Why people do it ?
 

I was driving down the road yesterday and notice two different deer dead along the road with the heads cut off. Just wondering why people do that ?

Free rattling horns!

Im a shed hunter I cut the heads off so I can clean them up and add them to my collection...but like the 1 post said I think others do it for rattlleing antlers.

I have done it before but usually just stop long enough to take the horns and leave the head.

Darn right! I carry a hack saw in my truck just for that. But I'm picky, I only cut off the big antlers, lol, and leave the head. If I don't need rattling horns I know people who do.

As everyone said they see a big buck laying by the road they take the antlers,other reasons because they can get one by hunting so the shoot the buck then take the heads or just antlers .We have that problem here also .

I think people do it so they can make up a story about how they hunted that deer for 10 years before finally tracking it down and killing it with a pocket knife!
I used to do it for rattling antlers or if it was big enough just to gawk at. That is the good thing about getting to respond to deer accidents is I get the first bid! hahaha

They Wanted a Prize . . .
 

and they get their prized, heirloom antlers without doing much effort.

Besides, why do all that hard work of getting the deer to a processor and paying a fee, too. They don't do that on those TV shows, do they.

Funny!!!
 

This is funny that you say this.... My uncle has a big buck mounted in his home and for yrs he told me that he went down to grandma's,,, his grandmas and shot it with a pistol... Years later my other uncles told me that the DNR gave him the rack and he went to our local processing plant and got the cape.... LOL... Some people are such good story tellers....not to long ago I asked him what size of pistol he used and he just laughed... lol

Now is it legal just to stop and chop the head off?

In Oklahoma it is illegal to be in possession of antlers without a tag I believe. It is also illegal to pick up roadkill without permission from a warden or tagging it.

That is what I believe the law is here in PA.

Who picks up the deer and what do THEY do with the antlers ?

Most are probably after the rack for rattling/bragging and don't have a saw to cut them off. Probably just have a knife and that's the only way to get them.

I do it to get material for my bowmaking. Also use the antler for knifes scales.

Not a big deal people here in WI have been doing it for as long as I can remember. The deer is more then likely spoiled so ur just gonna leave the horns and drive past. HECK TO THE NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Valetine. Has nothing to do with putting no effort in it. Rattling Horns Baby!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, but I just don't know why anyone would want to add a rack to their collection when they didn't kill it themselves. I would love to have a nice wallhangar, but till I'm able to bring that big buck down myself it will just have to be a dream.

Why would you pick up a shed antler if you happened to come across it while walking a ur dog. Well you would have to leave it then you don't want it in your collection cause you didnt shoot it. PLEEEEAAAASEEEEE!

they make good knife handles, zipper pullers. you can also use them to repair broken antlers. many different reasons. i carry a saw in the truck just in case.

DEERNUTZ, You made the best point! =D But, to you others hatin, Why would you not take them, would you rather a coyote come n get em, How bout some buzzards? Ya I don't think so.

That just seems wrong to me. I'm an avid hunter and I have plenty of spare antlers - I guess I'm not interested in antlers that I didn't work for.

I'd probably do it if the antlers were big enough. I'd just take the antlers though, not have the head mounted.

I have many sets from deer I haven't killed. Some were given to me when I was a kid, a couple skulls I found, I bought one full skull off ebay for about $5 just to have because it was so big and only five bucks. The only one I have on the wall as a trophy is the second deer I shot.