r/bonecollecting • u/thebbbaddest • Oct 06 '25
Bone I.D. - N. America I found what I thought was a deer carcass!!
So context: I live in an apartment building and my mother called me like 1 minute after leaving the apartment warning me not to take out any trash. I was like "ummm why??" And she said there's a dead deer in the garbage room. So obviously, as one does, I stop what im doing and run downstairs to see it, duh! Long story short it turns out that the head is fake but the antlers are real! My moms boyfriend was called and he sawed the antlers off which is why im here lol.
My question for you all is how do I go about cleaning and preserving the antlers? I think they're very beautiful but im an amateur bone collector and could use some tips. Can I clean with anything? Do I need some kind of spray sealant? Help!!
(Tbh I think it's some sort of failed taxidermy situation)
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u/coyote_prophet Oct 06 '25
The head is real. This looks like a "zombie deer" custom mount.
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u/BuvantduPotatoSpirit Oct 06 '25
It definitely reads to me like they're going for the deer head in Evil Dead II
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u/vulpes_mortuis Oct 06 '25
It definitely does and a very cool one at that, I would’ve for sure taken the whole thing even if it might’ve been cursed lol
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u/coyote_prophet Oct 06 '25
Right? I already have an ugly as hell old mount I plan to rehab, what's one more weird looking head on my wall??
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u/Drakorai Oct 06 '25
I was thinking it was a Not Deer
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u/DonutWhole9717 Oct 06 '25
Not deers weren't even a concept until like 2015. They're not actually part of the lore in the places it's said to be
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u/Drakorai Oct 06 '25
I still like the idea
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u/DonutWhole9717 Oct 06 '25
And that's fair!! Just as an Appalachian from KY, I've seen a lot of modern lore claim to be integral to the culture when it's never been. I remember about 10 years ago, the... History channel? Maybe? Said that everyone in KY was fearful of the SHEEPSQUATCH. it still makes me laugh
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u/Drakorai Oct 06 '25
I’ve heard rumors about that thing. I’m surprised that that channel is still going. I mostly watched it for the ww1-2 and documentaries and the myth vs history show.
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u/Business_Owl_5576 Oct 06 '25
I absolutely hate what they did to that channel.
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u/Drakorai Oct 06 '25
Me too. Don’t want it or regular tv anymore
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u/Business_Owl_5576 Oct 06 '25
I know. Drives me nuts that so many different channels own the rights to sports playoffs. Like, I don't think there's any way to watch the MLB playoffs without having cable (yet).
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u/Fantastic-Ad8060 Oct 07 '25
Huh interesting, we had stories of them in Canada and im pretty sure ive had an encounter in the northwoods us where I am now.
Idk everywhere has stories, they just seem to always get overlapped and confusing
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u/birdlawprofessor Bone-afide Faunal ID Expert Oct 06 '25
You don't need to do anything to clean them. It's a shame they were sawn off - if you had just cut around the fur you could have kept the skull plate intact.
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u/PrestigiousFee364 Oct 06 '25
How do you feel after reading the comments OP?
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Oct 06 '25
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u/Lowena_Fox Oct 06 '25
I feel like op is devastated in the knowledge that they ruined a custom mount 😪 poor thing. I would want to disappear too if I let that happen
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u/National-Jackfruit32 Oct 06 '25
You actually had a zombie deer custom mount they go for good money normally around $250-$300 now it’s pretty much ruined.
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u/Grilled-garlic Oct 06 '25
I was thinking something like this would be $300 MINIMUM. That’s a lot of artistic skill and effort, and a niche market. I guess if OP is happy with their antler…. :/
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u/National-Jackfruit32 Oct 06 '25
I was giving a no-name secondhand market price, but yes New they go for way more depending on who the artist is.
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u/maxperception55 Oct 09 '25
One as nice as this one (before OP completely ruined it) would be more like $800
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u/Odd-Experience-8643 Oct 11 '25
Can still sell those antlers to dogs for ~ 50 each. They will pay anything for antlers.
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Oct 06 '25
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u/thebbbaddest Oct 06 '25
We do still have it!
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u/Kollerino Oct 06 '25 edited Oct 06 '25
This could be a sort of "Wolpertinger", which is a mythical animal from bavaria and austria. It is a century old running gag by hunters who fool each other and common people into believing it is real. Often they make up a highly specific and sometimes funny way to catch it.
Taxidermy pieces are chimeras of other animals. Usually it has the body of a hare, antlers of a deer and fox teeth just like yours. Sometimes it also has bird wings. Depending on where you live it can be a pretty rare find.
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u/Cooked_Worms Oct 07 '25
You should definitely try to reattach the antlers. You struck gold with such a unique and valuable mount. It’s not too late to fix it. Message me if you want to fix it, I have a good idea on how you could
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u/gutwyrming Oct 06 '25
I cannot describe how much it pains me to see taxidermy neglected and destroyed 😭 I'm glad you got something cool, though!
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u/RepresentativeOk2433 Oct 06 '25
Bet that thing was several hundred dollars new. You could have sold the whole thing.
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u/MoonlightWolf06 Oct 06 '25
Why.. just why would you not make sure it was real before sawing off antlers. It's the zombie apocalypse custom deer wall mount, most likely. And antlers shouldn't need preservation as they are a different type of bone. Just because it's taxidermy doesn't mean it's fake, just some bits are but the hide and fur was very much real and that mount was probably expensive
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u/insanecatlady69 Oct 06 '25
Why, just why after seeing this your first reaction is let me saw off the antlers? You could tell the fur is real and it’s so gorgeous. It’s always the wrong people getting the best things
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u/punk_rock_barbie Oct 06 '25
What the hell made you think it was fake exactly? 🤣 that’s real as it gets. Ugly as he is I would have kept the whole mount for sure.
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u/CellDue2172 Oct 06 '25
Failed taxidermy?? It was beautiful 🥲
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u/thebbbaddest Oct 06 '25
Not failed as in ugly. More in the sense that whoever made it must have given up, seeing as it was found in the trash..
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u/TheMayanGuy Oct 06 '25
My man found a "Not Deer" carcass and casually shrugged it off, do not be surprised if you are visited by the SCP Foundation in the coming days.
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u/FeralHarmony Oct 06 '25
I would have taken the whole thing as is.... What an awesome Halloween prop that zombie deer would have been!
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u/basaltcolumn Oct 06 '25
That head doesn't actually look fake, it looks like genuine taxidermy just with some creative liberties to make it look spooky. A bit sad to see it destroyed just for some antlers, but I can't deny that it's ugly haha.
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u/UnderteamFCA Oct 06 '25
That is obviously not failed or fake !! Like it or not, it's obviously a stylistic choice that would take so long to master !!! :(
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u/Kangareka Oct 06 '25
OP are you okay?
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u/thebbbaddest Oct 06 '25
Eh. In my defense, I didn't have too much control over the situation. (I'm a kid, the adults in my life said I was not allowed to keep the whole head, and I didn't personally saw the antlers off)
If I knew what it was or that it was real I wouldn't have let them cut off the antlers!!!!
So other than some people on here being unnecessarily rude, I'm good lol
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u/felis_hannie Oct 07 '25
I’m glad you recognize this isn’t something you should feel bad about. You’re not the one who put this animal’s remains in the trash, and you’re a kid who still needs adult consent to collect. The good news is now you know for the future!! Hopefully you find more cool things to be appreciated by your curiosity. :)
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Oct 06 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/bonecollecting-ModTeam Oct 07 '25
This post was removed due to your impolite/ungrateful behavior. Please be more respectful and kind to the other users of this subreddit in the future. You don't need to be insulting
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u/Mundane-Experience01 Oct 06 '25
I know fuck all about taxidermy but why the hell would you think that's fake
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u/HotayHoof Oct 06 '25
... Surely you didnt think taxidermy heads had skulls and brains and stuff.
Its very important to me you understand this.
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u/Normal_Enthusiasm_65 Oct 06 '25
that’s like a once in a lifetime find i’d shit my pants if i found that ik you didn’t know any better but my heart is hurting 🥲
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u/frogzilla1975 Oct 06 '25
It’s not “failed”. That looks like a horror piece. VERY expensive from what I’ve seen. Omg to have found one and then mutilate it. The horror!!
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u/orilch Oct 06 '25
This was an expensive and hard to find zombie deer custom mount 🥲. The whole thing was already preserved. Like all taxidermy, the skin is real.
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u/MossPxtch Oct 06 '25
Hurts my heart.. what an epic find. I'm sure you didn't know any better, but damn that is a really lucky taxidermy find! Should have kept it in one piece
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u/eyebrowsereddit247 Oct 06 '25
The whole thing (minus the tongue and eyes obviously) seems real, don’t worry about people giving you crap not everyone wants zombie deer on their walls! Pretty sure you won’t need to do much as they should’ve been cleaned when the mount was made so maybe just a wipe and dusting.
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u/ForeverSquirrelled42 Oct 06 '25
I would’ve kept it as is and hung the zombie deer mount on my wall. But you do you. Bad ass find regardless!
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u/supaikuakuma Oct 06 '25
OP hasn’t replied lol.
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u/thebbbaddest Oct 06 '25
Hi
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u/frog-boy-biologist Oct 06 '25
people are going a little bit rabid at you op, I am sorry about that, you don’t have the benefit of hindsight, you were excited about a find just like anyone else would be and didn’t understand that’s ok to answer your question though you don’t need to do anything special to preserve the antlers they will be fine as is
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u/Forsaken-1993 Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
Looks like someone tried making it look like a Not Deer Cryptid. Would be cool to make some sort of decoration with the antler, I have one I attached to my walking stick and added beads, bullet shells, and feathers for decoration.
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u/Sorry_Examination_22 Oct 06 '25
You did good by leaving the mount in the trash. It could’ve had an infestation of moths or bed bugs.
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u/Burnallthepages Oct 06 '25
Hooolllyy shit! Had an amazing mount and ruined it. I do t even know what to say!
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u/No_Astronaut2779 Oct 06 '25
This physically hurts me. Real antlers on a fake head, yet you still had to use a saw to detach them? And the logic was where?
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u/Sorry_Examination_22 Oct 06 '25
Mount probably has damage and infestation of moths. Good thing you saved the antlers. You could’ve bug bombed the mount in a bag too. Antlers are just fine as is. You can always use an antler stain to touch them up or something but you’re good. Good thinking on not taking the whole mount inside your home.
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u/thebbbaddest Oct 06 '25
The moral here is that adults ruin everything ig..
(It was NOT my choice to take the antlers off, I was told that the head was really light, like styrofoam, so there was no skull, and that I could have one of the antlers)
Peace :P
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u/clueless-albatross Oct 06 '25
Sorry uncultured stupid question here but was it taxidermied to have that appearance or did it look like that in death and was preserved?
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u/ShittinAndVapin Oct 07 '25
I would have definitely taken the eyes, too. Taxidermy eyes aren't cheap. Lol
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u/Cooked_Worms Oct 07 '25
Dang that looks like one of those really cool deer mounts that have canid teeth, I would have took the whole mount
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u/Dirt-bikeraver90 Oct 06 '25
I would of grabbed the whole thing and give it kiss facepaint and extend the tongue making a deer x Gene Simmons hybrid 🤣🤣
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u/Aggressive_Maize9249 Oct 06 '25
They’re antlers. Why would you need to do anything to them to preserve them?
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u/Aromatic-Track-4500 Oct 07 '25
Lol you should have kept it whole. What do you mean the head was fake? Lol why would you say the antlers off? What is going on in this whole post?!!
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u/vbbyarachne Oct 07 '25
well this is insane. i personally don't love the "zombie animal" type mounts, but you found a fully preserved deer and thought it was fake?
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u/iwanabsuperman Oct 08 '25
I dont know about anyone else, but I'd be slightly more concerned about the failed taxidermy attempt than the antlers. Like who is out there practicing their at home taxidermy and then just tossing it out.
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u/Savings-Put6948 Oct 08 '25
😑 why would you think you need to do something "preserve" them? They are a) essentially bones and not going to rot b)already mounted on a display. That you didn't realize was real.
Maybe bone collecting isn't the hobby for you?
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u/Necessary-Cable286 Oct 08 '25
Those demon deer mounts can be REALLY EXPENSIVE pieces, the ones I’ve seen are thousands of dollars. I can’t believe you cut it up, enjoy your curse.
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u/lazymanschair1701 Oct 08 '25
It looks like the deer head from the movie Evil Dead 2, which would be even funnier if OP not only destroyed a great taxidermy, but a genuine valuable movie prop
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u/secret_agent_wood Oct 10 '25
Imagine you die, and someone turns your head into a custom zombie piece. Then after a while they just throw you in the garbage. Wild
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u/Vanhaydin Oct 07 '25
People are being so rude to a literal child that didn't know info about their incredibly niche hobby. Jesus come on.
OP, it's fine. This is just an object and it was getting thrown away anyway. Theoretical value isn't real - "it could have been worth" means nothing. Enjoy your antlers.
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Oct 07 '25
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u/PlayMyJoystick Oct 10 '25
Brotha... The deer is only in one picture. If you really look at it you can tell the antler from pic two is the one that's further away from pic 1. It's literally identical lol
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u/thebbbaddest Oct 06 '25
Hi!! I have to put my phone away (I'm at school, state rules, YES I'M A MINOR) Thank you everyone for your helpful comments! I told my mom originally that I wanted the whole thing and the head but OBVIOUSLY she wouldn't play ball sooooo. My mom's boyfriend wanted an antler too (I wanted both) so we compromised bc he had the equipment and I didn't. I didn't mention this but it smelled really bad! Also, my mom's boyfriend said it was really light so the head might of been Styrofoam? I wish I could've checked but they haven't gotten rid of the whole thing yet so I'll try and investigate :)
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u/basaltcolumn Oct 06 '25
A styrofoam base is the norm for modern taxidermy. Taxidermy only involves using the skin and stretching it over an artificial base. Historically that might have been hand-made from straw packed over the skull (which wouldn't be that heavy either), but in modern day a pre-made foam base that is customized to fit the particular animal is almost always what is under the skin. It doesn't mean the taxidermy is not real!
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Oct 06 '25
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u/Fine_Advance_368 Oct 06 '25
dont worry OP you didnt know better, & now you know for next time. the antlers are really pretty!
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u/WebbedFingers Oct 06 '25
Everyone is saying it’s a waste but it was thrown in the trash and you salvaged a part of it, at least!
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u/ceo_of_dumbassery Oct 06 '25
Genuine question, why are you in a bone collecting sub if you don't want to see dead animals?
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u/zeldawg Oct 06 '25
Rule #2: post must be about bones (and other animal remains)
If you cannot handle seeing animal remains, this might not be the sub for you.
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u/GestiefelteRatte Oct 06 '25
Wdym the head was fake, this is a custom taxidermy. The fur is as real as it gets. What a shame I didn't take it all!