Hanging Trophies

[archer36]

You can cut the sheetrock and install a wooden plate to span the area you need. Then hang on the wood plate. You can decorate or hide the plate any way you wish.
I have hung large Whitetail Deer on sheetrock without using studs but I used two hangers to stretch out the weight.
Animals with high horns have a weight forward so it's more risky.

 

[TucsonFX4]

You can cut the sheetrock and install a wooden plate to span the area you need. Then hang on the wood plate. You can decorate or hide the plate any way you wish.
I have hung large Whitetail Deer on sheetrock without using studs but I used two hangers to stretch out the weight.
Animals with high horns have a weight forward so it's more risky.

This is similar to what my thought was. I would probably cut away a section of drywall, add 1 or 2 2x4 “cross-studs” where you want the anchors, and then recover with drywall and patch it. Then it would look natural.

 

[archer36]

This is similar to what my thought was. I would probably cut away a section of drywall, add 1 or 2 2x4 “cross-studs” where you want the anchors, and then recover with drywall and patch it. Then it would look natural.

If you want it to be less visible, use half inch plywood over the complete hole.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I am jealous of all of you: you have walls. I got my kudu back a couple weeks ago. I hung it on the kitchen wall (my wife was NOT happy) just temporarily to see how it looked. It looked ridiculous, because of how short our walls are. I have a contractor working on a quote for a house addition - fingers crossed. But for those who have walls... kiss those walls and count your blessings.

Oh, and I agree with what everyone else has said: at the very least studs.

 

[Newboomer]

I am jealous of all of you: you have walls. I got my kudu back a couple weeks ago. I hung it on the kitchen wall (my wife was NOT happy) just temporarily to see how it looked. It looked ridiculous, because of how short our walls are. I have a contractor working on a quote for a house addition - fingers crossed. But for those who have walls... kiss those walls and count your blessings.

Oh, and I agree with what everyone else has said: at the very least studs.

View attachment 473905

You can panel the wall with tongue and groove or shiplap attached to studs. Looks great and gives you the whole wall to work with.

 

[chonk34]

I just picked up my mounts at BWI and boy am I impressed!

I have located spots on the wall for all my trophies but the problem is they do not all line up with studs. I am particularly concerned with the kudu should mount as it has a lot of weight to it. Does anyone have any advice on how to hang these trophies on sheet rock walls in absence of a stud? Recommendations for anchors and or hanging mechanisms?

Thanks,
MB

My Gemsbok ripped out of the wall immediately. Luckily I was holding on to him at the time. I imagine you'll have to reconfigure some things to get your mounts attached to something more solid than sheetrock.

 

[WAB]

I am jealous of all of you: you have walls. I got my kudu back a couple weeks ago. I hung it on the kitchen wall (my wife was NOT happy) just temporarily to see how it looked. It looked ridiculous, because of how short our walls are. I have a contractor working on a quote for a house addition - fingers crossed. But for those who have walls... kiss those walls and count your blessings.

Oh, and I agree with what everyone else has said: at the very least studs.

View attachment 473905

Too late for that mount, but consider pedestal mounts if you are stuck with low ceilings.

 

[JimP]

Low ceilings really are not a problem as long as you don't have small children or animals that would do something to the mounts.

I have mine in a room with a 7 foot ceiling with the larger kudu and gemsbok sitting close to the floor and the smaller ones towards the top. I also have a elk shoulder mount in the room where it sits close to where it would be if he was standing up.

You just need to get creative and use what you have.

 

[tedthorn]

Use an offset articulating mount such as the ones I've posted on here for years.

 

[Rare Breed]

Too late for that mount, but consider pedestal mounts if you are stuck with low ceilings.

+1. All my big ones are wall pedistal mounts…makes all the difference

 

[DLSJR]

Next year I am building a new trophy room. To your point 1/2 to 3/4 inch plywood going up first then sheet rock so I can hang anything anywhere

Go with 3/4” plywood. Do not try to get by with 1/2”. When I built my room 35 years ago, I went with 3/4” sheathing on all walls. I can hang heavy shoulder mounts anywhere on the walls, regardless of stud locations. Heavy mounts are hung on bolts angled sharply upward. I’ve never had anything come down, even moose or Cape buffalo mounts.

 

[tedthorn]

3/4" osb or plywood and use weight approved brackets designed for heavy taxidermy

 

[johnnyblues]

Ok, so let’s say you have tounge and groove? What then to hang?

 

[Newboomer]

Ok, so let’s say you have tounge and groove? What then to hang?

Whatever you are going to hang on a wall look for a stud. Mount the bracket to the stud with at least 3/8 x 3" lag bolts. I wouldn't trust osb to hang anything on. 3/4 ply and 1x are OK for lighter mounts.