Sourcing and Cleaning Bones

What does "locally scavenged and ethically sourced mean?"

Scavenging includes finding bones and picking up roadkill. Ethically sourced means people we know providing donations either from their own finds or local hunters. 

Scavenging

Wooded Areas - We'll traverse off trails and into wooded areas during summer and autumn months when the foliage is less dense and it's easier to find animal trails. This method is just "look around until you find something." We tend to look where other scavengers will drag a kill, or downhill where bones will naturally move and spread out. However, we do our best to avoid unearthing any bones. Sifting through leaves is one thing, but to do any digging or excessive moving of foliage works against our morals. If the bones have been buried by Mother Nature, the creature has already been laid to rest. 

Vulture Circles - This one is fun! Look up, see the vultures, take an adventure to find what they've zeroed in on. In this case, we'll note the area and come back after a day or two. We don't want to steal their food, just come back for the bones they don't want. 

New Neighborhoods, Highways, Country Roads - Roadkill feels like it has a negative connotation. Like the animals are a thing, not a creature that felt warmth or pain.

Sadly, new builds mean demolishing a natural area. Animals living there have to relocate themselves and sometimes fail to survive. It's not like they get a notice to vacate or a chance to move somewhere else. If their habitats become too small, or disappear entirely, we often find them on the side of the road. Even in rural areas, they'll try to cross a street and get surprised by one of our fast moving vehicles.

It's the saddest process and the one we feel the most for. Our vehicles always have a kit of gloves, plastic containers, and heavy duty bags because you never know when you'll find a creature that had it's life cut short. 

Ethically Sourced

We love taking donations! If you'd like to give us bones or specimens, please reach out or meet us at our next event. You must let us know where you found it or how you obtained it - hence, ethical! 

Additional notes on our work:

We do not support killing animals for sport or art. Our work is in death, but the purpose is to honor life. 

The plants used in any of our projects come from foraging locally as well. We do not purchase online and strive to always know where our materials come from. 

We use as much of the animals as we can. ALL the bones, sinew, pelts, organs (wet specimens), and meat for pet food (if found fresh enough and usually only deer or squirrel to be safe).

Product listings will note where animals were found, but if you don't see this and have any origin questions, please reach out to us!