them either useful or profitable.

And contrary to the above statement it is very possible to have too many sheds. Every time I'm almost killed by a shed avalanche when the pyramid becomes a mushroom it's time to unload. I've tried to convince her highness to raise the ceilings or lower the floors but she thinks the problem lies elsewhere in a "non-archetectural " area.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Ive got an apple box full of fresh antelope and never found anything to do with them either useful or profitable.

This is about the only thing I've found useful for them, as long as they are in good shape.

 

[perma]

I know a guy who did a knife handle out of an antelope shed, most awkward creation ever

That's actually a very cool idea. I wonder how that could be created....

 

[squirrel]

That's actually a very cool idea. I wonder how that could be created....

Very simple in practice as they are hollow. Take a knife blade with a tang, pour the horn full of epoxy and stand up the blade in the epoxy keeping it from sinking. I'm betting not dishwasher safe even if you put burrs on the tang to help hold it.

 

[belshawelk]

So at Petsmart today I was looking at antler chew bones. Small elk $39.94 and deer ( basically a point) is $29.99. By that price I have $30,000 plus worth of antlers. I have a pile at least 4' high and 3 'wide. Damn.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

So at Petsmart today I was looking at antler chew bones. Small elk $39.94 and deer ( basically a point) is $29.99. By that price I have $30,000 plus worth of antlers. I have a pile at least 4' high and 3 'wide. Damn.

Need to cut out the middle man!

 

[Dinkshooter]

You have to many shoes....................to many clothes that don't fit anymore..............................