Request frm Big Dan’s Wife Melanie
General Topic
I was asked to post this for Melanie. Not the techiest so... If this is not readable, forgive me and I’ll try a different way.
Somewhat sad... but the realities of life.
Sorry for her loss.Viewing those mounts could either bring back constant heartbreak or happiness, depending on your mindset.Makes me start to put some thought as to where my collection might end up.Would maybe do good to have them go to someplace where they could be used for an educational purpose like a county conservation board or such
And also a reminder of the brevity of life and what is truly important - and lasts.
Most our stuffed animals Will end up In the same place Maybe a couple special ones find a real home for an extra couple of years. They are worthless to everyone but one
Sad indeed. They aren’t trophies except to the person that shot them. I would suggest donating them to a sporting goods store or multiple stores in his honor. Going to be tough to sell them.
I myself have only a few mounts but have mounted quite a few for customers. I’m phasing out Taxidermy this next year and will be concentrating completely on our commercial meat processing and plant.
I wouldn’t mind having a euro of one of Dan’s monster bulls. It would be a tribute to a great animal and a great man who dedicated much of his life to hunting them. Probably out of my price range though and I think that all of his biggest bulls are shoulder mounts. RIP Big Dan! Gone from this life but never forgotten.
Sure hated to read that but I truly understand I’m sure I have a lot of dust collectors that someday will be looking for a home.This has to be very tough on Mel she is a great lady.Lewis
I suffer no illusion that any of my mounts will end up anywhere but the dump after I am gone. I am fine with that. They really only mean something to me. Maybe someone will buy some of those for a bar or restaurant or something.
She may be able to contact a media production company. Movies, TV, advertising, always have set designers, and are always looking for specialty items to make it seem "real".
It’s a shame that it’s come to this, but reality often overshadows want and becomes need. I never knew Big Dan of course, but I followed his posts on here and wish I could have met him. Lord knows I don’t have room for an elk mount, but if I did I think it would make a very worthy addition to my living room. Good luck and best wishes Mrs. Moore !
I told my kids to cut off all the antlers from the mounts and sell them for shed antler prices - which is typically about $14/lb.
And that can add up fast
You would be surprised at what some people will pay for a big elk, moose or deer mount. We just got done with a project for an interior designer that does lots of work up in Big Sky and the Yellowstone club. She said they are always buying mounts for their clients as part of the MT decor. They pay a lot. I would think restaurants and bars may have interest too but probably wouldn't pay as much. Maybe she can sell some that way. If not, I agree with Brad, cut the bone off and sell at shed pricing.
You will find new homes for them. I have been slowly selling mine off. Downsizing house soon. The kids have their own and don’t want all mine.
Friends of mine here in Ft Collins Colorado had many mounts of elk, deer, pronghorn, shoulder African mounts and some full size African mounts. They contacted Scheels, they came with a crew and truck and took them all away and paid a "fare"(do now know exactly) price for them. Within a day, they were all gone.
I just went through this a few mounts ago, my house I was selling was 4,500 sq and was moving to a new home with no basement and 1,800 sq. I dealt with and auction house that took over 70+ animals to auction . To say I took a beating is and understatement . I will say know I wish years ago I never mounted anything , biggest waste of money .
I think James has the right idea or Scheels. No matter how big an animal is anymore I am doing only Europeans, my family can give them away when I am gone. I recently moved and sold over European and skull cap whitetails. Biggest was a 120" 10 pt and the smallest were spikes. I believe I ended up with about 1200 bucks for them all added up. So averaged 12 bucks a set. Shawn
I’m one step further- I have left capes, skulls and small antlers in the field (were legal) and just packed out the meat!
The waste isn’t just the taxidermy in the end, it’s the sweat and effort in the field, extra transportation costs all add up. I hunt for the experience and food.
Having mounted 5 animals I’m done.....now only Europeans as I have seen the same predicament when friends pass......
Cut up the antlers and sell them as dog chews
For the sake of income for Mrs. Moore, I'm aware of a number of casual hunters building country homes looking for mounts from a decor standpoint. Perhaps there are interior decorating or design/architectural companies she can reach out to with a portfolio/shared google drive so that they can offer those to clients.
Damnit. I loved BigDan and would love to have one of his big elk on my wall. But I have no room and am not even mounting the stuff I kill much anymore.
I think the best thing for Mel is to find a popular restaurant or lodge and donate them in his honor. I think Dan would like that. They will be admired by thousands of people for years. Even Dan’s family can enjoy them that way. I’m afraid there’s probably not any revenue potential there except for a couple of his giants. My 2c.
I should think there would be some market with builders, decorators and such. With all the "log homes/cabins being built with antler chandeliers they must need a nice shoulder mount on one of the walls? Luckily my hunting abilities didn't leave me with much to worry about dispersing!
perhaps check with B & C club or P & Y club Museum or Montana State archery Club if they are looking for wall decor.
Might check with an interior designer that works in the big sky area. Probably out of Bozeman. There would be a market and maybe some value. Never would recover the sentimental value to loved ones.
If they are donated somewhere I wonder if there is any tax write off potential?
I don't think there's really much sentimental value to loved ones to be honest. They mean a lot to us, but that's it. It was a memory we had and no one else. Dog chews is about the best you'll do on a $/inch or pound.
I'm still going to keep mounting if I have something I want to mount. It has to be special. But in no way shape or form am I looking at it as something I'll get any return on and I'm fine with that. You only get one go-round and if I have a fantastic memory I want to have on the wall for $500-$1,000 I may decide to do just that. All I have is 3 whitetails mounted. If a 170" whitetail goes on the wall I consider it's retail value at $100 and the rest lost. Your ROI on the hunt you got the animal on wasn't great either...
I would be honored to have some of Dan's antlers but the cost of getting them to me would be prohibitive. I hope they can all end up in one place so others might be able to enjoy them.
I have always thought that say for instance you had a big nicely mounted elk...not yours cut off the antlers.. turn you antlers in "detachable" and attach..... lot better that the current 1500 bucks for and elk mount...plus you don't have to jerk around with the cape....not the same cape? who cares
They bring decent dollars on ebay. Finding someone to pack/crate and ship them is the hard part.
I'm sure there are a few folks that would buy a couple of his biggest shoulder-mounted elk, but the freighting cost would exceed the base value if it was anything but a local pick up.
As others have stated, unless a sporting goods store, museum, restaurant etc..... would take the lot, it's a real long shot.
If you give yourself several years, you could probably piece-meal them out one at a time over craigs-list locally.
The antlers have some weight value as dog chews but that doesn't come close to recouping the taxidermy costs. Antelope horns, small coues antlers, and bear hides are even harder to sell.
The elk antler re-moved from the mounts is the high value item but not as a trophy especially in view of modern elk farms which routinely grow 500 inch sets. We're talking 12-14.00 per pound but he killed a pile of them.
The reality is his collection "by the pound" is probably worth 2-5,000.00 which isn't anything to sneeze at. But, if someone envisioned getting 50k, for example, then it could be a heart-breaking reality.
Theres a demand for them especially back east. cabins and summer homes and such. You cant just sh#$ out big bulls and bucks and throw them on a wall. especially quality work. I always see the old dusty stuff for sale on ebay that looks like somebody was practicing taxidermy.
