Elk have Ivory

[Speckmisser]

It's not the front... the article states it incorrectly.

I'm no dentist, but I'm pretty sure the ivories correspond with eye-teeth. They are not "true" ivory, but they share many of the same characteristics.

 

[superduty]

The one I have looks more like one of the teeth towards the front or side. Deffinetley not a mollar though. Seems there is some confusion on the whole subject.

 

[Darius]

OK......................guys...................here's a circled area to clear it up.

I pull out the " Elk Ivory " out of the Elk's head right then & there in front of my clients so that their's no confusion later.

Just did it the other night for a JHO member "JIMM" & he went home with them that night.............. just takes a couple of minutes to pull 'em out.

It's on the upper most forward..................can't miss 'em

Darius

 

[Darius]

Here's some reproduction...................again remember it's the top, not the bottom, these reproductions show the roof of the mouth unit, turned upside down.


Darius

 

[Darius]

and another reproduction

 

[Speckmisser]

Wondered where all the taxidermists were...thanks, Darius.

Here is one of the pendants I had made from my last elk, alongside the ivories from this year's bull.

A couple of quick cuts to the gums, and a little prying with the point of the knife and they come right out.

They use the "points" of the teeth for the jewelry. When you look at them end on, you can see the unique patterns.

 

[Arrowhead]

Here is a pic of mine inlaid in a turkey call. Surrounded by turquoise.

 

[Piker]

Got my first elk this year, twas a spike on Oct. 18 in Idaho.

It's much easier I learned to "pop" the ivories out vs. trying to "pull' them out. I used my trusty gutting knife. Another interesting little tidbit was that in the younger elks, sometimes the ivories are hollow. When popping them out, we noticed that one was in fact hollow, and one was solid.