Just a couple sets of sheds.

[boneaddict]

Speaking of goldbar....anyone have those blacktail pictures of that buck that was harassing the locals there and had to be put down.  I saw him....a big non-typical while fishing there.  He was a dandy.  Too bad he had to be put down.  Probably another one of those stories where somebody saw an oppurtunity to collect a set of antlers in the name of safety.

[boneaddict]

Found them Michelle.  Risking life and death.  They are about 69" and 64 inches respectfully for 133 inches gross.  I found them side by side very shortly after dropping and they are dark hard and beautiful with ivory tips.  As I mentioned before, two tips got chewed a bit, little varmints(what...did they tackle the deer and pull them off.  If interested, I'll get you a more specific score with pics.  I'm guessing about 17-18 inch inside spread with about 22 inch outside. That is of course up to your manipulation a bit, but what I think he would have been.  They look fairly similiar to the ones you posted, but with deeper forks, and a bit less in the eyeguard department.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Is that 133" Gross including the inside spread?  Or is that befor you add the inside spread to it.

Yeah I am interested.  Can you get me a little bit closer score?  I use the form off of the Boone and Crocket Club website.  It adds everything up for you.  All you do is fill in the blanks.

How much you asking for them?

[boneaddict]

  I'll score it on an official shed antler form and then scan it to you, and get you some pics.  That would be 133 gross without the spread.  You are looking at a 150+ blacktail.  Probably would gross close to 150.  I'm figuring about $125.  If you think that is too much, let me know, if you think that i s too little and think they are worth more to you, let me know.  I'm not much of a salesman as you can tell and I never sell antlers period.   I'll get back to you tomorrow with specifics and pics.  I think these would make a really good mount.  I know I wanted to shoot the original owner.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yeah, I was figguring high 140's after any deductions.  I am not familure with a shed antler form but it sounds good to me.  It should provide everything I need.

How do you measure your points?  Do you measure points (G2, G4) from the center of the main beam to the tip?  Or do you measure it from the top of the main beam to the tip?  Let me know if I confused you.

Looking forward to the pictures!  Do me a favor and put something in the picture for size referance.  Like a Soda or something..

Thanks

[boneaddict]

You measure the points from the top of the main beam, an imaginary line from where the top of the main beam is on one side of the point to the top of the main beam on the other side of the point.  You can use two devices for official measurement, a 1/4 inch steel tape, and or a cable.  I couldn't find my cable last night so used the steel tape.  It works fine on every measurement but the main beam.  I'll get some pictures tonight I am hoping.  The antlers have pretty good mass throughout, which is typical of a nice blacktail.  The forks are nice well defined forks. They are very symetrical accept for the g4 on one  or the front fork is almost 9 inches, where the other is short of 6.  The only thing I am worried about you not liking is the rodent chews.  They are easily fixed on this one antler, but not sure if you want to mess with it.  The shed antler form is the official score sheet to submit to the shed antler club.  I do alot of measuring with those.  Same measuring as for Boone and Pope, but its just formatted a tiny bit different, as there is no measurement for spread credit.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Boneaddict how bad are the chew marks?  How many?  Are any of the tips completely chewed off and about how far down on the worst ones?

I will tell you this.  I had a guy bring me a Texas whitetail skull and horns.  It was a 10 point ( still use to counting all the points + eye guards ).  It had hung in the tree in his back yard for 2 or 3 years.  Their were about 4 or 5 chew marks on the main beam.  All the tines except for the G4 and both brow tines were chewed on.  3 of the tines were chewed from the tip 1/2 way down just on one side.  About 1/2 the bone was gone in that area.  The repair was actually pretty easy.  Appoxie Sculp will work wonders. 

Do you think it is as bad as I just described?  If you are worried about it take a few pictures of some of the worst chew marks. 

[boneaddict]

Not that bad at all.  Most will disappear with a touch of fine sandpaper.  One tip is chewed about 2 inches from the top on one side.  A little apoxy sculpt will fix it right up.  The original horn is stillthere, so no wire or anything needed.  The matching side is ivory tipped right there. Pics comng tonight.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Boneaddict it doesn't sound like the chew marks are going to be an issue.  I am really not woried about it.

[boneaddict]

I'm actually excited for you to see these.  I was dieing to hunt this deer, but I never get over to the wet side.  Then I wanted to mount this animal, but again I would have to buy a blacktail cape and I only have about a dozen  deer mounts already.  My wife gets really nervous when I start talking about mounting some of my sheds.   

[Michelle_Nelson]

I have a very BAD habbit.  You just havn't caught the bug yet.  You are working on it though.  I am always surfing taxidermy.net's For Sale section.  Their is always some good stuff on their.  I am always buying and selling stuff.   

[boneaddict]

I think I have bought one cape.  The hair slipped really bad on it, even while it was dry salted in the box, the hair was coming out.  I tanned it and lost a whole section.  It was good practice.  I cut out the bad section and tried to use it anyways on one of my smaller mounts.  I thought it was a good lesson that I could run into in the real world if I ever decided to do taxidermy.  It was one of my first experiences on e-bay.  I left the guy negative feedback and then he was pissed because he said he would have gladly snet me another.  If he would have answered my dozen e-mails it might have been easier to convince me of that.  Maybe I didi jump the gun.  Speaking of slippage....how did the black coyote come out.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yeah, I would be pretty hesitant buying any capes off of Ebay.  From what I have seen their are only one or two people on their that know what they are doing.  I have a select few people I buy my capes from. 

Not sure.  So far everything looks good on the Black Coyote.  Tomarrow I will go shake the salt off and hang it up to dry.  So far the hair is tight and no slippage.  I realy won't know anything til I get back from the tannery.

[boneaddict]

How many times do you re-salt it, or do you have to with a coyote. 

[Michelle_Nelson]

I split and flesh all my capes.  Salt them for 24 hours and than shake the salt off.  Than I apply another layer of salt and leave it for 48 hours.  Than I shake that salt off and hang it to dry hard.  Than I can ship it to the tannery.