How do antler buyers do it?

[Skillet]

So, since this antler chew thing is a "side hustle" for me now, I'll comment on this.  It's definitely not the easy money that it looks like.

It is a good project I can do with my retired dad.  He's the online store guy, I'm the "cut, sort, clean" guy. 

The prices you see at PetSmart, Petco, Northwest Seed and Pet, etc., are priced for the impulse buyers in the store.  In my opinion, there is no way to get that kind of money for a chew without opening a store yourself and absorbing that overhead.  If you want to sell online, you have to be cheap and you have to have a great product.  I saw a basket of elk antler chews on Saturday down at the Sportsman's show.  For a chew like the one pictured by Devinshoe they were asking around $5-6.  Really good deal, but they were not selling very many, even at that price.

You've got to consider waste (parts of antlers that can't sell), shipping, and my Dad's time, the fuel involved to go buy the antlers, and the time the money is tied up in the antlers and not doing something else for me.   After all of that, I'm feeling really good about making 25% back on my investment.  Figure the time involved on my end, and I'm lucky to be pulling down minimum wage-type cash. 

I only do it because it's a good project to do with my dad - that's the real value in it for me.  If you could score the right deal on a pile of sheds you might do better than me at it, but to make more than the folks salting your french fries I think you'd have to buy fresh brown elk sheds at no more than $8 a pound or so by my numbers.

 

[HornHoarder]

I remembered that you were looking to buy some elk sheds recently. I figured you were making some kind of project? Now I understand. It makes a lot of sense what you posted that it isn't exactly a cash cow, but hopefully it is worthwhile for you. It makes me feel kinda sick  just thinking about cutting up my sheds 

[Skillet]

Ha yeah, but I remember you wouldn't sell me any!  I know you've got a big matching 6 pt elk set now, tho...
Definitely not going to make a guy rich, but I think it would be an awesome project for a kid to learn where a buck comes from.  I think the only real money you can make on buying and selling sheds is in the high end matched sets for furniture/fixtures and taxidermy.  The rest.... dog chews for a few extra walking around dollars in your pocket.

[goosegooseduck]

wonder where stag knives in washington gets their antlers? deermeatfordinner(millions of subscribers on youtube) shills them in every single one of his videos for years. they must be selling like hot cakes

[Buckhunter24]

The unchewed brown get made into chandeliers and other decoration that goes for way more than the 12 to 15 a pound they pay. The price on the link below is even higher than I expected to see when I Googled it.

https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/loon-peak-scruggs-24-light-unique-statement-geometric-chandelier-npqk1842.html?piid=

[Bowhunter3]

The unchewed brown get made into chandeliers and other decoration that goes for way more than the 12 to 15 a pound they pay. The price on the link below is even higher than I expected to see when I Googled it.

https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/loon-peak-scruggs-24-light-unique-statement-geometric-chandelier-npqk1842.html?piid=