Inherited Mounts ...Whats the consensus

[LopeHunter]

I find knowing the background about a mount or other item in the home such as a painting interesting and makes the item more memorable. Some visitors do not really notice the paintings and mounts. Some do and are not fans while others are excited to learn more about some of the items. I have no issue hanging a mount I did not harvest. I found a raghorn 4x4 mule deer Euro in the trash pile waiting for pickup and it now hangs in the garage. Seemed a waste to have that skull end up in the landfill. I felt the mule deer deserved better than that end that trash day. I would never pass the skull off as something I shot if someone asked but am not putting a sign next to that skull saying I did not kill the deer. I will leave stolen valor for the military vets to address. As for mounts, I do not see stolen valor as on my hunts I am the only one armed with a weapon.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I suspect through various museums your average urbanite has had just as much exposure to taxidermy as your average person from some rural area, probably more full mounts and less shoulder mounts.

That's why I was a little surprised about some of his stories. He said one student walked in and goes "I think I'm in the wrong office.....that moose looks really creepy" and proceeded to point to the mule deer in his office. Apparently quite a few students commented about how creepy some of the mounts were. Maybe because he was an english professor and people didnt expect that kind of thing.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

A friend of our family inherited some mounts and want to display them in his home . His wife told him he cant display then because he doesnt hunt and didn't kill them. I am of the impression that its ok if it was inherited from a family member. I feel like if its ok for places like Sportsmens Wharehouse or Cabelas to display other peoples mounts then why not a family members . What say you fine folks ??

I have a big horn I inherited, it was hanging in a property my family owned for 4 generations, no idea who shot it definitely not anyone in my family... I assume it was purchased by Roe Emery, but maybe he was a sheep hunter

Anyway it's pretty cool and I'm going to hang it in my house someday. There is another sheep that my cousin owns that I have dibs on that I will hang as well.

^ ( Pending authorization from the better half... mostly likely will be in the garage)

 

[glass eye]

That's why I was a little surprised about some of his stories. He said one student walked in and goes "I think I'm in the wrong office.....that moose looks really creepy" and proceeded to point to the mule deer in his office. Apparently quite a few students commented about how creepy some of the mounts were. Maybe because he was an english professor and people didnt expect that kind of thing.

Probably because Hollywood always portrays taxidermist and taxidermy as something "creepy" like Norman Bates.

 

[thusby]

I'm good with my wife selling them if I die out first. Get a couple hundred bucks and go have some beers. They are only valuable for as long as I am alive.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Probably Hollywood always portrays taxidermist and taxidermy as something "creepy" like Norman Bates.

Which is such a bummer... I feel like in another life or maybe a second career I would love doing taxidermy.

Cool article about Carl Cotton of the Field Museum I came across a while back, this is what comes to mind when I think of taxidermists.

The Black Taxidermist Who Made History at Chicago's Field Museum

A new exhibit celebrates the life and work of Carl Cotton.

www.atlasobscura.com

 

[rwc101]

Yep. Sell the taxidermy if I die. If you sell the guns though...

 

[Cheesehead]

If you ever make it up to BC, check out the local rec center in Revelstoke. 465-2/8

View attachment 154947

Elf King lost his ride

 

[Pucky Freak]

OP - The wife just doesn’t want animal heads in the house. If the guy went out and shot his own she’d probably come up with a different excuse

 

[chuckchili]

Kinda seems the wife is calling the friend's man-card into question? If I were him, I'd take that as her wanting me to go hunting.

I currently have a mount of my father-in-law's. I was fortunate enough to hang it in my living room and have him see it before he passed.... I think it meant alot to both us us.

 

[grizzly_]

And if you don't take them, where do they go?

My grandpa had literally dozens of mounts (probably 60+) that we don't know what to do with. There are a few we'll keep in the family like his African lion, elephant tusks, elephant ear painted on by Hayden Lambson, leopard rug, and my great-grandfathers 235” muley, but we're struggling with what to do with the rest. Who really needs four warthogs they didn't shoot, or five caribou, etc....?

It's so sad, but a lot of them only had memories for the departed.

Maybe a university will want them for a museum or something?

 

[Wildabeest]

And if you don't take them, where do they go?

 

[406Born]

I think having mounts from friends or family makes sense. I have some of my grandpas old horns on the garage wall and really like them. They definitely have memories and meaning to me.

I did buy a full body mount black bear and a couple sheep mounts from someone I didn’t know. I had them for a while and felt weird about having someone else’s mount and turned around and resold them. I just didn’t feel right to me.

I don’t have a problem with people having mounts they didn’t kill if that’s what they like. Taxidermy is beautiful and art all by itself.

 

[Addicting]

A friend of our family inherited some mounts and want to display them in his home . His wife told him he cant display then because he doesnt hunt and didn't kill them. I am of the impression that its ok if it was inherited from a family member. I feel like if its ok for places like Sportsmens Wharehouse or Cabelas to display other peoples mounts then why not a family members . What say you fine folks ??

We are not the ones sleeping with him so I would say she is right. (In his house) For my mounts, I don’t care what happens to them. I won’t be here anymore.

 

[Happy Myles]

My recent experience is taxidermy is not as easy to get rid of as i had anticipated. None of my family has any interest in ones they do not already have. I am over eighty and it is time to make plans as i have a whole storehouse full of mounts plus ones in my home. Most museums are full, thank you. have been in contact with a firm who specializes in selling them. It is sort of sad for me thinking back on a lifetime of adventure hunting around the world collecting them. I will let you know how it works out. Must confess i am moving slowly and reluctantly on this task.

 

[oldschool.06]

WOW I'm so glad I popped in to ask what you all would think . I think there is no issue with hanging inherited mounts myself but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing some sort of mount protocol . My wife has no issues with it except we have a small house and will run out of room quickly. Which I will be using as leverage to move out to the country sooner then later . Thank you all for the replies !!!

 

[oldschool.06]

Oh by the way I told them we will take the mounts if they dont want them ...I have a friend with a big game room man cave bar room in his place that would love them for decor .

 

[oldschool.06]

My recent experience is taxidermy is not as easy to get rid of as i had anticipated. None of my family has any interest in ones they do not already have. I am over eighty and it is time to make plans as i have a whole storehouse full of mounts plus ones in my home. Most museums are full, thank you. have been in contact with a firm who specializes in selling them. It is sort of sad for me thinking back on a lifetime of adventure hunting around the world collecting them. I will let you know how it works out. Must confess i am moving slowly and reluctantly on this task.

WOW thats not something i wanna think about

 

[LuketheDog]

This is why I don't understand accumulating a bunch of shoulder or full body mounts, they really don't mean much to most people other than the person who shot them, even their family members. That said, I'd be happy to have any sentimental ones from family, but my family doesn't have much of that anyway, and there are some unique animals (bighorns, moose, elk) a few friends have killed that I'd be happy to have since I was there and a big part of the hunt...

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

WOW thats not something i wanna think about

Yeah I'm not really joking about the Viking funeral... if I have kids and they want to sell them or keep a couple more power to them, but the standing order in the will is going to be to go to a cool spot in the hills and burn everything.