How old is this elk shed

gatheringsheds · May 6, 2016

Does anyone know how long it takes for lichen to develop or grow on an antler?

elkassassin · May 6, 2016

That's an Old Mossback!

[font color="blue"]HUNTIN,FISHIN,AND LOVIN EVERY DAY,I WANNA SEE
THEM TALL PINES SWAY!
[/font]

YELUM · May 6, 2016

10+

Yelum

YBU

hornkiller · May 6, 2016

I would say 20+! I have elk sheds in the flower garden that are around 15 years old that look better than that thing. People have there own theories. I know guys that would say that shed is 3-6 years old. Lmfao all you need to do is throw a few outside and see how they age yourself.

gatheringsheds · May 6, 2016

I have some chalky elk sheds in my yard for 8 years no lichen. The river rock fence surrounding my yard is 50 years old and it has lichen growing on it. I too have been told 20 plus years to form on an antler. After 20 years wouldn't an antler decompose?

antlerradar · May 6, 2016

I have antlers that I know are 30+ because I found them 30 years after the bucks were killed. That antler looks to be 30 years+

YBO · May 6, 2016

If that antler could stroll into the local watering hole, it wouldn't have to show any identification!

Founder · May 6, 2016

It's cool to find those real old ones. Just the thought of how long they laid out there. Neat stuff.

Here's a Wyoming antler I left in the dirt because it had already been there for so long.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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YBO · May 7, 2016

I was shed hunting the Saddle Mtn Wilds about 15 years ago and found/left quite a few lichen attacked antlers. Also, a couple that were in PJs that the tree grew around the antlers. Super Cool.

Longun · May 13, 2017

that's a 100 year old shed....

cjboz · May 13, 2017

Carbon dating should be in order. Better locate the local university. Maybe from the prehistoric ice age. Lol. Very cool find. I question the age of sheds I find as well. Might be a cool senior project fir a kid interested in biology and sciences with a hunting habit.

gatheringsheds · May 14, 2017

Good idea, there is a university nearby. Problem is it's still out in the woods! Still there, I recently checked to see. Some day I'll bring it home.

Dr_Hunter · May 14, 2017

That's a great question. I do know that lichen is super slow growing and will only grow on something that has been well-established for a number of years. Rates of growth can vary from 0.5mm per year to 500mm per year depending on a number of variables (climate, lichen species,symbiosis). I am not sure what the growth rate would be in the Intermountain West but would venture a guess around 0.5mm-1mm per year based on our climate which would make your shed pretty old... Just my 0.2