Thousands of bull elk gathering on the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole every winter means thousands of shed antlers.  While there are some exceptions it is generally illegal for citizens to remove antlers, skulls and other natural items from national refuges and national parks.  Meanwhile, every spring, citizens go searching for antlers in national forests, BLM, state and private lands. Many are sold on the open market for everything from decorative trophies and rustic chandeliers to folk medicines allegedly able to cure maladies. Photo courtesy Lori Iverson/US Fish and Wildlife Service
Thousands of bull elk gathering on the National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole every winter means thousands of shed antlers. While there are some exceptions it is generally illegal for citizens to remove antlers, skulls and other natural items from national refuges and national parks. Meanwhile, every spring, citizens go searching for antlers in national forests, BLM, state and private lands. Many are sold on the open market for everything from decorative trophies and rustic chandeliers to folk medicines allegedly able to cure maladies. Photo courtesy Lori Iverson/US Fish and Wildlife Service