Eighty percent (80%) of the proceeds from the auction are donated by the Boy Scouts to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service toward elk management and habitat enhancement on the refuge.  The antler pickup by the Scouts began in the late 1950s to reduce damage to feeding equipment, prevent trespassing by antler thieves, and prevent disturbance to the elk herds.

Antlers are collected on the National Elk Refuge each spring by the Jackson District Boy Scouts under a special use permit.  The antlers are sorted, bundled, weighed, tagged, and sold at the public auction in the Jackson Town Square each May.  More than 200 Scouts and adult leaders work for nearly 2,000 hours with refuge personnel during the annual antler project, which includes litter cleanup on the refuge.

More than 150 bidders from 28 states, representing local buyers, Asian markets, western export houses, and regional crafts people comprise the annual crowd.  Antlers are crafted into many items, including chandeliers, furniture, knife handles, belt buckles, and buttons, or they are ground to a powder for use as a reputed aphrodisiac and medicinal properties popular in the parts of Asia.

The antler arches at each corner of the Jackson Town Square were built from antlers from the refuge, and antlers are donated by the refuge to the town to refurbish the arches. 

Antler Auction Facts

• Approximate amount sold per year- 10,000-11,000 pounds
• Average weight per 6-point antler- 10-12 pounds
• Lowest average price per pound- $0.50 in 1968
• Highest average price per pound- 14.07 in 1989
• Highest price per pound for one set- $170.00
• Recent average price- $9.51 per pound

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