Jackson Hole Antler auction
This weekend marks the beginning of the true tourist season in the Northern Rockies and one of the last semi local events is the Annual Jackson Hole Elk Antler auction. and Elkfest. Some how these Bison skulls reminded me of the upcoming season. Maybe it has something to do with all of the Bison burgers that will be over cooked and sold in the next few months or maybe it reminds me of how much the town of Jackson bores me.
The Pr below tells the story. of Elkfest.
Elkfest is a weekend of activities built around the world famous Jackson Hole Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction. It is an exciting time for celebrating nature, outdoor skills, hunting and ecological education and awareness. Elkfest will be celebrating the 43rd Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction this year. The first Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction was in 1968. Since then several groups joined the activities on that day and in 2002 expanded to what is now known as Elkfest.
Every spring, thousands of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge shed their antlers before they migrate to their summer range. The Boy Scouts harvest the shed antlers and auction them to the highest bidder at the Jackson Hole Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction. The bidders sometimes represent other buyers, some resell the antler in the raw. Then there are those who are looking for just the right antler for making furniture, light fixtures, jewelry and other crafts from them. Others just want a nice rack for hanging on their den wall. Money raised at the auction is used for long-term projects that will help the elk for many years. It is used for improvements to the habitat like growing more natural grasses, improving irrigation on the refuge and purchasing equipment used for this type of work. It also helps pay for summer workers who spend the summer irrigating the fields to help grow grasses the elk can eat during the winte
