Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Shed Hunting => Topic started by: Maverick on January 27, 2015, 12:00:09 PM

Title: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Maverick on January 27, 2015, 12:00:09 PM: Just a thought that occurred. Antler buyers are buying brown antlers for an avg of like $10-12 a pound. Right? So are they just selling them for a little more than what they pay? If they buy for $10 a pound and sell for $13 every 1000 pounds would cost $10,000 and make a profit of $3000 selling for $13 a pound before fuel costs. Am I right or am I missing something? Who buys them? I have an idea how shed hunters sell to buyers just curious on what happens after that? Seems like there's getting to be more and more antler buyers.
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: benhuntin on January 27, 2015, 12:03:19 PM: I think there margins are a little better than that

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: kentrek on January 27, 2015, 12:03:46 PM: They take them to the east coast and sell them for an arm & Legg as chew toys....nice ones go for decorating...which is insane expensive
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Dhoey07 on January 27, 2015, 12:24:30 PM: This

http://www.petco.com/shop/searchresults.aspx?Ntt=antlers&x=0&y=0 (http://www.petco.com/shop/searchresults.aspx?Ntt=antlers&x=0&y=0)
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: runamuk on January 27, 2015, 12:29:06 PM: Interior decorating, knife and other handles, go to any pet store and you will find antler cut to chews going for $4-20 a pop depending on size, as natural dental care. Antler gets ground and used in other things. I know one elk farm for a long time made their money selling antler, meat was just a byproduct of antler production and they did not do hunts.

Antler buyers buying by the pound then sell to the craftsman or the manufacturer who then sells at retail. Same as a logger selling a tree to a mill and you buy the 2x4 and then sell the house its just part of a supply chain and along the way everyone makes some money if its working right.
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: erk444 on January 27, 2015, 05:46:38 PM: I heard somewhere that the antlers for dog chews have to be cleaned or sanitized or something like that? Not sure how its done or what to use to disinfect them?
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: trophyhunt on January 27, 2015, 05:59:37 PM: Quote from: erk444 on January 27, 2015, 05:46:38 PM
I heard somewhere that the antlers for dog chews have to be cleaned or sanitized or something like that? Not sure how its done or what to use to disinfect them?
It's amazing how expensive those dog chews are, I would have cut my antlers up and sold them as dog chews if I would have known.
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Devinshoe on January 27, 2015, 07:19:54 PM: Little chunk of bone. Lots of money.
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: trophyhunt on January 27, 2015, 07:33:31 PM: 1/4 lb of antler for 17.00 :yike: Anyone looking for antlers for dog chews I will sell them for 12.00 per 6'' to 8'' !!!!
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: huntingcl on January 27, 2015, 07:38:09 PM: I've been giving them to my dogs for years but never thought to sell them. I've seen 6" of cracked white elk antler for $35 wish I'd have thought of it, they're making a killing!!
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: trophyhunt on January 27, 2015, 07:46:42 PM: Quote from: huntingcl on January 27, 2015, 07:38:09 PM
I've been giving them to my dogs for years but never thought to sell them. I've seen 6" of cracked white elk antler for $35 wish I'd have thought of it, they're making a killing!!
$35 dollars for 6'' of antler, I just might pull my mounts off the wall!! :chuckle:
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: kentrek on January 27, 2015, 07:50:20 PM: Let's see.....i got well over 2k inches of bone last year from sheds & hunting...(2000/6)×35....maybe this hunting stuff does pay for its self :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: buglebuster on January 27, 2015, 08:03:44 PM: I have alot of money sitting in my house :chuckle: don't tell my wife that
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Maverick on January 28, 2015, 07:27:33 AM: Anyone know the laws for selling dog chews like that? Fine to post on eBay? Or need a business?
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Old Man Yager on January 28, 2015, 10:00:14 AM: Yeah, don't tell the wife what they are worth, she'll send you on a nice little fishing trip, and you'll come home to find your collection GONE !!😢
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Skillet on January 28, 2015, 11:54:19 AM: 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.

:twocents:
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: HornHoarder on January 28, 2015, 04:17:57 PM: 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 :yike:
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Skillet on January 28, 2015, 05:56:26 PM: 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... :chuckle:
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.
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: goosegooseduck on July 31, 2020, 11:35:51 PM: 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
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Buckhunter24 on August 01, 2020, 04:32:52 AM: 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= (https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/loon-peak-scruggs-24-light-unique-statement-geometric-chandelier-npqk1842.html?piid=)
Title: Re: How do antler buyers do it?
Post by: Bowhunter3 on September 09, 2020, 10:23:29 AM: Quote from: Buckhunter24 on August 01, 2020, 04:32:52 AM
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= (https://www.wayfair.com/lighting/pdp/loon-peak-scruggs-24-light-unique-statement-geometric-chandelier-npqk1842.html?piid=)

:yike: