Ivory tips?

[TahoeWesternHunter]

I just finished my first antelope hunt and am very happy with my buck. The taxidermist mentioned that the horns had ivory tips, something I didn't know was particularly noteworthy. Can anyone explain what makes this noteworthy? Is it actually ivory or is that just a description? Thanks for helping a newbie...

 

[1_pointer]

Pretty sure it's just a description of the white at the end of the horn. It's noteworthy because a lot of bucks chip/break them off.

 

[MT_elk]

Ivory tips on an antelope are not actual ivory. It's where the buck has polished them up and they turn white, looking live ivory. It is somewhat unique and a great bonus. Any pics?

 

[TahoeWesternHunter]

 

[TahoeWesternHunter]

Thanks guys, I come from a mulie background so this is helpful! I really enjoyed this hunt tho and so happy with the hunt and the animal.

 

[wytex]

Ivory tips are usually only on older, mature bucks.

 

[Crumb]

I would venture to guess you will enjoy the meat as well, Imo one of the best tasting wild game!

 

[Khunter]

tell us more about the hunt!

 

[TahoeWesternHunter]

I was fortunate to draw out of state NV antelope with 2 bonus points. My father has hunted antelope only once, 30 years ago, so it was something fairly unfamiliar. I drew for area 111-115 which is east of Ely. We scouted 2.5 days in June and found some great bucks and several water guzzlers in an area with rolling hills and scattered trees that sometimes we're very think. We arrived for the hunt on Saturday for opening day on Monday. I spent serous time behind the spotting scope (mostly from camp) and saw several different groups visiting a specific guzzler (over 2 miles from camp) throughout the day prior to opening day. There were 4 other antelope outfits in the area and I knew they had seen these groups and bucks as well. I decided I wouldn't try and pressure that specific guzzler opening day and instead was able to hike quickly up through a burn area that was on the highest open hillside .5 mile south from the guzzler. This would allow me to glass where the groups were pressured into by the other hunters and then stalk into the trees for an opportunity. Well, we were in position about 15 minutes before shooting time and it all worked out better than I could have drawn up. A Razor drove right into the guzzler area in the first 30 minutes of shooting time. That pressured a group to up over a nearby ridge to where my dad and I were setup. About 200 yards below where we were positioned was a road and the group of antelope started walking it. We didn't immediately see them because we were glassing much further distances but I always mix up between the spotting scope, binos and naked eye. When I scanned with the naked eye I saw the group and immediately switched out my scope on my tripod to a shooting "Y". My dad said the last animal was a shooter and the rest is pretty much already known. Best part, my dad was so proud because it went perfectly (actually better) then we planned. I had the first shots in the valley that morning on a buck I couldn't be happier with.

 

[7mm08mo]

Sounds like an excellent time you had with your dad, congrats on a nice buck.

 

[duckhunt]

Congrats

 

[JohnCushman]

Good job!! Can't beat sharing it with your dad and a great buck to boot!

 

[MT_elk]

Congrats on a great hunt.

 

[walking buffalo]

Ivory tips on an antelope are not actual ivory. It's where the buck has polished them up and they turn white, looking live ivory. It is somewhat unique and a great bonus. Any pics?

Not so MT_elk,

The "Ivory tip" is the very first growth of keratin from the horn core in the production of the new horn, which starts growing Before the existing horn is shed in early winter.

Some info on Pronghorn horn growth can be found here.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=AV...IQzAJ#v=onepage&q=ivory tips on horns&f=false