Advise please..?

[MilwaukeeTim]

I acquired this beautiful, Greater Kudo mount from my friends estate…I did my rudimentary scoring of it and find it to be a 113-114 grade. It’s a beautiful mount/animal. I don’t have a place for it, asking the forum thoughts on its value?

 

[JimP]

A straight on picture would be nice.

The problem with mounts is that they are only worth what you can get for them, and sadly it isn't what a lot of people think. I'll defer to the experts on here but I would say between $500 and $1500. That's a large spread but if you find the right person it'll be worth more. Most people want to shoot their own trophy.

 

[Stetsonham]

You’ll have a hard time selling it and you’ll be lucky to get $500

 

[BJH65]

I acquired this beautiful, Greater Kudo mount from my friends estate…I did my rudimentary scoring of it and find it to be a 113-114 grade. It’s a beautiful mount/animal. I don’t have a place for it, asking the forum thoughts on its value?

Unfortunately, probably not very much. Have no idea what grade 113-114 is? While there are a couple large companies that sell taxidermy online, professionally crate, insure and ship for top dollar, the vast majority of taxidermy sells for a fraction of what it originally cost and what most think it is worth.

Out of curiosity, I was following a recent online taxidermy auction a few months ago that had a variety of African and North American taxidermy including several Greater Kudu shoulder mounts and one Kudu pedestal floor mount. All the kudu mounts sold at auction anywhere from $175-$300 with an auction fee of an additional 20%. Of course the winner must come and pick up or pay a significant amount for a 3rd party company to professionally crate and ship.

Sure, you can google it and perhaps find a value of $1300-$1800 for a nice 50 plus inch greater kudu mount but your average seller doesn’t want to professionally crate, insure and ship it….then it’s only worth whatever you can get fairly locally….$50..$100…$150…who knows?

 

[Andrew62]

My dad's kudu sold for 425.00 at auction last year. I believe there were around 30 mounts sold, I had siblings thinking they may fetch 50,000 to 60,000, I told them they would not sell for anywhere near that, they sold for a total of 13,860.00. Mounted animals are a tough sell sometimes.

 

[coreydb]

There is a business in Pennsylvania that buys trophies and antlers and sells them to businesses and corporations that want that kind of motif in their offices. His selling prices are roughly the price if you had them mounted by a taxidermist. So, don't imagine you would get that much for it, but you got nothing to lose.
Wild "n" Wonderful Whitetails
Gary Knepp
717-275-5272

 

[Rare Breed]

A straight on picture would be nice.

The problem with mounts is that they are only worth what you can get for them, and sadly it isn't what a lot of people think. I'll defer to the experts on here but I would say between $500 and $1500. That's a large spread but if you find the right person it'll be worth more. Most people want to shoot their own trophy.

You are correct. I helped my friend sell a 61 inch Kudu and he got $850 given its size. Taxi brings pennie’s on the dollar sad but true. The reason is very few people like my friend see Africa taxi as a style for their home. Hunters want their own animals thus pennie’s on the dollar for someone else’s

 

[rookhawk]

Selling with an auctioneer involved, you'll probably net $250 or so. Selling it direct to the public locally on CL or FB you'll probably get $450-$500.

While you can sell taxidermy, you can't resell the experience of hunting it. There is an infinite supply of dead people's experiences rotting in warehouses. The only taxidermy worth serious money is the literal #1 world record for a given species OR an animal that is 100% protected/prohibited from being hunted today that is legitimately grandfathered and inside the USA already. (e.g. snow leopard, mastadon, auroch, mammoth, some obscure extinct creature, etc.)

 

[BGGMKLR]

My dad's kudu sold for 425.00 at auction last year. I believe there were around 30 mounts sold, I had siblings thinking they may fetch 50,000 to 60,000, I told them they would not sell for anywhere near that, they sold for a total of 13,860.00. Mounted animals are a tough sell sometimes.

Exactly.
Guys that want to adorn their man caves with hard- earned trophy specimens...on the cheap...are a scourge.
I've advised my wife...give those close to me a deal.
The leftovers?
Just dig a bigger hole for my carcass and throw them in.

 

[flatwater bill]

I think North American trophies may sell higher......maybe top end elk or deer for a lodge, meeting room or an elite cabin. What do you think? I have a couple of 400 inch elk that I'm thinking of selling. It will probably do better that the African stuff around here......Rocky Mtn West.....appreciate any experiences in support or contrary............FWB

 

[Huvius]

For sure big Elk and Deer sell better here in the west than African heads.
I think that I'm in the minority here as I don't really care that I didn't hunt any of the African heads I have in my home.
They are still great to look at and I think important to have around children just as artwork and literature are.
I'll get to Africa, but I don't think a 46" Sable will be on the menu. So, I'm happy to have one on my wall that I didn't hunt.

 

[dogcat1]

When I pass, I left instructions to build a big bonfire with all of mine. Then scatter my ashes and some ashes from the mounts in the Zambezi river- while they are hunting on the inheritance.

 

[Stetsonham]

When I pass, I left instructions to build a big bonfire with all of mine. Then scatter my ashes and some ashes from the mounts in the Zambezi river- while they are hunting on the inheritance.

Told my wife the same haha have my kids pick what the want and torch the rest with me on top

 

[BryceM]

My wife informed me there would be a big bonfire.......

 

[elkocountygun]

Selling with an auctioneer involved, you'll probably net $250 or so. Selling it direct to the public locally on CL or FB you'll probably get $450-$500.

While you can sell taxidermy, you can't resell the experience of hunting it. There is an infinite supply of dead people's experiences rotting in warehouses. The only taxidermy worth serious money is the literal #1 world record for a given species OR an animal that is 100% protected/prohibited from being hunted today that is legitimately grandfathered and inside the USA already. (e.g. snow leopard, mastadon, auroch, mammoth, some obscure extinct creature, etc.)

had to downsize myself 18 years back and not even fetch 5 % of what i paid taxidermist. these men know much and i will agree with the opinions / comments. looks nice. where is this? shipping in q1 of 2025 is a bugger

 

[elkocountygun]

I acquired this beautiful, Greater Kudo mount from my friends estate…I did my rudimentary scoring of it and find it to be a 113-114 grade. It’s a beautiful mount/animal. I don’t have a place for it, asking the forum thoughts on its value?

where is the Kudu? kudu yes?
not trying to be a smart ass but
greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a large woodland antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. Bulls can weigh up to 270 kg (600 lb) and stand up to 160 cm (63 in) tall at the shoulder.
we on same page?

 

[elkocountygun]

Exactly.
Guys that want to adorn their man caves with hard- earned trophy specimens...on the cheap...are a scourge.
I've advised my wife...give those close to me a deal.
The leftovers?
Just dig a bigger hole for my carcass and throw them in.

dig bigger hole or light em up...
ditto

 

[NIGHTHAWK]

Was thinking about building a bar and putting a bunch of my mounts In it.

Name: Animal Head.

 

[deewayne2003]

had to downsize myself 18 years back and not even fetch 5 % of what i paid taxidermist. these men know much and i will agree with the opinions / comments. looks nice. where is this? shipping in q1 of 2025 is a bugger

Exactly why I decided to bring nothing back but HD pictures from my first Safari in Zimbabwe this past July.

The only trophy I have interest in Importing would be a leopard.

 

[elkocountygun]

Exactly why I decided to bring nothing back but HD pictures from my first Safari in Zimbabwe this past July.

The only trophy I have interest in Importing would be a leopard.

great. always have and still want leopard hide and zebra hide for the wall all tanned and hope no bugs, fleas, or beetles