Editor’s note: The original version of this article stated it would be the 55th year of the antler auction. After confirming with the National Elk Refuge that 2023 is the 56th year, the story has been updated to reflect that.
JACKSON, Wyo. — The world’s largest annual auction of elk antlers drew a crowd to Jackson’s Town Square on May 20.
Saturday marked the event’s 56th run.
Photos: Nick Sulzer // Buckrail
All antlers sold at the auction are naturally shed on the National Elk Refuge (NER) and benefit Boy Scout programs in western Wyoming along with the NER.
Each year, the scouts retain 25% of the sale’s proceeds, which is used to supplement fees for day camps, leader and Scout training and other activities. The remaining 75% is returned to the National Elk Refuge for habitat enhancement projects, including paying for farming equipment, weed management and seasonal employees that operate the Refuge’s irrigation program.
