28 Nebraskaland • November 2024
or deer hunters, the decisions that need to be made
are endless. Should I hunt the stand by the cornfi eld
or the pine thicket? Should I stay up a little bit longer
this morning? Should I take that shot or wait a split second
longer?
Once the deer is down, and all the appropriate
congratulations and photographs have been handled,
you would think there would be no decisions left. But this
notion is also incorrect. Brats or burger? Shoulder mount or
European mount? Or, like the spot many of us have been in
before — what else can I do with these antlers?
The last question becomes
a fun one, as it's quite easy to
get online and see the endless
possibilities hunters have
for repurposing deer antlers,
from practical uses to home
décor.
We share a few of our
fi nished favorites and how to
get you started.
After the Hunt
Removing the antlers is
a necessary fi rst step, and
there are three ways to do it.
First, and my least favorite,
take a handsaw and begin to cut in front of the deer's ears
but behind the antlers at a 45-degree angle. Then, make the
same cut just above the eyes toward the end of the fi rst cut.
This wedge can then be removed. My apprehension for this
method is cutting into the deer's brain. Since I was a kid, I
never liked the messiness of this step. However, with small
bucks (pictured, left), a standalone desktop deer tag display
can be created because of how well small antlers like these
balance.
A second, and cleaner, option is to cut the deer's head
completely off below the throat. Again, with a handsaw,
you'll have to cut through the deer's hide, muscle tissue and
backbone, but it's a relatively clean cut.
A slightly less cleaner cut is to open the deer's mouth
and separate bottom and top teeth until you cut completely
through the rest of the muscle, bone and hide. My only
hesitancy with this method is it reminds me of '80s horror
movies of my youth.
After you decide how you'll remove the antlers, there are
more decisions to make. You can go through the painstaking
DEER
ANTLER
CRAFTS
Desktop decoration, complete with various metal deer tags
from other deer.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
What you can
make with
your harvested
antlers
A black powder measure
made from an antler tine
hollowed out with a drill
and fi les.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
By Jeff Kurrus
F
