Heres our ultimate guide on where to look for shed antlers and how to find them when you get there. Which begs the question: Why arent more bird hunters using them? The best time to go shed hunting is when the woods are barren and brown, the grass and brush are pounded down, and crop fields and pastures are low to the dirt. The table to the right shows the number of legal deer brought to the voluntary check stations during each year of the experimental regulation. There is an excitement that is hard to describe about shed hunting because you never know what you might find. Wear comfortable boots and carry plenty of water. During the months of February and March 2005, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) conducted 28 public scoping meetings scattered throughout the state to discuss the results of an experimental antler-restriction regulation within the Oak-Prairie region of Texas, and to gauge the interest for such a harvest strategy in other parts of the state. Don started his own custom farming business his junior year in high school. There is a breeding pen for introducing deer located just outside of the barn/cabin area. Protecting the bottom end of the herd (i.e., spikes and 3-pointers) would do just that. Hunters who harvest mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, or other exotic CWD-susceptible species within the CWD Zones are required to bring . His dad was an order buyer for Thigpen Livestock, so he was exposed to the business at the early age of 9. allow most of them the mature before they are available for harvest. Here are a few scenarios to consider: You own a ranch in good range condition. You do this every year because you can get more money for the "better" animals. | Not sure if he still buys them or not. Check your state regulations for salvage requirements, and if its unclear, call a local game warden for advice. Therefore, we chose to focus our efforts in those counties where we were hearing the most interest. If your mind says bear left, go left. deer with less than a 13" spread. N. Nate Oster OP. They are also right when There was no biological reason for maintaining that as a criterion for a legal buck; therefore, we are proposing to simplify the regulation by defining a legal buck based on only the 2 criteria listed above. Grade C: Antler faded and weathered to white and chalky, maybe with some green color, likely on the ground for 2 or 3 years. Hogs have been successfully kept out although there are several blinds that may hunt some of the property outside of the high fence. Again there are a lot of factors that can attract more attention and can bring more money. But you should wait to go shed hunting. Hill Country Antler Art has been creating custom antler home furnishings and accessories, as well as handcrafted copper cactus chandeliers, etc. Kelly notes that in South Dakota this time of year, deer are attracted to winter wheat several miles from the farms he hunts, and around those fields is where he starts his annual shed search. deer likely were spikes as yearlings. 78624 Tel: 830-997-2263 Email: Wear thin, lightweight hiking gaiters with your low tops to keep the weeds and thorns out. the population. Hidden Antler Ranch - Fayette County, La Grange, TX, Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice. The Life Hunting dogs are particularly good shed finders because they quickly zero in on the calcium-phosphorous odor of antlers. in Fredericksburg, or we will pick them up when we are in your area. We are now and retail and wholesale business that moves approximately 20,000 to 40,000 pounds of antler . Texas Antler Buyers - AntlerBuyers.Com Home United States Texas Texas This page lists all of the antler buyers that currently buy in the Texas area. It will result in more mature age-class bucks and age is one of the 3 main factors contributing to antler development. I was buying and selling back in N AZ and they were going for $14/lb but been out of the game a while. Other studies of captive deer show that bucks usually shed both antlers within three days of each other. While this is not a trophy-buck management strategy, most hunters and landowners probably would agree that it would be irresponsible of TPWD to propose a regulation that would have an adverse effect on antler quality. Love the business and love meeting and talking outdoors with the guys pounding the hills with the same interests! Blackbuck have a body length of 3.3-5 feet, shoulder height of 2.0-2.8 feet and weight of 65-100 lbs. Posts: 14. Theyll shake their head to get rid of the other, for relief. Depending on the region of Texas and the severity of drought, the incidence of spikes ranges from 25-33% of the yearling cohort. Texas Information About Brokerage Services. Republic Ranches, LLC also reserves the right to refuse to show a property to a potential buyer for any reason at Republic Ranches, LLC's sole and absolute discretion. All exceptional antlers, especially matched pairs, bring high-dollar amounts and are often purchased by taxidermists for mounting and resale. If that is on the same ground where you hunt, great. Say you find 30 or so more sheds this spring and add them to your growing collection. Delivery time is estimated using our proprietary method which is based on the buyer's proximity to the item location, the shipping service selected, the seller . Having carried the "high-grading" discussion this far, we must be very clear with one important pointThis antler-restriction regulation is NOT a trophy-buck management strategy. Will it result in better quality deer? Jeff has served as Vice President of Marketing and the lead staff person for the Nebraska Cattlemen's Market Reporting Service since 1994, and he also serves as the association's lead liaison on marketing focused issues at the national level. The peak selling season is February to June. Consider these facts: mule deer bucks peak in antler growth at 6 to 8 years of age, and. Gary continues to use this company to provide local farmers and producers with quality calves from sale barns across Southeast Oklahoma and Northeast Texas, which are then marketed back through Crossroads Cattle Co. Jeff Lacina was born and raised in Chilton, Texas. David Smalling was raised on an Angus Farm in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Having said that, common sense supports these hard data. Therefore, we agreed to consider such requests for one-buck counties in which at least 60% of the buck harvest is comprised of bucks 3.5 years of age. Learn a new word every day. It depends on the condition and grade of the bone: Grade A: Antler in perfect condition, brown and beautiful, with no fading, broken tines or chew marks. Landowners and hunters throughout Texas have been following the results of this experimental regulation with much interest. Scott Wait is a senior biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. In most of the The ranch is an excellent high fenced ranch with superior genetic whitetail deer introduced in past four years. Improving the age structure of this buck herd is making our hunts much more enjoyable, because we're seeing activities that you just don't see when you have such a young buck population." There are minor differences from one WMA to another. The Hidden Antler Ranch is located 12 miles west of La Grange, Texas on West Old Lockhart Road. Work from a distance, and get to know where they are hanging out. of using it on a spike. Are Your Harvest Data Valid Since You Are Not Including the Deer that Were Transported Directly to the Locker Plants in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, etc.? Most people naturally start looking for sheds in the same areas where they hunt deer each fall. TPWD would not consider a regulation that was expected to have an adverse impact on youth hunters, and we will continue to closely monitor youth-hunting participation in an attempt to evaluate the effects of our regulations on youth hunters. Light Foot. Over 90% of our business is due to repeat clients, and for good reason too. And like any lucrative enterprise, the antler market also has its . Across deer and elk country, almost all bucks and bulls will have dropped their antlers by mid- to late-March. GOHUNT is a registered trademark of GOHUNT, LLC. They simply aren't living that long. So while some may think that the extra buck in the bag is a "ploy" to make antler restrictions more palatable, we are actually considering antler restrictions in some cases to make the extra tag feasible. A set of antlers at 200 can spark the interest of collectors. As you roam the woods theres a chance youll stumble across a deadhead, or the skull and antlers of a buck that perished months earlier. Cookies are used optimize your website experience. Through his time buying for local farmers, Gary also started buying packer bulls and cows for Gibbons Pack out of Gibbons, Nebraska. While there are a lot of reasons why antler prices vary, it is a lot like the stock market where demand and prices fluctuate regularly. for more details and photos. Kerrville Antler Buyer prices are among the highest prices in Texas! Almost all (92%) spikes are yearlings, and 30 years of research data do not support the protection of yearling spikes. My goal this year is to buy 100,000 pounds of antlers this year. Call: 801-557-2284. Chip is married to Audri Eilers Bowers, from Fredericksburg, and they have six children; Braden, Bryce, Brant, Brittley, Brett and Briggs. Steen then returned to A&M and earned a M.S. Our customers are the backbone of our business, and we know that! N. Joined: Sep 2018. Listen to your subconscious. It is important to note that buck harvest dropped 38% during the first year of the experiment, as compared to the average harvest from 1997-2001. In winter, many bucks feel comfortable feeding and hiding in these gnarly spots, and drop their antlers there. Provided that public opinion continues to strongly support such a harvest strategy, we will draft a proposal in the fall of 2005, and request permission (from the TPW Commission) to publish in the Texas Register for approximately 60 days, beginning shortly after the Regulations Committee meeting in January 2006. Texas Farm and Ranch Land Conservation Program, Landowner Request For Technical Guidance PDF, A legal buck deer is defined as having a hardened antler protruding through the skin. Currently bringing $6-$10 a pound. His first experience in feeder cattle trading was at East Tennessee Livestock Center while attending high school. Bulls compete for pecking order all year long, and an antlerless bull knows hes vulnerable.. Antler restrictions may be considered in some counties because landowners and hunters wanted an extra tag to help them better manage the herd. Many areas restrict access until elk are off their winter range. ITEMS OF INTEREST: ANTLER: Deer, Elk, Moose (all grades needed) CATS; dry/grease (frozen flat with visible belly); Carcass Cats (if frozen visible belly) BEAVER: either dry or skinned, frozen flat folded skin to skin. Elk shed hunting itself starts with glass, too, says Schaufler. You might find some bone in these places, or you might not. I own Great Basin Antler Buyers and have been selling shed antlers for eight years. I have been collecting antlers myself for about 25 years and have sold thousands of antlers. eliminate the risk of high-grading, which is a likely outcome when many hunters Sheds are as visible as theyll ever be, and ripe for the taking. Cover lots of ground in a slow, methodical manner and youll find twice as many sheds as you might have in the past. When they sell their sheds to me, and see how much they are worth, they usually tell their friends. Accessed 4 Mar. You keep the rest and let them breed. Most people look right over antlers, says my friend and whitetail expert Terry Drury. This strategy will reduce hunting pressure on most immature bucks, whether they're walking in the Pineywoods, Post Oak Savannah, Cross Timbers and Prairies, or Edwards Plateau. They now have two daughters, Anna and Sarah. While working for Thigpen Livestock, Jeff sorted cattle and shaped up loads to be sent to customers. cracks. Based on 30 years of solid data (described below), from research We are looking for antler from Europe, natural fallen. Hill Country Antler Art, Ltd. When buying investment property the buyer's agent, if applicable, must be identified on first contact and must be present at initial showing of the property listing to the prospective real estate investor in order to participate in real estate commission. Parking Pets Allowed Restrooms Wifi Wheelchair Accessible Credit Cards Accepted See More Details (4) Parking Nearby Hotels Boerne, Texas Cw Hill Country Ranch Wedding Venue + Bed And Breakfast 308-750-0700 Deer Antler Pricing per lb. pinkish tint on them. Youve got to look close, real close, says Drury. Furthermore, 78% of survey respondents indicated that this regulation is not having an adverse effect on youth hunting. So far, all indications are that youth hunters are benefiting from this regulation. Justin handled the purchasing and marketing of all their yearlings as well as day to day operations until 2011. A 180" set is worth approximately $150 to $200 depending on the look and characteristics of the set. more. KERRVILLE ANTLER BUYERS, LLC is a Texas Domestic Limited-Liability Company (Llc) filed on December 9, 2020. He attended Texas A&M University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Science and Masters of Agriculture Degree in Feedlot Management. Based on years of population data and harvest data, we cannot justify giving a "free spike tag." One moose, two moose. Call 406-404-2727 When you find an antler, imagine four quadrants around it, and search each area for a companion antler, which will often be within 50 to 75 yards. Diehard whitetail hunters pride themselves upon collecting the same bucks sheds, year after year. There is also a new one bedroom cedar cabin. Wardens watch social media, as they should, so dont get jammed up. Justin successfully started and developed a yearling operation for the group out of Shamrock, TX. Improvements: There is a large barn which includes a living room/kitchen and large bedroom with an outdoor pavilion. today at 830-285-2263 (cell) or 830-997-2263 (office) for current pricing. In 1988, he founded his first cattle company, where he managed every aspect of the operation, including custom cattle orders, logistics, hedging, backgrounding and retaining ownership of cattle on specific grid programs. Some people try to distinguish between young spikes and older spikes. We're simply trying to come up with a strategy that meets the needs and wishes of those managing the resource. Education efforts will be in the form of slide shows (at public meetings), video tapes (hunter education classes), wallet cards (which thoroughly explain the regulation and give examples of bucks that are and are not "fair game"), this website, etc. Many of the southeastern states have antler-point restrictions, where they protect they bottom end of the herd, and make the better quality yearlings vulnerable to harvest. Leslie and his wife, Debra, have been married since 1992. Published Jan 24, 2023 11:41 AM EST. There are a lot of shed hunters that do it year-round. As the connective tissue dissolves, the bucks antlers become loose and fall off. A shed hunt starts with glassing those small herds over time. Children under 13 years of age must have a parent/guardian's consent before providing antler@ktc.com. In this 20 percent pocket is where bucks cast their antlers, and where you need to look. In August of 1993, Jennings moved to Wichita, KS and began working for Koch Industries, Inc. Encourage landowners and hunters to become more actively involved in better habitat management. Gary continues to use this company to provide local farmers and producers with quality calves from sale barns across Southeast Oklahoma and Northeast Texas, which are then marketed back through Crossroads Cattle Co. Jeff Lacina Mobile: 281-615-7001 Most older bucks shed antlers earlier than younger bucks do. choose to use their only buck tag on a 6-point or 8-point yearling instead An old-timer in Wyoming who finds more than 100 whitetail sheds on his river bottom ranch every year taught me this trick. Leslie and his family currently reside in Dripping Springs, TX. He bought and paid for them by the pound also. *Matched anter prices vary on size, color, uniqueness and typical or nontypical. I want everyone I buy from to feel like they were treated fairly! Four new blinds/feeders/protein feeders are on the property located in opened areas for food plots. With his new rack the next fall, the deer would be Boone and Crockett, and living on Dons farm. Quantities of less than 100 pounds can be brought to our location Good milk cows draw a good price, so you sell those that produce the most milk, and you hold back the others. Country Antler Art, Ltd., 201 East Creek St., Fredericksburg, TX We are addressing the concerns regarding more flexible doe-hunting opportunities with other proposals, some of which were adopted by the TPW Commission in April 2005. Antlers are easier to see when you look straight down from a horse. Michael Hanback. While there, Trent played an active role in the procurement of calves for backgrounding to be shipped to the company's grow yard in Nebraska as well as replacement heifers. Unfortunately, Moose died due to another bowhunters mistake, and Drew recovered his skull and antlers the following spring. Will This Strategy Select For "Narrow-Rack" Bucks? Allowing "spikes" to be available for harvest, and including a second tag to be limited to those poorer-quality animals, provides more hunting opportunity while minimizing the risk of high-grading. Hill Country Antler Art, Ltd. All rights reserved. Grade B: Antler in good condition, still natural brown color, may be a bit dull or faded on one side and slightly weathered, probably last year's drop. We collect a random sample of sufficient size to report these figures with a high degree of confidence. we need deer antlers for heath food, we are specific on the origin of antler. Standing corn that was not cut for some reason is a sure-fire spot to scare up a few sheds. 2 were here. Multiple ponds on the property attract a large number of ducks in the winter. After receiving his undergraduate degree in December of 1989, Jeff remained at Texas A&M and did graduate work in Feedyard Management and Beef Cattle Marketing & Risk Management before joining the Nebraska Cattlemen Association as a Market Analyst in the summer of 1991. Give us an opportunity to earn your business. Some nontypical antlers may be more desirable to collectors. When a set reaches the magic number of 400" it is usually worth more though prices can fluctuate depending on the sets attributes or specific characteristics. Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 10 am - 4 pm. Our constituents are correct when they say there are We Buy Antlers. We make sure you get the highest prices for your antler and that you have an enjoyable experience. Order As can be seen in the chart below, the proportion of bucks <3.5 years old in the harvest dropped from 79% (prior to the experimental regulation) to 29% during the 2004-05 hunting season. Gear & Gadgets on the Texas Fishing and Outdoors Show, Powered by UBB.threads PHP Forum Software 7.7.3. In 1988, David accepted a position at Prairie Livestock in Memphis, Tennessee, where he learned the cattle industry's risk management and sales. Call us Why Don't You Try This on Wildlife Management Areas First? You might want to bag the hunting boots and wear sneakers or soft-soled trail runners so you can feel those big sticks you step on. About 40 acres of the ranch is out of the high fence but is low fenced and accessible. Buy or sell an illegally taken deer, and you could face prosecution for a Federal Lacey Act violation (illegally transporting wild game over state lines). any personal information to the agency. Being avid shed hunters ourselves everyone gets treated extremely fair and with honesty which is a main virtue in the Antler buying world these days! This strategy will allow hunters to "turn-over" Some sets are unique in their own way which can add value or spark interest in a buyer based on the size, color, or uniqueness. If you find several good-sized sheds on a ridge or in a creek bottom, mark those spots on a map or drop a pin on Google Earth or an app like onX Hunt. All Rights Reserved. The statewide harvest data indicates that 95% of all deer with at least 1 unbranched antler have less than a total of 4 points. Winter gives mule deer enough stress the way it is.. The hunters and landowners in that particular area were showing the most interest in this regulation, and they were the most informed as to what the regulation would entail. They have triplets born in 1998 (Ben, John and Eliza). From there he went to work at McLean Feed Yard where he headed up the cattle department until 2007. Antler. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antler. Big bull elk winter in bachelor groups, says Schaufler. dealers, we do not deduct for broken points on any grade. Leslie Callahan was born and raised in Central Texas and graduated from Texas A&M University in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics. We are obtaining a sample, rather than conducting a census. The property is dominated by thick woods consisting of multiple oak species (particularly post oak), cedar, hackberry, and cedar elm. Smaller bucks may hold theirs longer, into March. Please understand that most of what we read in the popular magazines are statements based on opinions and speculation. *Anter prices are rough estimates and change form year to year. is as follows: We do not buy antlers that Why add a second buck to the bag? The deer might be close, or hanging out a couple miles away. The value depends on the individual set. If your dog likes to retrieve anything, a ball or training dummy or whatever, thats the game. While employed with Koch Industries, Jennings spent one year at Ulysses Feed Yard in Ulysses, Kansas, and then moved into the corporate office where his responsibilities included purchasing feeder cattle and calves from throughout the United States, and managing pasture cattle to supply Koch's feed yards in Kansas and the Texas panhandle. In 2010 Gary formed S&H Cattle Co out of Antlers, OK, which is an order buying and trucking company. The property is protein fed year round. Walk every muddy deer trail that you can, and youll find bone. Some areas have deer populations expanding beyond the level of which that habitat can support, and we are addressing that problem. Most spikes are yearlings, but most yearlings are NOT spikes. [The counties in green are the remaining one-buck counties in Texas.] The fence was built about 30 yards off of the road frontage to keep it more private. What About the Kids? That is worth approximately $1,000,000, with a small profit margin. This web page is intended to provide Texas landowners and hunters a comprehensive overview of this antler-restriction harvest strategy. E-Newsletter Archive. Any regulation that has an unexpected adverse impact on the population should be, and will be, revisited. In other words, most bucks with 6 points on one antler also have an inside spread of 13 inches or greater. Weather, snow depth, altitude and particularly food availability and nutritional value can influence when antler loss takes place. For example, one state has a rule that protects all bucks that don't have at least 3 points on one antler. However, this sort of regulation requires a fairly extensive education effort, as we want to be sure that hunters are well aware of the regulation change. | Western shed hunters will backpack deep into the backcountry to find shed antlers from the biggest bulls in the unit. Kerrville, TX 78028 Most deadheads have small to medium-size racks, but each year a few people chance upon a monster. If they give you statistics based on the number of antler points, you should question why they are not using a parameter more indicative of antler mass. According to this site, prices are down this year on all antlers. Save yourself steps., Go for a matched set. There certainly are more one-buck counties (than those indicated in the map above) in which greater than 60% of the harvest is comprised of bucks 3.5 years of age. TPWD has implemented this type of harvest strategy on numerous Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) for a number of years, where similar results have been observed. The distinction between the two is clear (now). Unlike other antler info@republicranches.com Copyright 2022 Kerrville Antler Buyers - All Rights Reserved. Felony prosecutions can bring fines up to $20,000 per individual and five years imprisonment. Bucks drop their racks from late December in the North through March and April in the South. After twenty-two years with Prairie, David joined Crossroads Cattle Co. in 2010 as a buyer and seller of feeder cattle. The information contained herein is subject to changes, errors, omissions, prior sale, withdrawal of property from the market without prior notice, and approval of purchase by owner. Right now there is a big demand for antlers because there are so many different things antlers are used for like crafts, chandeliers, jewelry, dog chews, decoration, knife handles, and medicinal purposes. I will have to see if I can find his contact info or make a call to a friend. We must rely on strong data produced from well-designed research projects and regulatory surveys. When buying shed antlers you have to consider overhead, gas, mileage, expenses on truck, and storage trailers to haul antlers. tag (assuming this gets proposed and adopted), they will greatly reduce the Las Vegas, NV 89113. Possibly. Hill Country Antler Buyers 201 E Creek St Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 USA (830) 997-2263 Hours not available Problem with this listing? It only takes one time to become a permanent customer! and cookie statement. . But serious shed hunting will help you learn more about the animals you hunt in the fall. You might spot a whole antler, or maybe just a tine sticking up. antlers A larger lake could easily be built in several areas of the ranch. My profit will be about 50 cents a pound at the end of the year. The high fence is only several years old and in excellent condition. Hes also a long-time mule deer chaser and shed hunter. Justin gained a wealth of valuable skills and knowledge of the cattle feeding industry as well as how to handle, ship and receive cattle in a professional manner. Talk to Greg for pricing on larger lots. A 180 set is worth approximately $150 to $200 depending on the look and characteristics of the set. shed antlers. Established in 2012. the condition, weighed, and purchased by the pound. Forums Calendar Active Threads Forum Help: Main Menu Forum; Guidelines/Rules; . Free shipping for many products! in Agricultural Economics. After graduating from McLennan Community College, Jeff returned to Thigpen Livestock. We have craft antler, mounts, dog chews, home furnishings, walking sticks, antler art and so much more. Give us an opportunity to earn your business.