Is it disrespectful to the animal?

[stk]

So every year for Christmas my wife decorates up the house. Part of her annual ritual is "decorating" my mounted heads. They typically get Santa hats, scarfs, ornaments from the antlers etc. I have always felt inside that it was disrespectful to the animal but I have never said anything to her.
Am I warranted in feeling this way or am I overthinking it?

I think the animal would take more issue with you cutting off its head and putting it on your wall than with your wife putting a hat on it.

Honestly, the animal doesn’t care. I suspect you’re the one who feels disrespected because she doesn’t hold “your” mounts in the same esteem as you do. Well, why should she? Do you display other people’s trophies? One day your children or your children’s children will toss them all in a dumpster. Until then, you get to enjoy them your way, and your wife lets you do it 11 months out of the year. Let your wife enjoy them her way for a few weeks. Sharing is caring.

 

[CM McKenzie]

I hate it too….

but we compromised, and I do what I’m told.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I look at them all as members of the family and our family memories. It’s ok if they are included in celebrations or holding on to my favorite hat.

Happy Christmas

And always
Safe hunting

 

[ActionBob]

I agree with @Firebird on the sitting or standing on dead animals for pictures. I find that disrespectful, however, to each their own. I am probably one of the few women on this forum and one who also has taxidermy of my own. I put a Santa hat on George’s horn one year. George is the full size rhino mount in the living room. Bob said no and I said if George’s big butt is going to be in my dining room and his horn next to my tree, it is going to at least look a bit festive. The following year my tree was in a different location so I did not put a Santa hat on George. I also do not decorate all the taxidermy, or any for that matter . George was the one time. I don’t think it’s disrespectful though. Most women would get bent out of shape or throw a huge tantrum if you told them not to do something to your taxidermy. I have taxidermy so I would not get mad about Bob saying something. He has a pair of sunglasses on a small critter though. Cannot remember which….there is SO MUCH taxidermy.

I got over it and actually like the decorations

 

[migrabill]

Starting shit with your SO during the holidays? Are you fkn kidding me? Go ahead. Down the road, you're probably looking at YOUR money $$$$ going their way with zero return.
In other words STFU and deal with it.

No need to curse at me. I actually decided not to say anything! Just wanted others opinions. Geez...

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I must say I agree. I especially dislike the comic baboon mounts, Turkey feet made into middle fingers, whitetail doe butts, etc etc. I just see no class in any of it. In an old interview Harry Selby even put in his .02c on this style of thing saying that an ostrich leg made into a table lamp seems rather gauche.

Preach it brother!

 

[ActionBob]

I just pictured George with a 6" red Styrofoam ball on his horn.

And singing George the red horned rhino......

LOL! I suppose I need to find a rhino sleigh to hook him up to next

 

[JimP]

Ok, I can actually picture this, HAHA!! thank you for the laugh! I may have to work on this idea of yours!

If you only even do it as a joke we need a picture....

 

[Newboomer]

Certainly no more disrespectful than shooting him in the first place.

Hmmm. Antlers and hooves for gunracks. Somehow that fits. Maybe the rifle that collected him? They do kinda go together.

 

[R eight]

Something to consider

 

[Troubleshooter]

Something to consider

True, but in fairness that cuts both ways...

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Just my opinion:
Consider yourself fortunate that you have a wife who not only supports hunting, but also takes the initiative to incorporate your hunting trophies into her Christmas decorations. She seems like a great lady. It's just one day of the year and she deserves to have her good natured fun.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

A long time ago and a previous wife.

Before Christmas every year wife and daughters would spend over a week decorating very big Christmas tree. She had a story where she told the daughters that if the family was blessed a special angel would come and place an angel on the top of the tree. The girls would get up and year after year.

As usual I was assigned to placing the angel. Then I got to thinking about a very authentic looking shrunken head I had, bingo angel replaced with shrunken head. That was before cell phones with cameras. You should have seen the looks on the girls faces. Then the mother came down the stairs. Took one look at the tree and the fight started.

 

[Lbarr265]

I think Santa hats are not disrespectful but I’ve also seen it become a slippery slope to other decor and even to the point of lipstick and mascara which I think is going too far. As a result my mounts never get decorated by anything. And it leads to a calm rational (I’m serious) discussion every year.

“Can I decorate your mounts with Santa hats and garland?”

“Will you be careful getting up on the wall? Will you dust them while you’re up there? Can I display them wherever I want or are they relegated to the gun room only?”

That ends the discussion in my house.

 

[Hunt anything]

View attachment 574281

I think a grinch hat would suit a buffalo.
as for me I do think it is disrespectful of my animals but if other people dress them up thats up to them, to each his own. If my wife ever did it I dont think I would fight that battle as she hasn’t pressed to much about my taxidermy addiction.

 

[PARA45]

I am lucky that I have a very understanding, and supportive wife. She laughs and tells out friends that the entire house is my trophy room, since I have dead sh*t (as she affectionally calls them) all over with the exception of our bedroom. She has been decorating them since we've been married, and truthfully, she does a great job with them. She uses pheasant feathers in our Christmas tree. Life is too short to worry about the little stuff.

A Santa's hat on a Cougar, now that I have to see. LMAO!!!!

 

[Inline6]

I think a grinch hat would suit a buffalo.
as for me I do think it is disrespectful of my animals but if other people dress them up thats up to them, to each his own. If my wife ever did it I dont think I would fight that battle as she hasn’t pressed to much about my taxidermy addiction.

We all have our own way of looking at things. If someone took me out and hung me on the wall, I'm not sure I would feel the love. Personally feelings are just that, to each their own. As far as the Grinch hat goes, well my wife saves that one for me hahaha!

My wife is awesome, she doesn't say anything about the guns I buy, the competitions I shoot, or the hunts that I go on that produce the taxidermy in the house. If she wants to dress them up, who am I to deny her happiness. It is not like she is damaging anything. The real reason some feel like it is disrespectful, is because it is their mount and the don't want anyone to mess with it (something I myself have to keep in check at times).

We have friends and family come over all time, the people that see the taxidermy are usually surprised by the size and the amount. They have a inquisitive look on their face. When the see them dressed up it usually includes a big smiles and laughter. In my mind that equals a more positive experience. So again I ask why not?

 

[Philip Glass]

So every year for Christmas my wife decorates up the house. Part of her annual ritual is "decorating" my mounted heads. They typically get Santa hats, scarfs, ornaments from the antlers etc. I have always felt inside that it was disrespectful to the animal but I have never said anything to her.
Am I warranted in feeling this way or am I overthinking it?

No issue. My warthog has worn party hats, Santa hats, etc for years (1997 mount).

 

[steve white]

I agree with @Firebird on the sitting or standing on dead animals for pictures. I find that disrespectful, however, to each their own. I am probably one of the few women on this forum and one who also has taxidermy of my own. I put a Santa hat on George’s horn one year. George is the full size rhino mount in the living room. Bob said no and I said if George’s big butt is going to be in my dining room and his horn next to my tree, it is going to at least look a bit festive. The following year my tree was in a different location so I did not put a Santa hat on George. I also do not decorate all the taxidermy, or any for that matter . George was the one time. I don’t think it’s disrespectful though. Most women would get bent out of shape or throw a huge tantrum if you told them not to do something to your taxidermy. I have taxidermy so I would not get mad about Bob saying something. He has a pair of sunglasses on a small critter though. Cannot remember which….there is SO MUCH taxidermy.

After all, only two things in life are certain: death and taxidermy.

 

[mdwest]

I am lucky that I have a very understanding, and supportive wife

This is where I have a distinct advantage over many…

Most of the taxidermy in my house… is my wife’s… to include the 9 mounts in the master bedroom lol…

I’m usually the one saying “a good picture is enough.. we’ve already got 3 blue wildebeest euros in the house”…

Which gets responded to with a “one more isn’t going to kill you… we’ll find a place for it”… lol…

What’s funny is we actually have only a few mounts in common areas of the house.. 1 euro in the game room.. 1 pedestal in the entryway..2 euros in the den… and that’s it..

But the master bedroom is packed.. there are mounts in the guest bedroom, my office has several.. and now our youngest is hanging mounts on the walls in her bedroom lol..