Out of space for trophies advice/suggestions?

[Red Leg]

Unless you have the means to build a truly enormous trophy room/building or establish a museum, most people who hunt a lot get to this point eventually. You can postpone the day a while by not doing as much real taxidermy - save that for special things - and do Euro's for the remainder. For instance, I don't have a single shoulder mount of a deer. However, even that will only buy time. You can quit hunting - and I have a couple of friends who won't go back to Africa because there is no room for additional taxidermy - but I refuse to do that. I also don't like the look of every bit of wall space containing an animal. I like to mix mounts with art and artifacts.

So, I don't try to keep everything anymore. One animal more or less will make no difference to whomever visits, but I do like the memory aides. So instead, I use Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/ to build a photo-journal of every hunt. The animals that I hunted, the people I came to know, even my thoughts and feelings of the moment are recorded there. I am also 66 and mortality has a way of creeping into one's thoughts. Most taxidermy will simply be a burden to a family. Grandchildren say nice things, but how many children and grandchildren are really going to want the old man's dead fill in the blank hanging around the condominium? The photo-journals, on the other hand, might indeed be something families would actually cherish. I know I would have loved to have had something similar from my father or grandfather. And if they don't, well they are much easier to dispose of than a dead Kudu.

The hunting journals are on the coffee table in the trophy room/ guest house, and our vacation journals are on the coffee table of the great room. The journals have also formed the basis for several articles that are also a way to preserve the memory of the adventure.

 

[NurseFet]

Being a wife and understanding both sides of the discussion, maybe you could rotate some of your mounts out seasonally or yearly? That way all your trophies get attention and don’t feel neglected?

 

[jeff]

If you have any floor space free standing pedestals work when there is no more wall space.

 

[BigSteve57]

If you have any floor space free standing pedestals work when there is no more wall space.

Really? I don't believe that.

 

[BigSteve57]

Being a wife and understanding both sides of the discussion, maybe you could rotate some of your mounts out seasonally or yearly? That way all your trophies get attention and don’t feel neglected?

It sounds like we all have similar problems!
On the left is my beloved Warthog (complete with Christmas ball) I took in Africa. On the right is my wife's beautiful Corsican Ram* she took in Tennessee. Once we decided her Ram should be mounted above the TV we talked incessantly whether or not her Ram should go on the left or the right. She thought it fit better on the right. I thought it would look better on the left. I went with her decision as it was her trophy. Still, I think I'll try swapping their positions and see how long it takes her to notice.

*The meat was very lean and had a heavy lamb/mutton taste but was delicious baked with curry sauce.

 

[Nyati]

Euro mounts take much less space and are easier to switch around.

You don´t have to keep everything you shoot, just the the best trophies.

 

[rinehart0050]

Unless you have the means to build a truly enormous trophy room/building or establish a museum, most people who hunt a lot get to this point eventually. You can postpone the day a while by not doing as much real taxidermy - save that for special things - and do Euro's for the remainder. For instance, I don't have a single shoulder mount of a deer. However, even that will only buy time. You can quit hunting - and I have a couple of friends who won't go back to Africa because there is no room for additional taxidermy - but I refuse to do that. I also don't like the look of every bit of wall space containing an animal. I like to mix mounts with art and artifacts.

So, I don't try to keep everything anymore. One animal more or less will make no difference to whomever visits, but I do like the memory aides. So instead, I use Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/ to build a photo-journal of every hunt. The animals that I hunted, the people I came to know, even my thoughts and feelings of the moment are recorded there. I am also 66 and mortality has a way of creeping into one's thoughts. Most taxidermy will simply be a burden to a family. Grandchildren say nice things, but how many children and grandchildren are really going to want the old man's dead fill in the blank hanging around the condominium? The photo-journals, on the other hand, might indeed be something families would actually cherish. I know I would have loved to have had something similar from my father or grandfather. And if they don't, well they are much easier to dispose of than a dead Kudu.

The hunting journals are on the coffee table in the trophy room/ guest house, and our vacation journals are on the coffee table of the great room. The journals have also formed the basis for several articles that are also a way to preserve the memory of the adventure.

Concur with @Red Leg. Photo books are a great way to remember hunts - I take the hunt reports I post here as a starting point and add some extra photos and stories to create the books.

I personally like https://www.adoramapix.com but all the big sites are pretty user friendly now.

Also recommend checking out https://www.photobookgirl.com for tutorials, suggestions, and discounts. I usually wait until adoramapix has a 30% off sale and order my books then to save a couple hundred dollars.

 

[Newboomer]

Alas, I am in that situation. No more room. I was checking my trophy room the other day trying to figure how to place my latest which are due for delivery next month. I can squeeze them but that's it---and I have a safari coming up in April. Looking for an eland and bushbuck. I have a place for a pedestal mount for the eland and a little wall space for the bushbuck. I'm taking my daughter and her hubby to RSA with me. They want a zebra and sable for the hides. At a month before I turn 79 this will probably be my last go round so with the kids on this hunt I hope to go out with a bang (no pun intended) and a couple more heads. This may be their only opportunity and will be a great family adventure. However---don't say never because it just might happen--- meaning another safari.

I have photos and little plaques for each of my trophies stating year and species hanging next to the mount. Great reminder for aging minds. Photo album is in the works. As the old saying goes,"We have ways to do these things."

 

[Rob404]

I'd say use your half of the bedroom and then learn to enjoy sleeping on the couch

 

[Newboomer]

Rob404. Y'know, I just vacuumed my bedroom and that thought occurred to me. I have some pics on the wall that could go into storage. I don't know if I want to wake up to some animal staring at me, though.

 

[Rob404]

My place is small so I mostly do Euro Mounts and also something out of the ordinary

 

[Rob404]

Rob404. Y'know, I just vacuumed my bedroom and that thought occurred to me. I have some pics on the wall that could go into storage. I don't know if I want to wake up to some animal staring at me, though.

I don't know if your wife would appreciate that statement

 

[jeff]

I have free standing multiple dioramas with four to six mounts in the middle of the room because wall space is gone.

 

[NurseFet]

My place is small so I mostly do Euro Mounts and also something out of the ordinaryView attachment 266442

We’re probably going to start doing more things like this. Upholstered furniture, using the horns for lamps and other decorations, and things like that. I like how you think @Rob404

 

[rinehart0050]

I have free standing multiple dioramas with four to six mounts in the middle of the room because wall space is gone.

Pics? Sounds cool.

 

[Rob404]

We’re probably going to start doing more things like this. Upholstered furniture, using the horns for lamps and other decorations, and things like that. I like how you think @Rob404

Thanks

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

I started doing some more of the european style to save $$ as well as space. Next would be to give up some of your lesser trophies. Next is to go for a basement if the covenants won't allow going up! Good luck.
Bruce

Basement is not a great option. My house is built on the side of a mesa. The soil is what they call cobble (rubble pushed downhill by glaciers - lots of boulders). When we put on the addition, they had to bring in a piece of mining equipment to cut a shelf into one Boulder that was too big to move. It became part of the foundation. In our backyard are boulders leftover from when the house was originally built. On some of them, you can see marks where the boulders had been drilled to allow for explosives to be placed.

Aside from the basement, I agree with most of what you said.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Unless you have the means to build a truly enormous trophy room/building or establish a museum, most people who hunt a lot get to this point eventually. You can postpone the day a while by not doing as much real taxidermy - save that for special things - and do Euro's for the remainder. For instance, I don't have a single shoulder mount of a deer. However, even that will only buy time. You can quit hunting - and I have a couple of friends who won't go back to Africa because there is no room for additional taxidermy - but I refuse to do that. I also don't like the look of every bit of wall space containing an animal. I like to mix mounts with art and artifacts.

So, I don't try to keep everything anymore. One animal more or less will make no difference to whomever visits, but I do like the memory aides. So instead, I use Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/ to build a photo-journal of every hunt. The animals that I hunted, the people I came to know, even my thoughts and feelings of the moment are recorded there. I am also 66 and mortality has a way of creeping into one's thoughts. Most taxidermy will simply be a burden to a family. Grandchildren say nice things, but how many children and grandchildren are really going to want the old man's dead fill in the blank hanging around the condominium? The photo-journals, on the other hand, might indeed be something families would actually cherish. I know I would have loved to have had something similar from my father or grandfather. And if they don't, well they are much easier to dispose of than a dead Kudu.

The hunting journals are on the coffee table in the trophy room/ guest house, and our vacation journals are on the coffee table of the great room. The journals have also formed the basis for several articles that are also a way to preserve the memory of the adventure.

That's a great idea!

Re. "burden"... I have a friend who had a business partner who was a very serious hunter and had a lot mounts. When the partner passed away, I asked my friend what the family had done with the taxidermy mounts. My friend paused, and then said "You know that's been a burden for the family." Now, I try to keep that in mind and leave tips for my family of ways they dispose my mounts when the time comes.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

If you have any floor space free standing pedestals work when there is no more wall space.

Good suggestion, but functionally, the floor space is mostly occupied either by furniture, mounts on the floor and mounts above.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Unless you have the means to build a truly enormous trophy room/building or establish a museum, most people who hunt a lot get to this point eventually. You can postpone the day a while by not doing as much real taxidermy - save that for special things - and do Euro's for the remainder. For instance, I don't have a single shoulder mount of a deer. However, even that will only buy time. You can quit hunting - and I have a couple of friends who won't go back to Africa because there is no room for additional taxidermy - but I refuse to do that. I also don't like the look of every bit of wall space containing an animal. I like to mix mounts with art and artifacts.

So, I don't try to keep everything anymore. One animal more or less will make no difference to whomever visits, but I do like the memory aides. So instead, I use Shutterfly https://www.shutterfly.com/ to build a photo-journal of every hunt. The animals that I hunted, the people I came to know, even my thoughts and feelings of the moment are recorded there. I am also 66 and mortality has a way of creeping into one's thoughts. Most taxidermy will simply be a burden to a family. Grandchildren say nice things, but how many children and grandchildren are really going to want the old man's dead fill in the blank hanging around the condominium? The photo-journals, on the other hand, might indeed be something families would actually cherish. I know I would have loved to have had something similar from my father or grandfather. And if they don't, well they are much easier to dispose of than a dead Kudu.

The hunting journals are on the coffee table in the trophy room/ guest house, and our vacation journals are on the coffee table of the great room. The journals have also formed the basis for several articles that are also a way to preserve the memory of the adventure.

Another possibility is to do slideshows on your computer. They can then be played/displayed on your big screen TV. I did that with my first safari. I even added a music (from "The Ghost & The Darkness") track. I should do that for all of my hunting pictures. Another thing for my to-do list, if I ever retire (I'm already past due for that, but family doesn't believe that I can.)