What’s the plan for your taxidermy after you die?

[PeterParker]

Most of us that have been hunting for a while have quite a few mounts/rugs/antlers etc. I was looking at my hunting room the other day and I thought to myself, what’s going to happen to all this stuff after I’m gone? Sure it means a lot to me but I’m not sure anyone else feels the same.

I see mounts for sale online and even on a big animal you almost can’t make back what you spent on the taxidermy bill. How many of Dad’s animals do your kids want to take? Dog chews? Sell them to a sporting goods store?

What’s your plan?

 

[RockAndSage]

Man, good question. People only tend to want actual trophies grandpa took, or something...but with non-trophies you might do to memorialize a special hunt, but aren't necessarily trophies, those may just end up decorating a chain restaurant someday...

 

[cnelk]

All of my mounts and euros mean nothing to anyone but me.
I have it stated in my Will to cut off all the antlers and sell them.

At $18-$20/lb should net a few thousand bucks.

 

[Cornhusker]

I have 36 skin mounts and 42 Euro's and my kids won't want any of them as they live outside of the U.S. I would guess they will be given away or sold they don't mean much to anyone but me.

 

[PeterParker]

All of my mounts and euros mean nothing to anyone but me.
I have it stated in my Will to cut off all the antlers and sell them.

At $18-$20/lb should net a few thousand bucks.

I had the same thought. Hurts to think about all your memories getting chopped up and sold tho. Hopefully they do something good with the money

 

[TopherDave]

I have an 89 year old neighbor that has a lifetime collection. There are a couple of pieces of his that I wouldn’t mind having after he passes. The one that I want the most is a 170” WT that he hasn’t done anything with. But him and I went to Canada together and harvested a couple of nice bucks. I have told him, that I would like it after he passes away. I would encourage people to make a list and ask around if there is someone that may want something. Also, you might find a conflict and you could possible resolve before you pass, everyone wins that way instead of fighting about it later!

 

[MuleyFever]

Don't even think about it. I'll be dead.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

I’m not that old yet, but old enough that taxidermy no longer means much to me and I’ve relegated all my mounts and euros to the attic. Antlers will be sawed off soon as I don’t intend to take it all with me on my next move. Certainly not taking more than a few with me, but not sure on the fate of the rest. I have a buddy who decorated his house rustic/outdoor, maybe he will want them.

 

[RancherJohn]

Make your will very clear, like mine is. I shall be quartered, put in game bags, and backpacked into the wilderness to my favorite spots (or points as far away as I can find on a map in my dying days). My mounts must be returned to where they were harvested, regardless of land ownership changing.

My friends should try to die before me; this endeavor will build character in the next generation.

 

[PeterParker]

I have an 89 year old neighbor that has a lifetime collection. There are a couple of pieces of his that I wouldn’t mind having after he passes. The one that I want the most is a 170” WT that he hasn’t done anything with. But him and I went to Canada together and harvested a couple of nice bucks. I have told him, that I would like it after he passes away. I would encourage people to make a list and ask around if there is someone that may want something. Also, you might find a conflict and you could possible resolve before you pass, everyone wins that way instead of fighting about it later!

That’s actually great advice. I hadn’t thought about that.

 

[okcaveman]

Honestly, once im gone, I couldn't care less what anyone does with anything of mine. Im trying to pare down as we speak just so I dont have to deal with so much...

 

[Nutkin13]

Grandpa had a lifetime worth of North American critters that filled several rooms. We largely ended up donating most of it after he passed after the family picked through what they wanted to keep. Even donation was difficult, most places weren't interested.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Some of those things can last a long time. My family has a couple of mounts from Sagamore Hill - Theodore Roosevelt’s house. My grandfather bought them when his family sold off a bunch of his old things.

Between my dad, my brothers, and me, we have about 150 years of hunting experience and only one deer mounted. I’ll keep it when my dad passes because we both shot at the same time and only one of us hit it. The rest of the antlers are in a big pile in the barn.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I've told my wife to sell it all. Get as much money as you can.

 

[bcv]

My kids will upload them to Ai and start a taxidermy country band

 

[wapitibob]

Your mounts going to the dump after the garage sale fails to get them sold.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Whew....I thought by the title of the post you were looking for a Taxi who mounted humans...LOL!!!

My son wants all of mine and I also have a couple of my Dad's.

 

[CorbLand]

This exact question is one of the main reasons I have vowed to only do euro mounts. Nobody really ever wants them when you die so you spend a ton of money to get them mounted to hang them on the wall then they get given, sold or thrown away when you’re gone. Plus for what you pay to mount things anymore, you could do the hunt once or twice more and take memories with you.

The main main reason is that I never shoot anything worth mounting so that kind of solves the problem for me anyways but I like to pretend I actually made a decision on not mounting things.

 

[RockAndSage]

My family has a couple of mounts from Sagamore Hill - Theodore Roosevelt’s house.

Next time you're in DC, if you haven't already, set up a meal at Old Ebbitt Grill. One of the coolest places in town - huge collection of TR's old mounts, including a walrus.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Not my problem