ElkFest

ElkFest 2025 takes place on Saturday, May 17 and marks the 58th annual edition of what the World Record Academy has certified as the World’s Largest Elk Antler Auction.

Held on Jackson Town Square beneath the iconic elk antler arches, each constructed from approximately 2,000 antlers weighing between 10,000 and 20,000 pounds, this free admission event transforms wildlife conservation into a true community celebration.

The auction begins at 10:00 AM, following private antler sales starting at 7:00 AM and bid package pickup at 8:00 AM. Approximately 200 Boy Scouts and adult leaders collect the naturally shed antlers from the 25,000 acre National Elk Refuge in late April, logging about 2,000 volunteer hours, the equivalent of one full time employee working year round.

The 2024 collection yielded 8,170 pounds of antlers, while the 2023 haul reached 9,696 pounds. A record was set in 2014 with 13,698 pounds collected. Recent auctions have generated approximately $218,000 annually, with 75 percent of proceeds going to the National Elk Refuge for habitat enhancement and 25 percent supporting local Scouting programs from Star Valley to Alta.

The refuge hosts an average of 7,500 elk each winter, providing the shed antlers that fuel this unique conservation fundraiser. Prices average $26.73 per pound based on 2024 rates, up from roughly $6 per pound 45 years ago.

The record single item sale reached $15,200 in 2023 for a beetle cleaned European mount skull and antlers, believed to be the largest skull ever found on the refuge. Standard lots sell by weight, while premium matched sets command higher prices based on symmetry, color, and point count.

Family activities include the Kids’ Corner from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, featuring educational tables sponsored by Wyoming Game and Fish and the National Elk Refuge. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Great Elk Tour showcases some of the largest bull elk specimens in the world.

Food options are plentiful, with the Jackson Youth Baseball Food Court serving breakfast starting at 7:00 AM, including sweet potato pancakes and coffee, and continuing through lunch with burgers and bison huckleberry sausages. Sunday’s High Noon Chili Cook Off runs from noon to 4:00 PM with a $5 all you can sample spoon, extending the weekend celebration.

The first Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction was held in 1968, making this event part of a 57 year partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jackson Hole Friends of Scouting, and the Headwaters District Scouts of the Grand Teton Council, Boy Scouts of America.