Jackson elk antlers fetch record bids

Bidders from around the world participated in the 50th annual Boy Scout Antler Auction in Jackson Saturday. Antlers collected on the National Elk Refuge were sold at a public auction. This year, 9,672 pounds of antlers were sold, just 4 pounds shy of the previous 10-year average. Bidders paid a record-setting average of $18.79 per pound, topping the $17.03 per pound average seen in 2015 and a notable 53 percent increase over the 10-year average.
134 bidders took part in the auction, which raised $192,759, which was the third highest in the nation’s 50-year history. The highest price paid for a matched set was $102 per pound, bid on a 26-pound, 6×6 set with a Boone and Crockett score of 389. Scouts and scout leaders donate about 2,000 hours to prepare and execute the sale. Under a unique agreement, the scouts receive a share of the proceeds. 75% is returned to the National Elk Refuge, which manages approximately 25,000 acres as winter range for the Jackson Elk Herd. The remaining 25 percent stay with the Jackson District Boy Scouts to supplement the cost of day camps, training, and other activities.