Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Is taxidermy worth it

Guitar term.

Once upon a time it meant much more to me to get something mounted than it does now. I'm pretty much in the "less is more" camp now, but every hunter needs a few critters and antlers on the wall to play the part.

Unless it was something really special, I'd be happy with a Euro mount at most.

Pictures are what I find myself looking at more and reflecting upon because they really take me back to the moment.

Should add that if you are going to get something mounted, get the best you can afford. Bad taxidermy lasts a long time...

I have not regretted spending money on good taxidermy but I have on bad taxidermy. Spend the money and make sure you get a good mount. Cheap poor mounts you will regret. Or refret either one.

I find mounted heads in a smaller house like mine completely out of place. Plus, I like doing things myself. That means I mount horns on plaques and such, but no taxidermy. I've not regretted that yet, when I see other's mounts.

I may pay to get a really nice wood duck drake mounted one day.

Theres only so many I feel worthy to mount. Some I feel are better euro'd. I dont think id ever just throw some on a pile. They all are something special to me. I do most like this anymore...

Sometimes a taxidermist will trade a European mount for the cape...

From my first big hunt I got my (B&C) muley and a nice antelope mounted. It was done in the euphoria of the trip.
Then I decided to mount only B&C heads. As you can imagine, I don't have many shoulders on my wall.
Special things go on plaques, others are on bookcases, or wired to walls, or making my easy chair extremely difficult to sit in.

Those first two heads were worth every penny. And, I've got pics.

I have a shortage of wall space so have antler mounts of 1 each elk, deer, moose, and antelope.

i love taxidermy mounts and pelts. Bobcats, fox, bears, deer, ducks, coyote..... The more jammed into one room the better.

Taxidermy/Mounts/Trophies are worth much more than any dollar amount charged.

Money itself has no true value and it's worth is glorified by empty promises.

What I don't get are the guys who toss the horns in the shed, or in the yard, or give them away, or just toss them out. Why bother shooting a buck, bull, or whatever if you're not going to keep the horns? Just plug a doe.

Taxidermy is always worth it as long as it's worthy of being mounted. Personally, I only have 4 mounted because they were unusual. This was my first buck ever and am pleased I invested the money even though I was broke at the time.



A couple of years ago I got a "Hat Trick". I killed an 8 point with a Bow, Muzzle Loader, and Shot Gun. The deer were nice, but not worthy of getting them mounted. So I went into my father's wood shop and found this nice slice of Walnut with the bark still on it and finished it and gave it to my Taxidermist and had the racks put on it.



The rest of my bucks and dinks go on the wall in the man cave. I drill a hole through the skull and run a drywall screw through it and into the wall.

Some are truly special, the trick is looking forward all you can, while recognizing the really special ones from before. Not all of them are special, or worthy of mounting.

But it's kinda like fishing, which is only fun on one end of the line.

For me it depends on the type of taxidermy. I tend to do euro mounts as it saves money and space. I will do shoulder mounts or a rug if and animal is spectacular and I doubt I will ever do better.

Things like black bear bear rugs... how many does a house need? I usually only keep the skull and claws anymore.

I have some mounted ducks but will not do more. Along with random pelts that I have little use for. I don't regret having them done but I probably won't have more done.

This....

I want the memory...

I have a mix of both pics and taxidermy because it is worth it to me. I value every hunt I go on and every animal or bird I harvest. I realize when I'm gone it will go away but it's my way of preserving the experience.

Taxidermy is certainly getting more expensive, but with it I feel the artistry has gotten better as well. I'm especially fond of the newer wall pedestal mounts. Euro mounts are a good alternative if you choose not to go the "full" taxidermy route. Then there is the consideration of available space.

Maybe not every animal, but certainly the special ones get mounted....and only you can put that measure of value to each animal or trophy.

And in this digital age, it is ever so easy to capture the memories in photos. As we look back, it's not always the trophy pictures we relish the most. Camp memories, pranks, funny faces...they all add to the value of a trophy, but certainly to the shared memories with family or great friends.

Now if I can only figure out where the hell I am going to put a Bison shoulder mount when it's done......

I have my first buck a small 6 pt that was mounted by a friend who was just learning taxidermy at the time. The rest have been skull cap removals similar to stonecutters I kind of wish I had the 10 pt from a couple years ago as he was such a pretty buck but he would have just eventually ended up in a Cracker Barrel or some other place.

My vote goes to a good pic, including whatever friends & family might have been involved. Have had a couple of exceptional animals & fish mounted. That was enough.
Also truly enjoy the hunt and the meal, but value a buck a little higher than a doe. It's the curmudgeon in me.

I have lots of plaque mounts that many would get shoulder mounts of, and that's ok. it's their deer and their money. but for me, a simple plaque mount to remember the hunt with a photo is all I want. I do have a bear rug from a big bruin I killed in Colorado because a plaque mount would have looked ridiculous
seen my dad's mounts come apart after many years, he got mites in one that made all the hair fall out once. unless it's a truly huge majestic animal as a reward from an awesome hunt, I don't feel getting a mount. a plaque and a photo is more than enough, and those get changed out periodically on the wall and the photo goes into an album.

I have a friend who is a taxidermist and he'll do a nice plaque mount for $75 or less (that was for my elk) so putting a little cash that way is fine, 4-600 for a shoulder mount? nah, I'll pass. YMMV