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Time has come to find a new home for my collection of average ( 110-130 class) whitetails.Shoulder and European. Your ideas, thoughts and experiences are appreciated..Thank you.

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A friend dealt with this a few years ago with passing of his dad. 96 whitetail shoulder mounts, 4 mule deer, 2 full body bear and an elk. Ended up giving a few away then put rest on a sportsman’s auction here in Iowa. Was sad as most mounts brought between $75-250. One of the full body bears was cinnamon phase and brought 580. Some ppl will buy for a cabin but average sized deer that people didn’t shoot themselves can be a hard sell.

Made me think of how I would handle trophy’s going forward. May be worth reaching out if you have any interior designers in your area that specialize in rustic cabins or homes.

That's why I sell all my would be mounts to knife makers. Have pictures of kills that's good enough for me.

GLWS

Honestly, that's a lot better than the auctions I've been to around here. I've been to several gun auctions where they had taxidermy for sale. While the guns go for crazy amounts, the deer heads are usually in the $5-20 range if they even get any bids at all.

This is the auction company that friend used. Not sure how close you are but there were lots from all over the country. Also cannot say what the seller fees were.

https://circlemauctions.com/fall-whitetail-classic/

Holy heck the comments are hard for me to swallow. I live in Iowa and have nearly 30 mounts...mostly whitetails 160 -200 class. I have thought recently what it going to become of them ....knowing we pay for Taxidermist work for the memories but always thought I'd (kids when I'm gone) get decent money back out of them.

I guess this is a reality check. On the flip side, I recently visited a few "bone and fur" shops in South Dakota and that had extreme prices on euros and shoulder mounts.... like several thousand dollars on above avg stuff. Heck, euros were couple hundred.

I guess it will always depend on buyers, desires and timing on value. Hopefully you do well with your selling and to all of us who have a trophy room ....when that time comes.

I’ll have the same dilemma some day. I have 25 or so mounts, about half from Africa.
I’m assuming their worth is close to zero. I enjoy them, but I shot (arrowed) them. I wouldn’t give anything for someone else’s mounts. Good luck.

Might contact bass pro , cabelas , gander mountain local outdoor store ect. and see if they need displays ? Just a thought.

257wthbylover,
If ever you get a chance, snap a few pictures of
Your collection of 160-200 class Whitetails.
I would love to see them.
Iowa is where they grow them like that!

Few thoughts. First there is a thrift store in a mountain town here that occasionally has exotic (African) mounts and they are priced in the several $100s to even $1k+ range. They do sell. That said, I've been to this thrift store quite a bit and I can't ever recall seeing a deer or elk. Maybe they are just too common. Point is, perhaps you could find a secondhand or consignment shop in an area where people have vacation homes, as there will be demand for rustic decorator items.

Second, the Sportsman's Warehouse here used to be full of mounts (before remodel). Some were priced and available for purchase, I assume directly from the owners. So if you have a large sport shop nearby then check with them.

Finally, I'm not saying I participate in this, but from what I hear if you take photos and put something on Facebook Marketplace for an attractive price people will immediately come out of the woodwork to take away your stuff.

I’ve seen them and they are impressive.

This is why I'll only do Euro mounts for now on. I find it alot easier to lose $100 than $700 or more.

Hey Sean, I hope your season went well for you last fall.

When I read the original post I thought about the herd you have. It would seem like Bass Pro/Cabela’s would have an interest in a few of them.

Bluntly, 110 - 130" whitetail mounts are going to have next to no value (outside of sentimental for you and maybe your family).

Probably net more taking a sawzall to them and selling as dog chews to ladies at the farmers or flee market.

Mulrshoe..... Thanks and yeah I am sure my time will come. It's probably closer then I would like. Past season I was able to get a 189" beauty. That after I somehow missed on a 182", but was lucky and found both sheds so I have them at least (and how I know how big he iwas/is) He even had a broken split and I think he has a yr of growth yet. Hopefully we meet up this fall and I win the next encounter.

Cab1958..... PM me and provide a cell # i can text to. I am one of those sad saps that still struggle with pics on this site. I have pics on phone I can send. Keep in mind these come from 25yr+ of hunting in area I was born and raised. Started doing the 'trophy' hunting around 2000. EHD has put a big damper on it but still fun trying...love therapy time in the outdoors. Biggest is 238".

I have seen quite a few people mention they only do Euros now days. Reasons given were cost and able to handle them and see from all angles, space. All very valid and this thread has me thinking I just finished doing last shoulder mount. As it cost 1,000 now days for quality work.
I have my deceased fathers 2 mounts (120-130") and am happy to have those as I was on the hunt with him on both those hunts years and years ago (1990s) and I look at them and have memories of him and that day. Guess that's were price doesn't matter at all to me. Miss him!!

The big part of this is if you like them get them done. I will most likely offer to mount my kids first bucks, but after that they on their own. I have a pheasant at taxidermist now, not biggest by any means but was the first public land wild bird over my newest pointer. Memories are the special part. Lots of pp will never see a deer over 130”.

However with cost I am debating what to do as I have an Africa trip planned this fall. For cost of taxidermy and shipping I could go on sr one hunt or add 4-6 more animals while I’m there. At the point I’d rather have the memories than a bunch of stuff to get rid of down road, seen a lot of guys going through this and being only 38 it starting to make sense to me to go on more trips than have more mounts collecting dust

I enjoy looking at other’s trophies but will only pay to mount my trophies. Buying a mount feels like cheating…

About 8 years ago I went thru this as wife and I were retiring, downsizing, and moving. Had lots of African stuff (mostly euros), bear rugs, etc. If you think about it they are like 'hairy bowling trophies' that attract dust. Contacted a lot of taxidermists and got virtually no interest. Ended up selling them at a regional auction and perhaps averaged $50 each. Even had two motivated bidders that I'm sure took them home to claim them as their own.

I did keep my leopard hide, elephant stuff, and biggest deer. Swapped out my bear rugs (griz and various blacks) to a mountain man type for a claw necklace.

Good Luck.

Same thought bud, but I do my own Euros so I can waste that $100 here in the classifieds 😂