Taxidermy or alternative uses for your harvests?

[Gdpolk]

Here’s a simple one for you. This came from my first 8-point. Just cut off the brow tines and sand smooth to protect your fingers. Drill a hole and secure them together with shock cord. Rattling antlers for the rut! If you prefer rattling bags just section your antlers out and toss them in a stuff sack.

[Terry Green]

I have been privy to see a knife and sheith that's going to post soon, waiting on something fringed. 

When I get home, I'll post something else from the Bison. 

[Terry Green]

I have two of these Bison hoof and shin .....

[tippit]

I have three Caraboo legs like that on a hunt when I toOk my Dad at 76 years young. He shot a nice boo with his rifle and  spent the the next few days in camp cooking. I shot my two plus his exta tag with my recurve. What a great memory with my Dad. It really hits home now 76!!

[Gdpolk]

This knife was a fun project for myself.  This one is a bit wild but I wanted to have fun and challenge myself to be more creative with my craft on this personal build and honestly it has been one of the most fun to make knives that I’ve ever done. This project for me is an example of how I try to utilize the animals that I am blessed to harvest to their fullest potential. 

The steel used is legendary CPM Magnacut.  Triple red liners symbolizes the Holy Trinity.  The green in the handle is vintage Westinghouse rag micarta that was given to me by a friend.  This was made with the scraps and cut offs of US soldiers uniforms during WW2.  The leather stack is from a-grade Herman Oak bovine tooling leather which is sourced from US beef farms and is tanned right here in the US.  The antler base on the pommel is from a mature 8-point buck that I harvested by bow on opening day of muzzleloader on public land a few years ago with my father in law.  His right antler resides on my take down longbow limb tips and now I’m putting some of his left antler to use in my knife.  The blade length on this is 5.5” long and it has a nice THIN grind and distal taper to feel very responsive and sharp in hand.

The sheath is constructed of a-grade Herman Oak tooling leather and was hand tooled and dyed by me.  It is fully lined with black tanned deerskin, which was also used to make the fringe.  It features a drain hole under the tooling on the front and the cross ornament was handmade by me from the same brass as I made the guard of the knife on.  It was riveted into place with a solid copper rivet from the inside before lining the sheath with deer tan leather so that metal will never touch the blade.  I have the same copper rivets at the top corners and bottom of the sheath and the rest of the body is hand sewn together with a saddle stitch.  The beads on it are from a deer antler from a previously harvested deer, which I also made in house.

I hope you enjoy seeing this build and my inspiration for it as I turned memories into heirlooms in my shop.

[Terry Green]

 

WELL DONE SIR! That is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!

[Gdpolk]

WELL DONE SIR! That is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you. This is the other side of him and is the work of Bob Sarrells from TX…

[trad_bowhunter1965]

Any other thoughts than a Bison Blade Boat Paddle?

If my Uncle was alive he would paint Western seen on deer shoulder blades like C. M. Russell, maybe some one could do that for you or scrimshaw.

[Terry Green]

Yes. I thought of that.  It would be painted by me though. I have the other  side as well.

[Russell Southerland]

Wow!!!! Great thread!!! I can't believe there's not many posts on this thread. Glad Thanksgiving is here as I scrolled down 1st before clicking, , and saw lots of other threads I gotta click on. 

[Bowguy67]

Brother I was a full time taxidermist a long time. Turkeys always amaze me they’re so cheap with some guys. Every animal is lots of work. The price is well worth it.
I hear what you’re saying about price though, you’ve got to weigh it out. But the new bow you paid 1000 bucks for and sold for 500 depreciated as well. How bout your truck? Guaranteed giant loss and very limited timeframe for that. Like the first minute you leave the lot.
Anyhow one great alternative is eating game and just saving horns, beards, etc as easy momentos

[mjh]

I'm certainly not the craftsmen that some folks are but I'm in the crowd that says use as much of the animal as you can.  Making a simple plaque for your turkey tail and spines is pretty easy with a kit.   I've braintanned a few hides in my time and have a couple that are rawhide ready for the next step.  Had gourds from the garden for a few years, made a drum with a big gourd and some rawhide I made from a deer hide.   From simple to highly refined a lot one can do with the creatures we take.

[J. Cook]

My cousin weaves them into baskets.  She uses the rack to sort of be the frame work and shape of the basket but they stick out on the outside of the weave so as to be visible, or the handle, etc.  Lots of options.  I don't have a pic of one so hopefully that description makes sense.  The size of the antler is irrelevant so you can use any antler you have. 

[Gdpolk]

My cousin weaves them into baskets.  She uses the rack to sort of be the frame work and shape of the basket but they stick out on the outside of the weave so as to be visible, or the handle, etc.  Lots of options.  I don't have a pic of one so hopefully that description makes sense.  The size of the antler is irrelevant so you can use any antler you have.

Oh wow. That’s creative and awesome!  I’d love to see some examples of their craft. That sounds really cool!

[J. Cook]

My cousin weaves them into baskets.  She uses the rack to sort of be the frame work and shape of the basket but they stick out on the outside of the weave so as to be visible, or the handle, etc.  Lots of options.  I don't have a pic of one so hopefully that description makes sense.  The size of the antler is irrelevant so you can use any antler you have.

Oh wow. That’s creative and awesome!  I’d love to see some examples of their craft. That sounds really cool!

Okay, she sent me pics - these are ones she's done recently.  Some cool options.

[Gdpolk]

Man those are outstanding.

[tippit]

Beautiful work!

[Gdpolk]

Beautiful work!

Right?  I now want to get a really SMALL set of elk antlers and have it woven up into a basket for all the blankets in our living room

[tippit]

Another basket option...this one is easy to make. Birtch bark side with a wood cut out for the base. Then just lash an antler on for handle...tippit

[rustyspike]

I'll take the knife.

I don't post that much. But I come to the boards at least several times a week.

Rich K.