Deer Antler Arrowpoints and Flakers

[The Grim Reaper]

I had these out the other night taking some new pictures and figured I might as well share them with everyone.

The pictures didn't load in order but pictures numbers 2, 5, and 6 are some Preforms and a few Flakers. All of the pieces with cut marks would eventually become Antler Arrowpoints. Pics number 9 through 12 show you how these were drilled and cut down before being sharpened to a tip. I used to think these were just throw away pieces and they only used the tips of Antlers, but they made two Arrows from one piece.

Picture number 13 are three pieces of diseased Antler that have been worked. All three show striations and flat spots from grinding. I have a friend who found of these that had been hollowed out with a mouth and antlers engraved on it and two holes drilled for suspension that also formed eyes. One of the baddest Antler pieces I've ever seen.

The last two pictures show an Arrowpoint with the Flint Drill used to drill it out broken off in it.

All ll the other pictures are of the Arrowpoints and Flakers I have found. Various Ft Ancient sites in my area. The ones with really sharp tips are Arrowpoints and the ones that are curved or with rounded tips are Flakers.

If anyone has any feel free to add them.

 

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[sandchip]

Those are incredible, Grim. Y'all must have much kinder soil up that way than we do down here. Thanks for sharing those with us.

 

[Rookster]

Very nice collection.

 

[Tony in SC]

That's a good looking layout. I think we don't find antler or bone down here because of the squirrels and rats? In the second pic on the bottom, are those teeth?

 

[The Grim Reaper]

That's a good looking layout. I think we don't find antler or bone down here because of the squirrels and rats? In the second pic on the bottom, are those teeth?

We have the same problem for us too. If we don't find these quickly after they hit the surface the rodents will gnaw on them for the calcium. The pieces you are asking about are Turkey Spurs. We find a bunch of these so they must have used them for something.

 

[1320]

Nice array and commentary! A mature Wild Turkey spur is the sharpest, hardest "thing" I've ever encountered in nature. I can imagine many uses for them. If you ever shoot a Wild Turkey, make sure it's grave yard dead before you handle it!

 

[monsterrack]

That is a super collection of bone items Grim.

 

[A2coins]

Nice collection Ive never seen one and we have lots of deer
Ive seen people make lamps out of deer racks big money, great post

 

[T.C.]

Are these all personal finds?

 

[catherine1]

Here are the ones I pulled out of the midden at my farm. The whole antler in the top row was cut but not snapped off. The midden was full of shell and ashes which helps preserve them. I think the Grim has these now. He has acquired quite a few of the artifacts from this site..........for his museum.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Here are the ones I pulled out of the midden at my farm. The whole antler in the top row was cut but not snapped off. The midden was full of shell and ashes which helps preserve them. I think the Grim has these now. He has acquired quite a few of the artifacts from this site..........for his museum.

I think I only one from you. Pretty sure I don't have any of those. Nice examples though for sure.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Are these all personal finds?

Everything in picture number 3 is a personal find except for the 6 in the middle row on the left. Everything in the other tray (picture 2) is and they are all from the same site.

 

[catherine1]

i think these are the ones you have then.......I traded them back to you for that cannel coal pendant. These were found about 40 feet next to the midden. And I found the drill with them. Ha. i can't believe the condition.....I treated all my bone and antler artifacts finds with Gomer's solution. Sorry the pic is a little blurry.

 

[arrow86]

Here are the ones I pulled out of the midden at my farm. The whole antler in the top row was cut but not snapped off. The midden was full of shell and ashes which helps preserve them. I think the Grim has these now. He has acquired quite a few of the artifacts from this site..........for his museum.

That would be awesome to have such a site on your own property what state are you in?

 

[sawmill man]

That is a very nice collection, so rare to find these days .i only have two in my entire collection and were found in a very hard packed dry cliff. are you guys able to put time periods with these? these are the type of pieces that always were a mystery to me.

 

[Kace]

Nice array and commentary! A mature Wild Turkey spur is the sharpest, hardest "thing" I've ever encountered in nature. I can imagine many uses for them. If you ever shoot a Wild Turkey, make sure it's grave yard dead before you handle it!

HAHA...Yes The Spurs Are Extremely Sharp and Hard! Graveyard Dead Is A Must Before Handling!!

I was sitting on a round hay bale leaning against a tree close to a corner section when I saw 4 big Gobblers heading towards me through the woods I was facing. They jumped the fence into the pasture and were staying pretty close together going after grasshoppers.

I was waiting for them to split up a bit before I fired so the shot wouldn't hit more than one..I was maybe 20-25 yards away. Finally they started drifting apart and I shot the one on the far right side....He fell and anyone who's ever shot a turkey knows how their wings flap for a bit before they are still.

Anyway...Then the bird closest to him fell over backwards completely still...I was really upset at myself thinking I didn't wait long enough and here you can't shoot more than one turkey per day.

All kinds of thoughts were racing through my head about the fines I was going to have to pay etc. I even was thinking I will tell DOC I wouldn't hunt anymore that season...to consider that my limit...the birds could be donated to some family that needed the meat...how sorry I was for not gauging the shot spread correctly etc lol!

I jump off the hay bale and over the fence next to it and walk over to where they were laying..I lay down my gun and I pick up the one I shot at by the neck up close to his head and smooth out the feathers, looked at his beard and lay him back down. The second bird looked like his twin...I picked him up the same way, holding him out in front of me. He Wasnt Dead! He wasn't even shot! He either fainted or was playing possum....And the attack was on!!

I had a lite weight camo long sleeve shirt on, a t-shirt and a heavy camo flannel shirt that was halfway unbuttoned on plus a turkey vest. That Turkey started flogging me upside my head, biting and spurring me..ripping every shirt but the flannel one cause it was unbuttoned with his spurs...I let go of him...he attacked me again so I grabbed his neck again and we both went to the ground...Im covered in blood from getting pecked and spurred, my shirts are flapping in the wind and he wouldn't stop or leave.

I held him down with my knee on his neck and my body over his..he was kinda on his side then and still swinging his spurs and pecking, trying to bite. I tried again to get away from him, he wouldn't stop the attacking. It was weird. I finally had to kill him bare handed.. he just wouldn't stop. All of this probably went on 10minutes from the time I picked him up.

I was cut, scratched,bloody,bitten and bruised....From A Turkey! LOL!!

I put both birds in the truck after buttoning my shirt and headed into town to the check station...I had no idea what they would do about this. I was on my property and the guys thought I was crazy for going in, but ya never know who is watching from a distance...I got there and went in and asked the game warden to come out to the truck...those guys were asking if I had gotten hit by shot cause of all the blood. I explained to the GW what happened and he just broke out laughing so hard and calling everyone out to tell them...at that point I was getting embarrassed and just wanted it over.

They did check the second bird over completely and didn't find one pellet/shot on him. They told me to keep both birds and my Season Was Over...Both Tags Filled!!

They Both Weighed Exactly 22lbs, Beard and Spurs Were Exactly The Same Length...I Think all 4 birds were from the same hatch and just never split up.

I'll Never Forget That Turkey Hunt!! I still have a couple of scars to show from it!

Kace

 

[Kace]

That An Awesome Collection You Have!

Kace

 

[The Grim Reaper]

That An Awesome Collection You Have!

Kace

Thank you.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Kace, great story by the way.