I was in billings,mt this weekend to witness a spectacle.Mt FWP had hides and horns auction, I have gone to them before last one was in Great Falls in 2017. 403 lots of sheep heads,horns, elk racks,bears,raw fur etc.390 elk $ 12000,370 rack $3700. The 202 bc ram head went for $ 8700, 196 ram which was a nicer ram was $ 9500. These are not mounted heads.Who buys this that there are no bragging rights too.Is it the guys that poached them or a wanna be trophy hunter.

Probably the same reason somebody pays 500K for a watch or 2.5 Mil for a car, because they can and want to show it.

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Originally posted by hvrhunter:
These are not mounted heads.Who buys this that there are no bragging rights too.Is it the guys that poached them or a wanna be trophy hunter.

That is a good question. I honestly can't understand the price of the 390" and 370" elk. I would think that a pair of 390" shed antlers could be had for a fraction of that price and then a taxidermist could mount them, so what makes the 390" elk skull worth $12K?

I mean, what is the value of a pair of elk horns that are attached to a skull plate, over a pair of sheds?

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so what makes the 390" elk skull worth $12K?

Buying it back after it was taken by the state.

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Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

so what makes the 390" elk skull worth $12K?

Buying it back after it was taken by the state.

Taken from poachers? I’m embarrassed to not know the answer to this.

So poachers illegally kill a 390 elk, get caught/elk confiscated. Then they buy it back from the state for 12k?

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Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

so what makes the 390" elk skull worth $12K?

Buying it back after it was taken by the state.

Taken from poachers? I’m embarrassed to not know the answer to this.

So poachers illegally kill a 390 elk, get caught/elk confiscated. Then they buy it back from the state for 12k?

Or some hunter gets caught with a minor violation.

Not having his tag filled out properly the state grabs the horns as additional punishment.

There are hunters like myself who just like having the really big stuff around. I have a huge warthog mounted life size with some monster tusks I found on a dead warthog. I don't tell people that I killed it but it's just nice to have such a great example of a warthog in the house.

I agree the numbers seem out of whack but like the other guy said people do shit because they can. One of the folks from Cali that moved to Montana and built a mansion might want the elk just for decoration over his fireplace!!!!!

Mark

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Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
One of the folks from Cali that moved to Montana and built a mansion might want the elk just for decoration over his fireplace!!!!!

That’s it exactly.
When building a multi million dollar mountain house, they need decoration.
$12K isn’t much when hanging over a $75K fireplace…

Mark,

I’m pretty sure that I remember your life sized warthog. But to be honest, you had so many cool mounts that it’s a bit of a blur.

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Originally posted by Huvius:

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
One of the folks from Cali that moved to Montana and built a mansion might want the elk just for decoration over his fireplace!!!!!

That’s it exactly.
When building a multi million dollar mountain house, they need decoration.
$12K isn’t much when hanging over a $75K fireplace…

And I guess I can see a dealer in “Rock Mountain Decor” buying the antlers on speculation, hoping to have them mounted and sold to someone wanting something special to set off their million dollar mountain home.

But that still leaves me with the question: why do they need to but the $12k trophy antlers, when the rich buyers couldn’t tell a 320 bull from a 390 bull? And why not buy a pair of 390 replicas, or 390 shed antlers?

And for that matter: If some dealer has willing buyers, why isn’t their a market for the guys trying to sell their mounts when they downsize? It seems that you can’t sell taxidermy for what it cost to have it mounted, much less turn it over for a profit, right???

I’m not arguing, it’s just that I can’t make sense of it.

IMO IF a poacher can buy such a head back

for that price. Their fine wasn't near high

enough.

George

Id sell my 383 elk, skull mount for $12.000 in a heart beat, and thats negociable ?? any takers? please??
Ray

Having money is no sign of intelligence.
That is very evident in the above thread!
.............................. MacD37

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:
Having money is no sign of intelligence.
That is very evident in the above thread!
.............................. MacD37

Mac, I know that you aren't referring to me, because I have no money.


Seriously though, wouldn't it be nice to have the type of money where you could think nothing of dropping $12k for an elk mount to decorate your $75k fireplace?

If I was that loaded, I would buy an original Shelby Cobra and use it as my daily driver...

I don't knew how the individual seizure rules are for each state, but if the federal Government does a seizure either by criminal or civil process the subject cannot lawfully buy it back, if they use a nominee to buy it it still will be seized and if can't be located substitute property will be taken.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

so what makes the 390" elk skull worth $12K?

Buying it back after it was taken by the state.

Taken from poachers? I’m embarrassed to not know the answer to this.

So poachers illegally kill a 390 elk, get caught/elk confiscated. Then they buy it back from the state for 12k?

Or some hunter gets caught with a minor violation.

Not having his tag filled out properly the state grabs the horns as additional punishment.