Bowhunters have long known what others are just now figuring out: Antlers are awesome.
From high fashion to home décor, antlers are having a serious moment in pop culture. In fact, even faux antlers are popping up in shops everywhere. But why buy fakes when you can find real ones out in the woods? Deer, elk and moose are beginning to shed their antlers, which means shed hunters will soon be scouring the countryside with their eyes glued to the ground.
Whether you’re hunting sheds or you already have a few racks or sheds lying around, you can display them in your home after completing some simple and useful do-it-yourself projects.
Looking for a creative way to hang jewelry and show off the deer you harvested? What better than to use it as a decorative holder. Photo Credit: TurqouiseOwlDesign via Etsy
Antler tines are great for hanging jewelry. Scour Pinterest, and you’ll find many examples and variations of antlers being used to hang necklaces and other jewelry. Creative craftsmen find many ways to make jewelry holders, but here’s an easy step-by-step guide you can easily tailor to your tastes.
The great thing about DIY antler hangers is you can tailor the design to fit the space or the size and shape of the antler. Photo Credit: FarmhouseDesignandFurniture
Antlers can also be used to hang coats, scarves, towels and much more. Another great thing about DIY antler hangers is that you can tailor the design to fit a space, or the size and shape of the antler. With larger sheds from elk, moose or caribou, a single antler can serve as the hanger. With smaller sheds, you can screw several sheds to a board to create an elegant and functional hanger for your home or cabin. Here’s a step-by-step guide to create a rustic coat rack from multiple sheds and a log. Antlers can also make a statement in your bathroom as a toilet-paper holder.
If you both are avid hunters, what better way than to incorporate your shared passion than in your wedding. Plus it makes it an easy decision to plan a theme around. Photo Credit: GoReturnMe.com
Here’s a DIY idea from yours truly: My husband asked me to marry him during a bowhunting trip, so we wanted to add some hunting flair to our wedding without going over-the-top.
Thanks to some Pinterest inspiration and successful hunts, I created antler centerpieces for our reception by setting antlers on tables next to candles, pinecones and mason jars holding my wedding flowers. The centerpieces were quick, easy and cheap, and they looked elegant, rustic and — most important — personal. If you’re a hunting couple, you’ll find lots of fun ways to incorporate antlers into your wedding.
A big trend right now is adding a flower crown to your mount to give it an added vibe. Photo Credit: Crystal Oak via IG
Antlers provide endless home décor options. European mounts make great wall hangers, and they’re a fun, unique way to remember a hunt. Add a flower crown, and you’re right on trend. Antlers make beautiful art, after all, and some people decorate their antlers and skull mounts with jewels and paint.
Antlers set on bookshelves and coffee tables also add a rustic flair to any home. Speaking of coffee, antlers can be crafted to make mug holders. They also make elegant candleholders. Georgia Pellegrini, author of “Girl Hunter,” teaches you how to make a candleholder with these step-by-step instructions.
It may take some time to assemble it the way you want, but in the end you’ll have an amazing homemade lamp to show off to your friends. Photo Credit: CastHornDesigns
If you’d like to build something a little more complicated from your antlers, consider an antler lamp. Such projects require quite a bit of assembly, but this video is a great tutorial for those with the time and proper tools to do the job.
A little more ornate than a simple lamp, but once completed will add a sense of flare to any hunting-inspired room. Photo Credit: eBay Guides
Antler-crafted chandeliers light up any room, whether it’s in a fancy ski lodge or a rustic cabin. You’ll need lots of sheds to make one, but a DIY antler chandelier would be a gorgeous addition to your home. Here’s a tutorial video that guides you through the project. (It’s a little slow at first, but it’s helpful and delivers beautiful results.)
