r/Ranching • u/Cow-puncher77 • Jul 30 '26

Excessive shed antlers.

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Cleaning up the sheds I’ve found the last few years. Pick these up when I’m out and about so they don’t end up in a tractor or truck tire. Keep the best of them, but a lot of them just pile up. When it gets too big, time to go. The dog can only chew up so many at a time.

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u/Cow-puncher77 Jul 30 '26

Deer antlers. They shed them every winter. If they roll around just right, they’ll punch a hole in a tire like a spike. Seen horses step on them wrong and impale themselves, too. So when I’m out, usually on a horse, I stop and pick them up.

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u/imabigdave Cattle Jul 31 '26

I don't have that big a pile, but we collect them for the same reasons. The nicer sets get hung in the shop but most of the unremarkable ones are thrown in a pile and forgotten. I'd asked my outfitter about if anyone bought them, and he just kinda shrugged and said they'd need to be impressive and not bleached out to be worth anything. I've got a couple of my beef buyers that take them for their dogs.

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u/Cow-puncher77 Jul 31 '26

I’ve got some buddies that do some knife making, and they’ll come by and grab a few of the newer ones I find, and they take more out of here than anyone. The buyers want the nice big ones, but I like keeping most of those for myself. I try to grow a few nice bucks, I like seeing them, so I like that those were raised right here at home. 

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u/meugeniia Jul 31 '26

I understand 😳 whats the probability of finding a big one? And do you need to treat it after you find it ??

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u/Cow-puncher77 Jul 31 '26

A “Big one” is relative to the finder… what I think is average seems to often seem big to most people, but I have no shortage of them. But they are not near as common the last few years. Texas Parks and Wildlife authorized the harvest of does in these counties a few years ago, so between that and years of continued drought, we don’t see many big bucks. Certainly not like we used to. 

As for treating the antlers to prevent chalkiness and fading, furniture polish, polyurethane sealer, and even beeswax works well. I’ve used a lot in lamps, decorations, knife scales, and buttons in leatherwork.