Q&A for How to Clean Deer Antlers

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  • Question
    Does boiling antlers take away from the aesthetics?.
    Community Answer
    No. Boiling not only improves aesthetics, but it removes the smell. If boiling alone does not work to your satisfaction, soak the antlers in water with added bleach.
  • Question
    I'd like to use antlers for dog chews. How long should they be cut?
    Community Answer
    I do not advise using deer antlers as dog chews. Bone splinters, depending on the age of the antlers, could possibly harm your pet. A better idea would be to ask your butcher for suitable bones for your dog to gnaw on.
  • Question
    We have antlers that were placed in a rusty container. They are now very orangey-brown. What is the best way to clean them to get off the rust?
    Community Answer
    Rust-covered deer antlers can be whitened by soaking in water plus bleach. I tend to be heavy-handed with bleach, but it won't dissolve the bone.
  • Question
    How easy would it be to find naturally occurring deer antlers?
    Community Answer
    It is not easy to find deer antlers that have naturally been shed. It is also not easy to find deer antlers from a carcass unless you are a hunter or spend a lot of time outdoors. If you are looking outdoors, you can find them on the forest floor where you know there is a population of deer. But finding them outside is difficult and can sometimes take days of searching.
  • Question
    I found a shed pair. It looks like a clean drop (no splitting or anything). Do I still need to boil, etc. as described above?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it's still a part of a wild animal and needs to be sanitized.
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