I found a good source for antler!!

[Royce Meritt]

Recently there have been several threads concerning using antler for various projects. Some folks have asked about a source for antler. I too was looking for antler. (I use them for duck and goose calls as well as accent pieces on various other things. Some day I will try my hand at the gorgeous pens some of you make.)

Anyway, the best place I have found to get antler is to find someone who raises elk. Do a net search for elk breeders in your state and you should get a few leads. Apparently elk are "farm raised" both for the meat (which is delicous, by the way) and for the antlers which are shed every year. The elk rancher who lives about 20 miles from me sells me the "spike" antlers (the first set of antlers a bull elk grows) very inexpensively because, being small, these spike antlers have no real value on the antler market. For $10-$20 I can get enough antler to keep me busy for quite a while. Hope this helps some of you.

[Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA]

Recently there have been several threads concerning using antler for various projects. Some folks have asked about a source for antler. I too was looking for antler. (I use them for duck and goose calls as well as accent pieces on various other things. Some day I will try my hand at the gorgeous pens some of you make.)

Anyway, the best place I have found to get antler is to find someone who raises elk ... For $10-$20 I can get enough antler to keep me busy for quite a while. Hope this helps some of you.

Royce,

Unfortunately, I haven't found anyone close by. I have been able to snag some Whitetail racks from my FIL's hunt club, though. I have 10 antler pens ordered for Christmas and finished them this morning. It just about wiped out what little supply I had of antler. Any chance you might be able to supply some elk? I like making these pens and they are very much in demand right now, with hunting season and Christmas. Thanks again. Sorry the pictures are a little fuzzy ... must be the photographer.

Ron

[Royce Meritt]

Ron-
The elk breeder I've dealt with lives pretty close by. I could probably get some for you if you want. If you are interested, send me a private message and we will work out the details.

Royce

[Julie Wright]

I would love to see your duck and goose calls made out of antler. I was looking for antler to make some pens, but I bet my father would love a call made from antler. thanks for the info.



Recently there have been several threads concerning using antler for various projects. Some folks have asked about a source for antler. I too was looking for antler. (I use them for duck and goose calls as well as accent pieces on various other things. Some day I will try my hand at the gorgeous pens some of you make.)

Anyway, the best place I have found to get antler is to find someone who raises elk. Do a net search for elk breeders in your state and you should get a few leads. Apparently elk are "farm raised" both for the meat (which is delicous, by the way) and for the antlers which are shed every year. The elk rancher who lives about 20 miles from me sells me the "spike" antlers (the first set of antlers a bull elk grows) very inexpensively because, being small, these spike antlers have no real value on the antler market. For $10-$20 I can get enough antler to keep me busy for quite a while. Hope this helps some of you.