In the early days of the giant outdoor retail boom, there was a lot of truth to that rumor. The founders wanted to create a spectacle that would draw families from hundreds of miles away. To do that, corporate trophy curators actively hunted for massive collections. For instance, Cabela's once famously purchased a world-class collection of massive mule deer heads from a collector in Montana to display in their stores. The Modern Reality Today, the landscape has changed significantly:
: There are tight federal and state regulations regarding the sale of wild game and taxidermy. In many jurisdictions, selling a harvested deer mount is strictly illegal to prevent commercial poaching. does cabelas buy deer mounts
If you have inherited a deer mount or are downsizing and need to find it a new home, you still have several great options since selling it to a major retailer is unlikely: In the early days of the giant outdoor
While Cabela's and its parent company, Bass Pro Shops, are world-famous for their massive indoor "taxidermy mountains" and sprawling wildlife displays, they rarely purchase run-of-the-mill deer mounts. They already possess a massive inventory of taxidermy. However, there is a legendary exception to this rule: they will occasionally pay premium prices for incredibly rare, world-class, or high-scoring record book trophies. 🦌 The Story of the Giant Mounts For instance, Cabela's once famously purchased a world-class
: According to former employees and outdoor industry experts, major outdoor stores are sitting on so many mounts that many pieces never even make it to the showroom floor.