Question for y'all about a potential full mount

struggling_hunter

struggling_hunter

Active member
Hey guys,

I've got a 6 day lion hunt coming up in March, I was recommended this taxidermist in Wyoming that does awesome lion work (see photo).

If I am fortunate enough to harvest a lion I was thinking of doing this mount here in the photo below

Turns out it costs $11000 but they are willing to do 3 payment installments.

I am on the fence on this mount even though I'm not in the kind of financial position to be doing this kind of thing šŸ˜…, I'd put around $3000 down, another $3000 when I get my bonus in June, then another $5000 upon completion (maybe that'd be by next tax return season, so I could technically have the extra money available for the 3 installments but I know there is a difference between being able to pay for something and actually afford it)

My question is, did any of you ever do a rug and think back years later wishing you did the full mount on any species? Or do you think 10 years from now a large printed photo and a rug would make myself content on the memory?!

Another thing I was thinking of was sticking to a full mount but maybe a cheaper habitat option and mouth closed to save on costs (I asked if there's other options like this)



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lots of draw backs to a mount like that if you have pets. it also has to be cleaned and taken care of. thats also a ton of money. did you ask about the cost of shipping it to you and is there room enough to get it into your home ?

plus the cost of the hunt is probably around 8 grand too.

its a cool looking mount, but i would choose the rug and photo, its more affordable and wont put you in a financial bind.

Best of luck on the hunt, get a big tom.
 
Having just disposed of a lot of mounts acquired over the years, many given away and the rest for pennies on the dollar, I can offer two sides to that coin. From a financial standpoint only, taxidermy is a losing proposition; however, the satisfaction and enjoyment received from them over the years is priceless.
 
DHOLT said:
That is a cool mount, my wife would never allow me to spend that much on one. I'd say that would require lots of room in a home.
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My house is pretty small, I was thinking of putting it in my ~250 sqft office which is also small. I've got a long term gf of 7 years, she holds some weight into my decisions but not complete power...yet šŸ˜‚
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RSG223 said:
That's a lot of doe and will take up a lot of real-estate! I'd be incline to have it caped out with the claws and face intact and hang it on the wall.
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This is what I am starting to lean towards, the amount of money I'd be paying on one installment is pretty much the price of an Alberta wolf hunt which id like to do in 2027

wolverines said:
You only live once, and you can't take it ($) with you.
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Yessir!

bohunr said:
lots of draw backs to a mount like that if you have pets. it also has to be cleaned and taken care of. thats also a ton of money. did you ask about the cost of shipping it to you and is there room enough to get it into your home ?

plus the cost of the hunt is probably around 8 grand too.

its a cool looking mount, but i would choose the rug and photo, its more affordable and wont put you in a financial bind.

Best of luck on the hunt, get a big tom.
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I didn't ask about shipping costs if imagine it'd be over a grand at least from Wyoming to NH, thank you for your input! Also think if they did a shoulder mount of the exact face in that mount that'd be worth it too and shouldn't be too expensive

hm1996 said:
Having just disposed of a lot of mounts acquired over the years, many given away and the rest for pennies on the dollar, I can offer two sides to that coin. From a financial standpoint only, taxidermy is a losing proposition; however, the satisfaction and enjoyment received from them over the years is priceless.
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If I did this full mount its probably going to be the only full size mount I ever do so this is a hard decision!
 
Take this with a grain of salt because I don't have any life-size mounts, but plenty of shoulder mounts and rugs in a small house.

Kill a big tom, take lots of cool pictures in the field (all facets of the hunt, not just a dead lion), use them to make a large collage of photos to hang next to the rug. Spend the other $8,000 on that wolf hunt to put another rug and collage on the wall next to the lion.

That's what I'd do. :)
 
hunt0168 said:
Rug and picture. Use $ you didnā€™t spend on mount towards your next hunt!
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DesertRam said:
Take this with a grain of salt because I don't have any life-size mounts, but plenty of shoulder mounts and rugs in a small house.

Kill a big tom, take lots of cool pictures in the field (all facets of the hunt, not just a dead lion), use them to make a large collage of photos to hang next to the rug. Spend the other $8,000 on that wolf hunt to put another rug and collage on the wall next to the lion.

That's what I'd do. :)
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Thank you !
 
Put a 55ā€ flat screen on that empty wall, stick a thumb drive in it with a looped slideshow of all the pictures you take of your cat hunt, successful or not, same for the wolf hunt. Take all that money you would spend on that full mount and schedule some more hunts to add to the slide show. Otherwise this is it;

Struggling Hunter to guest: ā€œHi, would you like to go to my office and see my mountain lion full mount?ā€

Visitor: ā€œSure, love too!ā€

Struggling Hunter to guest: ā€œOkay, right thru that door, Iā€™ll wait out here, thereā€™s not enough room for both of us to go in together, let me know when youā€™re done lookingā€.

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Sounds like an great experience and pre hunt excitement is a joyfull time ! I wish you the best of luck on your hunt !

That said.....

I read all the replies and they all have valid points.

I'm an old school thinker when it comes to money in a new age world. Buying things like a house or vehicle on credit is one thing. Play time and toys have always been make it before you spend it life for me. Plenty of people live the other way around and it gets them in trouble.

Having lived life enjoying and looking at good taxidermy work and a having a little myself brings me full circle . I worked part time for a taxidermist over 15 years ago now. I did it as a side gig to learn the craft and pay for some work I wanted done. One thing I learned is that a life size animal in a big shop looks big,but when you move it to an average or smaller size home/space it doubles or more in size. Even big antlered shoulder mounts cause space problems.
Rugs like big cats and bears take up wall space like no other, if you hang them.

A few choices :
* Life size mt
* Rug and euro skull
* Tanned hide to hang or drape on a couch etc and a euro skull.
** Lots and lots of pictures of the hunt no matter what you decide !**

Whatever you decide , do not skimp on taxidermy quality ! It will haunt you forever !


Something I heard as a young lad from an old timer at a hometown car show. "Son it's not cheap to be cool!"

Good luck !!
 
struggling_hunter said:
My house is pretty small, I was thinking of putting it in my ~250 sqft office which is also small.
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That was a big concern in my case as well......learned the hard way. Already had a number of shoulder mounts. Before I decided to have the eland mounted, I should have taken a few measurements. I figured on re-arranging the deer and putting the eland on brick wall in living room, but when I brought it home, realized the necessity of a left hand corner or it would block a hall there and any other wall he would take up the center seat on the sofa or love seat due to the long horns & 8' ceiling šŸ˜² . This called for moving the front wall of living room 4' and building him his own corner. The remodeling cost more than the taxidermy.
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This called for moving the front wall of living room 4' and building him his own corner. The remodeling cost more than the taxidermy. Moral of this story is "Plan Ahead!"
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struggling_hunter said:
This is what I am starting to lean towards, the amount of money I'd be paying on one installment is pretty much the price of an Alberta wolf hunt which id like to do in 2027
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This would be my choice, but only you can decide which route to take, YMMV. ;)
 
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