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Whitetail Antler Values

There is not much grey area in the whitetail antler trade, people either seem to accept it or despise it. Regardless of which side of the fence you come down on, there is no denying that there are collectors out there that are willing to lay down the greenbacks for unique whitetail antlers of significant size and notoriety.

Unfortunately, some hunters have been fooled into believing that shooting a trophy caliber whitetail will bring them untold riches. Simply put, they are wrong.

At a whitetail deer expo in 2005, a hunter approached me with his buddy in tow and said, "You've got to settle a dispute for us". Pointing at his buddy he said, "He thinks a new world record typical whitetail (one scoring more than 213 5/8) would only be worth a million dollars to an antler collector. I say the price would be more like 2, 3 even 5 million. Which one of us is right?"

When I told them that neither of them was even close, they both felt kind of foolish and eventually explained that they had gotten caught up in the urban legends about antler prices that are being tossed around in internet chat rooms.

While a whitetail buck with typical antlers scoring over 200" might bring you offers of upwards of 20, 30 or even 50,000 dollars for a unique animal with a storied history that was harvested legally, stories about such animals bringing in a million or two are simply absurd and wildly exaggerated.

General rules to consider when placing a value on antlers:
1. Pristine antlers are worth more than a set that has been repaired because of breakage
2. Uniqueness and perfection can both increase value
3. Bow kills are generally worth more than gun kills or pick ups
4. An interesting story behind the buck increases value
5. Old yellow racks that have been aging in back room of a smoke filled watering hole are worth less than antlers that have been properly cared for

Consider this:
Bass Pro Shops, owner of the Jordan Buck and the Hole in the Horn bucks have them insured for $200,000 each. The non-typical record Lovstuen Buck was sold to Bass Pro Shops for an undisclosed amount, but the 2nd highest bid was by a private party offering $100,000.

Antler Values
I spoken with many collectors and experts on modern day whitetail antler values and here is a ball park figure of what your rack might be worth if you are able to find the right collector. Note: your antlers might be worth more or less than the values stated below.

Typical Antlers
170 Up to $1000
171-174 $1000 - $2000
175-179 $2000 - $4000
180-184 $4000 - $6000
185-190 $6000 - $10,000
191-195 $10,000 - $15,000
196-200 $15,000 - $25,000
200+ $25,000 +

Non-typical Antlers
195 Up to $1500
196-205 $1500 - $2500
206-215 $2500 - $4500
216-225 $4500 - $7000
226-235 $7000 - $10000
236-245 $10000 - $17,500
246-255 $17,500 - $22,000
256-265 $22,500 - $25,000
266-275 $25,000 - $35,000
276-285 $35,000 - $45,000
286-295 $45,000 - $50,000
295-300 $50,000 - $60,000
300+ $60,000+

(2005 Data)