Elk Ivories – The Forgotten Treasure

Elk Ivories – The Forgotten Treasure

I’ve guided elk hunters in Wyoming for ten seasons, and we’ve killed a bunch of big bull and cow elk. After field dressing, splitting and quartering these massive animals, I’d turn to my hunters and say, “Don’t forget the ivories!” Their immediate response is always, “What ivories?”

Many elk hunters aren’t aware that elk have a set of ivories, just like the ivory tusks on an elephant. They are located on the upper jaw towards the front of their mouth. These ivory teeth are also referred to as buglers and whistlers. Both bull and cow elk have these teeth. The older and bigger the animal, the bigger and more colorful the ivories. I always cut out the ivories for my hunters and suggest they turn them into rings, necklaces or earrings for their significant others or family members.

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, poachers would kill herds of elk and steal their ivories to sell as jewelry. These poachers were known as “tuskers”. After they harvested these precious treasures, the outlaws would sneak off and sell them for use, particularly jewelry, to the New York based fraternity, The Elks Lodge, or just The Elks, (Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks). Ironically, The Elks had nothing to do with protecting elk, they were created to bypass alcohol regulations. Members of The Elks prized these poached ivories to garnish their watches, badges and for other various decorative applications. In order to hide from the law, the locals, and the elk, these tuskers would build discrete log cabins on mountainsides overlooking elk migration routes.

Charles Purdy was a well known Wyoming outlaw and tusker. He operated in a remote area known as Purdy Basin, located in the Gros Ventre Wilderness just outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming, an area where I guide elk hunters. Legend says that he used to hide out in a small log cabin that he built. Surprisingly, we found an old tusker’s cabin hidden deep on a mountainside overlooking Purdy Creek. Could the outlaw Charles Purdy have built it himself? Could he have poached elk for their ivories from this very spot? There is a small opening on the side of the cabin, potentially used as a shooting window to gun down elk while remaining hidden. The opening looks down into the valley where I’ve seen hundreds of elk migrate. And from the bottom looking up the mountain you could never have seen the cabin, or Purdy.

Elk have ivories, don’t forget them the next time you drop a nice bull or cow, and don’t let your guide sneak off with these little treasures. They are the forgotten treasure and a great keepsake to remember your hunt by. And for all you red deer hunters, they have ivories too.