Animal Facts
With the exception of Caribou and
Reindeer only the males have antlers.
Mature males shed their antlers once a
year in November/December and
replace them with new larger ones. They
are formed of living tissue supplied by
blood through a network of vessels
covered with a soft smooth skin called VELVET. Eventually
the tissue solidifies, the velvet is scraped off and the
antlers become completely formed of mineralized dead
matter. Their main function is for display during the
mating season and dominance within the herd.
Animal Facts
I find a handful of shed antlers every year, but most are purchased through sources verified to be 100% fair chase compliant. All antlers are
ethically harvested.
Cool Facts About Antlers & the Animals Who Wear Them…
Most of my antler chandeliers are made from elk and mule deer antlers from the all over the country and includes several antlers and light bulbs.
Elk and mule deer antlers are dropped, or ‘shed’ in the spring and collected by hikers and shed antler pickers, who gather and sell them. Elk and mule
deer grow new, larger antlers each year until they reach their prime age of about 6-8 years old, at which point their antlers are no longer shed and
reach their maximum size.
ANTLERS VS HORNS
All male members of the deer family in North America shed their antlers annually, including Moose, Whitetail Deer, Blacktail Deer, Sitka Deer, Couse
Deer, Reindeer, and Caribou. Reindeer and Caribou are the only deer species in which the female also grow antlers!
The horned animals in North America include the 4 sub-species of wild sheep, antelope, Bison, and Mountain Goat. Those species are not members of
the deer family and carry their horns their entire life. The two terms, antler and horn, get mixed up a lot, but they are completely different. Antlers
are actually covered in a blood bearing tissue called “velvet” when in the growth stage. In late summer, blood flow gets restricted due to an annual
spike in testosterone, and antlers slowly morph into a hard bone by fall, then they are shed in spring. The shedding of antlers is caused by the new
antler bud pushing the old one off right at the base of the skull.
Horn is a two-part structure made up of an interior portion of bone that is covered by an exterior sheath of specialized hair follicles that grow
together and harden over time. Horn constantly adds to itself at the base of the skull, pushing the hardened portion forward and creating the
curved shapes we see.
Antlers
The origin of the word MOOSE is from the Algonquian
Indians to mean 'eater of twigs'
Description: The largest cervid in the world; horse-size.
Long, dark brown hair. High, humped shoulders; long,
slender legs; tail inconspicuous. Huge pendulous muzzle;
large dewlap under chin; large ears. Male much larger than female, with
massive palmate antlers, broadly flattened. Antler spread usually 4–5'
(1.2–1.5 m); record 6' 9" (2.06 m). Breeding Mates mid-September through
late October; after gestation of 8 months, 1 or 2 calves born late May–early
June. Newborn weighs 24–35 lb (11–16 kg). habitat Spruce forest, swamps,
and aspen and willow thickets. Range Most of Canada; in the East south to
Maine, Minnesota, and Isle Royale in Lake Superior; in the West, Alaska,
British Columbia, and southeast through Rocky Mountains to NE Utah and
NW Colorado.
Moose
Description: A very large cervid, with thick
neck and slender legs. Brown or tan above;
under parts darker. Rump patch and tail
yellowish brown. Male (known as a bull) has
dark brown mane on throat and large, many-
tined antlers: 6 tines on each side when mature, with main beam
up to 5' (1.5 m). Males weight 600–1,089 lb (272–494 kg), female
450–650 lb (204–295 kg). Range chiefly high, open mountain
pastures; in winter, lower wooded slopes, often dense woods.
Range From e British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and
Manitoba south to New Mexico and Arizona, with great numbers
in Washington, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. Also along coast
from Vancouver Island to California; isolated populations
elsewhere in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan. Small numbers
in several eastern states, notably Pennsylvania. The Elk is
primarily nocturnal, but is especially active at dusk and dawn.
Elk
White Tail Deer
Description: Size varies greatly; a small to
medium-size deer. Tan or reddish brown above in
summer; grayish brown in winter. Belly, throat,
nose band, eye ring, and inside of ears are white.
Tail brown, edged with white above, often with
dark stripe down center; white below. Black spots on sides of chin.
Buck’s antlers have main beam forward, several un branched tines
behind, and a small brow tine; antler spread to 3' (90 cm). Doe rarely
has antlers. Male weight 150–310 lb (68–141 kg), female 90–211 lb
(41–96 kg).Range Southern half of southern tier of Canadian
provinces; most of U.S., except far Southwest. Although primarily
nocturnal, the White-tailed Deer may be active at any time. It often
moves to feeding areas along established trails, then spreads out to
feed.
American Bison
Description: The largest terrestrial animal in North
America. Dark brown, with shaggy mane and beard. Long
tail with tuft at tip. Broad, massive head; humped
shoulders; short legs clothed with shaggy hair; large
hooves. Both sexes have short black horns with pointed tips that protrude
from the top of the head, above and behind the eyes, curving outward, then
in. Horn spread to 3’ (90 cm). Males weight 991–2,000 lb (450–900 kg),
female 793–1,013 lb (360–460 kg). Habitat Varied; primarily plains, prairies,
and river valleys; sometimes forests. Range Historically ranged from South
Northwest Territories to Northwest Mexico, Texas, and Mississippi, and
east to Southwest New York, South Carolina, and Georgia. Now large, free-
ranging herds only at Wood Buffalo National Park, Mackenzie Bison
Sanctuary, and Slave River Lowlands in Northwest Territories, Canada, and in
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Small free-ranging herds in Alaska, NE
British Columbia, NW Saskatchewan, and Northwest Territories. The
American Bison is most active in early morning and late afternoon, but
sometimes also on moonlit nights.
Description: A small bovid. White above and
below, often with yellowish or brownish cast;
hooves yellowish brown. Horns of ram massive,
light yellow, with well-defined growth rings
flaring out and away from head; about 3' the
largest recorded size; horn spread to 3' (90 cm). Males weight 174-
200 lb (79-91 kg), female 100-125 lb (45-57 kg). Similar Species
Bighorn Sheep is brown, has larger, thicker horns, and occurs to the
south. Habitat Rocky, mountainous areas. Range Disjunct
populations in Alaska, Yukon, Mackenzie district (Northwest
Territories), and British Columbia. Dall's Sheep is diurnal. Its habits
are similar to those of the Bighorn Sheep, but it seems more wary
and agile.
Dall’s Sheep
Petrified wood has been preserved for millions of years by the process of petrification . This process turns the wood into
quartz crystal which is very brittle and shatters. Even though petrified wood is fragile, it is also harder than steel. Petrified
wood is known for it's exquisite color and detail. Some pieces of petrified wood have retained the original cellular structure of
the wood and the grain can easily be seen.
Petrified wood can be found throughout the desert regions. It is easy to find and identify. It is used often in jewelry making and for other types of
decorative artwork. The process of petrification begins with three raw ingredients: wood, water and mud. Petrification of the wood found in the
Petrified Forest began during the Triassic Period when the primitive conifer fell to the ground and into the waterways on a journey through time.
The logs were swept and tumbled downstream with sediment and other debris. The mud that covered the logs contained volcanic ash which was a key
ingredient in the petrification process. When the volcanic ash began to decompose it released chemicals into the water and mud. As the water seeped
into the wood the chemicals from the volcanic ash reacted to the wood and formed into quartz crystals. As the crystals grew over time, the wood
became encased in the crystals which over millions of years, turned the wood into stone.
Petrified Wood
Bristlecone Pine is the oldest inhabitants on earth with living specimens dated at 9,000 years old! Bristlecones are only found on
the harsh windswept mountaintops of the Great Basin in the western United States. Occurring in only six western states, many
of the trees living today were seedlings when the pyramids were being constructed, mature in the time of Christ, and ancient
patriarchs today.
Bristlecone trees can remain standing for hundreds of years after death and will not fall until their supporting root system is
undermined by erosion. Bristlecone wood has a high resin content, preventing rot and decay. Fallen trees resist natural
destructive elements on the ground for thousands of years. Many of our items are made or trimmed with Bristlecone Pine. The increasingly high
demand and very limited availability of this precious wood guarantees each privileged owner a "one of a kind" work of art providing lifetimes of
enjoyment.
Bristlecone Pine
Description: This polished slab of agate Cryptocrystalline Quarts has been cut from a nodule which was mined in Southern
Brazil. Concentric, waving and irregular banding patterns owe their form to intermittent depositions by silica rich solutions in
hardened lava air pockets. These deposits of silica reflect the irregular shape of the cavity in which they are formed. Metallic
impurities of iron and aluminum are responsible for naturally contrasting colors. Very rich royal blue, deep black and dark red
colors are from dyes used to enhance the color of the porous,finely crystallized banded silica of the agate.
Brazilian Agate