What makes a trophy "mountable"?

[2rocky]

I grew up in a family that hunted but there were NO antlers or taxidermy in the house. The GOOD racks got nailed to the outside garage wall, or hung on the dog kennel. after a couple wet California Winters those racks became faded lichen growers.

I vowed that I was going to have all sorts of critters mounted when I grew up and had my own place. It wasn't until 2005 that I had my first shoulder mount. A 101 5/8" Columbian blacktail buck.that was my first kill with a bow and my first Pope & Young animal.

2006 I killed my first elk, its 5x6 rack went on a plaque, the 6x6 from Wyoming in 2007 went on a plaque, as did a 290" bull from 2008. At that point, I had a standard to keep up if I was going to pay money for any more taxidermy.

In 2010 I was lucky enough to draw a tule elk tag in my home state, and I killed a Pope and Young bull. Now, this was rare enough to warrant my first elk shoulder mount. So now I am in the process of deciding on the pose and form, since the cape is ready to be mounted...

It got me to thinking.....

What is the determining factor in whether a bull, buck or other critter gets a spot on the wall or hung in the rafters?

With Digital photography today, we can have a photo on the wall that is lifelike and evokes memories of the hunt for substantially less cost. Maybe a mount might be less desirable from a cost and space standpoint.

What gets a trip to the taxidermist for you?

 

[belly-deep]

One that makes me want to fork over the $$$ to have it mounted and one that I want to look at on the wall, plain and simple as that.

I don't really know how else to describe it, but it has to be a big critter. I'm not one of those guys that gets 22" 4x4 muleys mounted...I've never understood that when people do it.

 

[WV Hunter]

One that makes me want to fork over the $$$ to have it mounted and one that I want to look at on the wall, plain and simple as that.

I don't really know how else to describe it, but it has to be a big critter. I'm not one of those guys that gets 22" 4x4 muleys mounted...I've never understood that when people do it.

I would probably get a 22" 4 x 4 muley mounted, because I don't live out west and may never get the chance to hunt a muley again.

Whitetail mounts are in everybody's living room in West Virginia, except mine because of your first part, has to big. I can hunt whitetails in WV anytime I want from Oct 1 thru Dec. 31st. Unfortunately I haven't killed a big deer yet.

My first mount will be ready in February. It's the antelope I killed this year in Wyoming. It's not a monster by anyones standard that gets to hunt antelope on a regular basis but I told myself before going on the trip that if I killed a good representative of the species I would have it mounted. It's average and it's going to be on my office wall. Talk about a conversation piece in WV. Your average coal miner won't know it's not P&Y but they'll think it's cool and I'll always remember that hunt.

 

[mn taxidermist]

Everyone has a different idea of what is a trophy.You just need to make up your own mind and not give a damn what anyone else thinks.

 

[----]

I've mounted my first 'big' mule deer and my first big whitetail, and rugged my first bear.

I really want to an antelope mount, but am being picky on waiting for a big one. I'd also really like an early season whitetail mount.

I can't really imagine getting an elk done. They usually don't look that good to me, and my god are they big and expensive.

 

[2rocky]

Everyone has a different idea of what is a trophy.You just need to make up your own mind and not give a damn what anyone else thinks.

I hear ya. I'm curious what turns other people's crank...

We have a regional hunting magazine that has a trophy room or home feature that has an extensive taxidermy collection. I'm never going to have one of those "mount one of every species" type collections. I can go to Cabela's and look at those for free.

 

[Marshian]

I tend to agree with WV hunter on this one. If its a cool representative of the species, I lean toward a mount even if its not considered all that big. Another factor that makes a trophy to me is the back story behind it. If I worked particularly hard, or had an interesting or unusual experience in getting it-that also plays into my decision. Over time, I tend to think that I rarely regret having something mounted, but I definitely do regret not getting some things done. To each their own, but just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is a trophy.

 

[MattK]

I agree with MN Taxidermist...if you think it's worth going to a taxidermist, take it there. It doesn't really matter what others think is a trophy. In the past, I have seen animals I would never have done but after hearing the reasons, I've never thought it was a bad idea they got it done.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I've got several fish, pheasants, ducks, geese, a couple of deer and elk on the wall, most of these wouldn't be 'trophies' to other hunters, but to me they mean a lot for one reason or another and I've got a wife who likes the way they look, so if the finances allow it and it has significant meaning to you - mount it.

 

[5Speedjim]

I had a buck mounted because it was in velvet in December . I had a half mount on a bear in 03 because it was the first bear hunt in Jersey in over 30 years and I thought it may be the last. He weighed 393 and scores 20 5/16. I had my nephews first duck done so he remembers going to Vermont with uncle Jim. What ever your reason is up to you

 

[jeager]

Ever listen to "Bob and Tom Show" ?

Mr Obvious!

 

[pointingdogsrule]

1. How hard I worked for it. My antelope with a bow isn't an absolute "trophy" ..... but it is me me because of wat I harvested the animal

2. character of the rack. No matter how big or small... is it cool?

good luck to all
the dog

 

[putm2sleep]

I like pointingdog's #1. And mntaxi has my #2. If you vowed to put mounts all over the place - stick to that man. note: Many folks have not grown up with mounts all over the place. I did not either, and now have my own collection of 'good racks' sitting out back of my shed, and many given to friends to do whatever with. Every one of them is a trophy. You might consider a euro mount and get yuourself a cool euro hanger. I have a deer and a speed goat on the wall.

 

[blue devil]

The trophy is in the eyes of the beholder. If you are proud of it or the hunt has a great story, etc. and it warrants a mount get it. If not then don't. A mount is not only about the size of the animal, it's about the memories and the experience also.

 

[StrutNut]

I have mounted some rare birds like the first ever spotted black bellied tree duck in MN mounted. I have my first "Bull Can" mounted as well. After 30 years of hunting I finally shot a black duck in MN. Got that mounted. A female oldsquaw also found the wall as they are very rare in southern MN! Got a nice specklebelly as well as my first eagle head (adult blue goose) mounted. Never caught a fish that had that much of a memory or that rare to mount. I got my first big buck mounted as I always wanted a deer head on each side of a fireplace. Got my biggest buck mounted and now a 3rd buck. All fantastic memories. I mounted my wifes first deer, a nice MN 8 point. She then shot a 140 buck a couple of years later and got that mounted. I have one bear rug and a couple Coyote hides as well. All great memories. If it is unique, rare or a fantastic memory, I like to preserve that as best I can. As I look at my "man cave" pictures cant replace my enjoyment of looking at the mounts and sharing the story with friends and family.

 

[TheTone]

I got a trout mounted when I was around 14 or so. It was the first bull trout I ever caught and was the last year you could keep one in that part of Idaho. The only other mount I have is my first pronghorn from last year, I thought he looked good so he got mounted. Ideally I'd like to get a few more mounts but I would need to start killing some bigger critters first. I do have a ton of skulls scattered all over the house. I do a euro on everything I kill regardless of the size.

 

[2rocky]

So to summarize, some of the reasons other than SIZE are:
a first animal
a rare specimen of a local critter
A critter not indigenous to the local area
A memorable hunt
Character in the critters appearance.

All sounds good to me.

 

[wingman1]

An animal so old it has to eat baby food to survive.

 

[greatbasin]

I most enjoy having a good 8X10 photo and antlers I can pick up and touch.
So, euros are what I like...some on the wall, some on a desk and others just lined-up on the floor.
If it's mature it's a trophy, but I keep everything.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

As we get more and more whitetails on the wall, they have to be quite large before we will get them mounted now, or have something very unique about them. It also depends on the weapon they were taken with.
Hopefully some day I will get a bull elk, get a decent mule deer, and an antelope. If I get these, I will get them mounted even if they aren't big. They would be awesome hunts because it is something I have not been able to do before. A lot of it is about the hunt itself and not so much the size of the animal. I wouldn't have a spike mounted, but my standards aren't too high.
I agree that you shouldn't care what others will think and base it more off of what the animal means to you. Some of my favorite mounts are ones that are not the biggest just because of the story behind the hunt.