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Community => Taxidermy & Scoring => Topic started by: runningboard on November 23, 2009, 12:44:44 PM

Title: antler coloring
Post by: runningboard on November 23, 2009, 12:44:44 PM: question; my daughter got a whitetail buck with nice dark chocolate colored antlers, after skinning, dressing, hanging the antlers are getting lighter in color and are approaching yellow. what's going on? anything I can do to keep them dark or return them to darkness?
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: spur_ride on November 23, 2009, 12:53:19 PM: :dunno: i've never heard of that befor. weird. :dunno:
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: bow4elk on November 23, 2009, 12:55:59 PM: Quote from: spur_ride on November 23, 2009, 12:53:19 PM
:dunno: i've never heard of that befor. weird. :dunno:

me either...strange? Can you take a photo and post?
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: runningboard on November 23, 2009, 05:03:33 PM: I only have a picture when she got it just now, I'll take a picture of it later and post. was only like 24-30 hours
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: bucklucky on November 23, 2009, 05:24:24 PM: Are they just drying out??
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: Joe_Hunter on November 23, 2009, 05:44:05 PM: I know I Know

You have a pesky squirrel :pee:
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: HerdBull on November 23, 2009, 05:48:56 PM: Get any Bleach on them at all? :dunno:

I have a 350 Elk shed that I found. Is slightly bleached naturally. Thought perhaps putting a little mineral oil on it might help bring out the darker tones. But then it would attract dust. Has anyone got an idea for this one?
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: Joe_Hunter on November 23, 2009, 06:02:30 PM: herdbull:
Most taxidermy supply companies sell antler stain. some guys will use wood stain and even others will use oil base paints available from most crafting stores. I've used all and have had good results with all. I will say that sheds have the tendency to not take stain very well so several applications may be necessary to get a good effect.
Good luck
I would also suggest to searching "antler staining" on www.taxidermy.net
:twocents:
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: the1rod on November 23, 2009, 06:32:22 PM: Well i don't know how long it will last, but my dad had an old set of antlers that had bleached out, when he got his deer this year he rubbed some blood on the old antlers, it rubbed into them and darkened them up real good. like i said, i don't know how long it will lasts, but it looks good for now.
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on November 24, 2009, 08:28:21 AM: Pictures would help, I usually use a couple of dark stains to re-color the antlers in. If they are drying out and you have them outside it could slightly change the colors, but not bad.

If you are going to use stain, wipe it on, leave it sit for a couple of seconds then wipe it right back off.

Some of the stains you get at the taxidermy supply company's will not put them back to dark, unless you play with them quite a bit.
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: Sneaky on November 24, 2009, 08:35:45 AM: A paper towel with some hard used diesel motor oil works great on bleached out sheds. Use sparingly.
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: huntandjeep on November 24, 2009, 01:51:04 PM: i used wild antler magic on a couple sets of my sheds. works pretty good got it at www.wildantlercreations.com
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: fishcrazy on November 24, 2009, 06:21:59 PM: My dad shot a whitetail 2 years ago that did the same thing. It was wet when he shot it and had that cool chocolate color. As the horns dried they had a more normal lighter color.

Kris
Title: Re: antler coloring
Post by: MtnMuley on November 24, 2009, 07:42:55 PM: Indeed weird! Must have been wet antlers.... :dunno: