Four Scored, and Seven Ears to Go

My friend Gimpy collaborates with craftsmen to recreate medieval garb, tools, crafts, etc.  I know he has bartered deer antlers in the past, so when one of my employees was relating the tale of his recent, successful hunting trip, I asked what he does with all the non-meat parts.  It turns out he has numerous antlers in the attic because (as he said) his wife won't allow more than one set in the house.

A quick e-mail to Gimpy garnered the response, "How many does he have, and how many is he willing to part with?"  My employee replied, "I'll take care of you."

That he did.  He pulled me aside this morning, once all the witnes... I mean coworkers -- were gone, and we transferred four sets (pairs?) of antlers from his vehicle to mine.  Here are the pics I took once I got them home.

I was able to listen to his hunting tale, but coming face-to-face with the results was a little gruesome.  I remembered the time I lived in Alabama and discovered that reading tales of English manor houses with animal heads on the wall sounds all old-worldy romantic in its way, but encountering numerous deer and fish on the wall of the local barber shop befuddles the imagination.

The antlers felt like the bone-handled steak knives my parents have had for yonks (probably a wedding gift), so that wasn't too bad.  I wasn't about to feel the actual deer fur at the base, and is that a piece of skull they're attached to?!  Those things went right into a box, and they're going to stay there until I unload them on Gimpy at Thanksgiving!