Here are 20 examples of taxidermy perfect for home or hunting cabin.
Taxidermy is about so much more than just stuffing a bunch of dead animals. The British ornithologist John Hancock has long been credited with creating the modern art form of taxidermy during the Victorian Era. It was during that time, during much of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, that people first realized the importance of preserving real animals.
Since then, people have really let the creativity flow through them as they practice the art of prepping such displays.
Now, these displays are more than just hunting trophies, they're often a preservation of natural history, especially in some cases of animals that may not walk this earth anymore. But for today, we're going to focus primarily on examples of taxidermy that most hunters would want to put in their homes.
Hopefully these examples give you some ideas of how to best display your next harvest.
Deer Shoulder Mounts
Travis Smola
The old reliable. Taxidermists probably prepare more deer shoulder mounts than any other in the art of taxidermy these days.
A good shoulder mount will accentuate and show off the best features of your buck's antlers and will leave you waiting for it to pop off the wall and spring to life.
We recommend discussing the pose fully with your taxidermist before you decide. He or she will likely have some recommendations about what will look best for your animal.
Waterfowl
This one is a green-winged teal and a beautiful bird for a taxidermy display. Most waterfowl displays are usually set against a piece of driftwood. You can set multiple birds against a piece that's big enough. Other option is to do a diorama display such as pictured below.
Full body alligator
Alligator hunting is a totally different style from what most people are used to. One thing is for sure, it brings about plenty of thrills with it.
We really dig the creativity on this display above. The only downside is the amount of floor space it uses up!
Turkey
Wild turkeys offer a plethora of options for display. The obvious route is to go with a body mount of that big gobbler in full strut where he's showing off that beautiful plumage on his tail and you can clearly see his majestic beard.
But there's also something to be said for a flying turkey display like this one that can be mounted on the wall, because you don't often see these birds in flight. A mount like this is sure to be a conversation starter.
Bear
Most big bruins are perfect for full body mounts, because you can't really appreciate what a perfect and adaptive animal they are until you get up close and see the muscles rippling under the heavy fat layers and the length of the claws. That's why most natural history museums go this route as opposed to just a head.
Another popular option is to go for the half body mount that hangs on the wall. This variation allows you to see some of the things I just talked about, but it also doesn't take up nearly as much space in your home.
Elk
A big bull elk has a majestic set of antlers and a taxidermist well versed in the art of preparing an elk mount will know how to best show them off.
Most people go for the standard shoulder mount with an elk. The only downside is finding a wall strong enough to hold one of these monsters!
Of course, people are constantly getting more creative and we're starting to see totally new takes on elk mounts. This one stood out from the crowd as something totally different if you're wanting your bull to stand out in your trophy room.
Moose
A big bull moose may be a once-in-a-lifetime trophy. This is probably one of the more expensive pieces of taxidermy you'll ever pay for. But it will help preserve the memory of your hunt for a lifetime, which makes it well worth the price in our minds.
Oh yeah, people like to do full body mounts of moose too. We suppose that's just to show those unfamiliar just how large these animals really are! Make sure you've got plenty of room before going this route.
Cougar
North America's largest wild cat is another animal, that like bears, just seems best done in a full body pose. That's the best way to show off those enormous paws and claws that they use to make short work of their prey in the wild.
An alternative take on this is to simply display the skins of animals, either as a rug or just tacked to the wall. We think we like the full body mount better, even if is the more expensive option.
Pronghorn antelope
If you've never seen a group of pronghorn antelope go tearing across America's plains, you're missing out. These animals are super-fast and extra cunning. Their truly one of North America's most beautiful ungulates.
This shoulder mount does a good job displaying the gorgeous coloring on the animal's face, head and neck.
Pheasant
These beautiful birds are getting harder and harder to come by here in the U.S. Thankfully, there are plenty of conservation efforts in progress to try and help them make a comeback like the wild turkey.
If you are fortunate enough to harvest one, a full body pheasant makes an excellent and colorful addition to any trophy or outdoor-themed room.
Bighorn sheep
Getting a tag for one of these elusive animals is just one part of the difficulty in hunting them. Harvesting a bighorn sheep at the high elevations they like to hang out is another. We don't recommend going cheap with a sheep mount.
Unless you're really lucky or really loaded, you're not likely to have many chances at these beautiful animals.
Feral hog
If you're from Texas, Oklahoma or any other state where feral hogs are a problem, you'll have plenty of chances to put one on the wall. One of these mounts can really help break up a room filled entirely with deer heads and add some variety to your taxidermy collection.
Partridge
Many people overlook small birds like partridge, grouse and quail as taxidermy displays. But maybe you've got a bare corner in your living or trophy room that just needs something? A small mount like this may be just the ticket.
European Mount
Travis Smola
These two are mine. I must be honest, even though I own a couple of deer shoulder mounts, I think I like the European-style skull mounts better.
I can't put a finger on why that is, but these are a great alternative to larger shoulder mounts. Even their fake plastic skull hybrid versions can look cool. And you can do European mounts not only for deer, but also bear, elk, moose, hogs and more!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis Youtube channels.
NEXT: 5 COOL WAYS TO MAKE A PATRIOTIC TAXIDERMY MOUNT
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