As the snow sets up enough you can begin to walk on it, the “horners” are heading out into the mountains in droves. If you happen to be a flat-lander, and the terms horning and horner are new to you, let me fill you in on what I”m talking about.
Deer and elk antlers fetch a handsome price to makers of lamps, chandeliers, tables, chairs, etc. Also, there is a market in China where they believe elk antler is a potent aphrodisiac (of course I can’t attest to that — I generally just eat the meat. Never tried the antlers?!?) So there are many who spend their weekends in the spring looking for antlers. Some are very successful (like the guy in the photo) and some aren’t, but it’s fun to be in the mountains looking for something as elusive as antlers shed the previous fall.
And even more important than money, there’s something almost magical about coming upon a huge antler lying there on the forest floor and pondering reverently about the great monarch that dropped it there.
If you’re not a horner, you could be. Just get up off the couch and get out there. You don’t need a license. You don’t need training. All you need is a love for the mountains and for the wildlife that lives there. You know you’re always welcome in Island Park. We look forward to seeing the back of your truck filled with elk antlers next time you drive through.
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