Me and another THF'er were having this discussion the other day, about what would become of your taxidermy collection if you passed away.


This is something I have given thought to and will be included in my updated Will & Testament that is being done now. As of now I have only 1 specimen of truly outstanding quality, that I will want donated to SCI or the Exotic Museum in Kerrville. I have some other heads that I would want to go to the Buckhorn downtown if they would accept them or to be sold to Bass Pro or Cabela's. I'm young at the moment and I would be naïve to think my wife would not remarry and I doubt she would want to tote along her dead husbands moderately impressive taxidermy collection with her should I leave the earth unexpectedly



Anyone else given this any thought?

I don't have a plan in place but whoever draws the short straw on my mounts will need a 18 wheeler to haul them away.

Step kids are 21 and 17, my daughter is 10. They're all sharp, and reasonable. They and my wife can make that call.

Most of mine are already on the wall in the ranch house. I guess that’s where they will all end up eventually

I had to help liquidate my father's collection after he passed. Since we hunted together most the time, he and I had pretty much the same things. The only thing he had that I personally wanted was a chocolate phase black bear he took in BC with me at his side. Most of his ended up going to his grandkids but I admit I was surprised how difficult it was to find a new home for them.

Since I teach HS I'm thinking that I will probably make arrangements for mine to go to some schools as teaching aids. I figure the biology classes as well as the outdoor ed classes would be a good home. I don't have any kids of my own since my wife cannot have kids and other than a few things I doubt my nieces and nephews will want what I have. So a donation is probably the future of mine.

Mine are going to our local golf course to be put up in the club house

Most have an overinflated sense of the demand and value for their taxidermy. The vast majority of animals will not be of interest to museums, Bass Pro, and the like. The exceptions would only be upper record class and/or more rare animals.
Honestly, I think the best bet for the ones family doesn’t want is for them to sell them on eBay. They will bring some $$ as lodge, hotel, and restaurant decor. I’ve seen some sell for decent prices in the THF classifieds too.

Personal value does not equal monetary value. Takes an exceptional mount to really bring financial value. I have sold off a few and the rest can go in the dumpster for all I care. I won't be here.

I’ve got a handful, none that anybody would want I doubt

Now, if I’m ever lucky enough to get a trophy bull elk, I may think it over

My daughter shot her first doe last year and even though it wasn’t mounted it’s by far worth the most to me

As far as mine, as of to date...it really don’t mater to me. I will be gone

I have 40 mounts and I hope that those who want one, will take one. More then likely, they will remain with the house and whoever ends up buying the house and land after we are both gone will want them. Hopefully I'll have twice as many by that time for them to deal with!!!

A good friend that I grew up with passed away when he was 35 from a kayak drowning. He had half a dozen mounts, and his wife invited everyone over to take what they wanted. His brothers split up his guns, I took a hog head that we had both shot at the same time, and some other friends took mounts that they wanted.

Same with mine.

I have one shoulder mount at the moment. No plans to really add to it. In fact I hope to plan most of my hunting around not getting mounts. I would rather a cow elk tag than a bull etc. because I don't want a shoulder mounted elk etc. Im good with pictures and the memory and nailing the horns in the garage or whatever. Most of ours are going back to the ranch these days.

I only do skull mounts, hoping my boys (15 and 12 now) will keep them in their garages and remember the old man. If I go soon, wife will likely remarry and I don't want some non-hunting douchebag to get rid of them so he can hang golf bags, in which case I will ask my hunting buddies to hold on to them for the boys!

The taxidermy that the She-Wolf and I have is for our own enjoyment and our own memories. Ninety-plus percent of the heads were taken while hunting together, so they represent a great whacking chunk of our hunting lives together.

Our estate planning includes a lot of things, but it doesn't even mention taxidermy...nor will it. Those animals will live forever in OUR memory but to others they will likely be nothing more than big, hairy dust collectors. When we're gone, the managers of our trust can do with the heads what they will...up to and including dragging them all out into the pasture and setting fire to them.

Getting old enough has helped me put a bunch of things into much clearer perspective...

Mark

Make it a stipulation that whoever benefits monetarily from your estate has to individually wrap and transport each one of your mounts

So what are you gonna do with your one and only shoulder mount when you leave this world ?

maybe a 36 wheeler!

I am like Red Chevy. I have one shoulder mounted Mule Deer. What am I going to do with it when I kick the bucket? Nothing I will not be here any more to do anything.

Only have two mounts. My first deer (broken 10pt...not a huge deer) and my melanistic buck. Figure my family will keep the 2nd one, or have it displayed at a store or something.

Hadn’t thought about it and I’m 76 yoa. I have too many from different states and Africa and won’t do another one unless it is truly exceptional. Grandson might want some but this is something I haven’t thought about.

Once I'm gone I could care less what happens to them. Keep them if you want or chunk them.

Mounts are cheap to buy nobody wants that crap. They sell on eBay for near nothing all the time unless it’s really something special. I’ve got some skulls that are rare and sell for over $1000 now but I don’t care what they do with em when I’m gone. I’m done with mounts anyway. The older I’ve gotten the more I realize how much money I wasted on shoulder mounts when I could’ve done a skull and went on another trip with the money for the mount.

My trophy is in the freezer, gets eaten. Antlers/heads are hung in a tree.
As a taxidermist I mounted critters for others but never myself.
After the Harvey flood event, life is less cluttered. Stuff means a little less these days.

You’d be surprised how much you can get from good taxidermy.

I know several people who have sold deer, elk and African mounts for good $$$.

Your right, most individuals would not want them but bars, resturaunts, museums, etc. will purchase them

I'd buy this guy...