To crate or blanket the various 35 heads and full mounts...

Best take all wall mounts and screw them to cheap plywood. One screw should be enough. Lay the plywood down in the bed of the truck (covered moving truck I presume). This will prevent your mounts from moving around as in tipping over. All L/S mounts should be securely positioned where there is no movement. Use bubble wrap or blankets to protect the base edges just in case of movement. Anything such as wall mounted birds or fish, they are very delicate and should be either attached to the plywood or placed in individual boxes. Be sure to support them with foam peanuts. Vibration is the enemy. Good luck on your move. LDK

Mr. Kieth is helpful but I need to correct him. One screw is not enough, especially on larger animals. Use at least two 1/4 inch lag bolts with large fender washers to keep them from pulling through the plywood. Do not let a moving company move your animals for you. They will damage them. Godd luck.

I moved my animals in a Uhaul trailer from south Florida to Colorado. 3/8 sheet of plywood and only God knows how many screws I used. I can say safely say use as many as you think will be acceptible and then add about 5 more. I had several of the screws break on my wildebeest but nothing was damaged thankfully because there were enough screws to still hold it in position.

Good luck with the move! I'd just as soon be kicked in the face with a golf shoe as to move again!

We have moved and transpported and assisted clents in loading their own trophies for moves of all sorts of mounts over the years. Crating is usually not the best unless they are to be commercially moved. The screwing of wall mounts to a backing board which can then be screwed into the wood flor of a truck or trailer of to large pieces of wood that cant tip over works well. Note you can also attach mounts to the walls of some trailers and trucks. Especially small and mid size heads. Many trucks and trailers have a wood or metal band or bands around the inside of the bed to secure loads. By usiing a block spacer and a piece of plywood on the back of wall mounts you can slide them in between the bands and the wall. Life size mounts come in all shapes, configuratios and are built internally from very trsong to fairly flimsey. So be carefull not to think that all lifesize mounts can stand on their own legs and take the pounding of rough highways. You may find him kneeling or for ever wobbly at the other end. Check w/'the taxidermist that mounted them to see if they are strong and also figure ways to brace them, tie then etc. w/o chaffing hair.

Good luck with it and e-mail or call if you have any questions. info@mikescustomtaxidermy.com
502-448-1309

I have been in the moving buisness for 31 years now and in that time I have moved a lot of heads including my own. The BEST way is to crate each mount seperately.Now you are into spending some big bucks as crates cost about $10 a cubic foot ,that means $250-350 to crate your average whitetail. It is far less costly to move them loose loaded in a trailer equipt. with a decking system that will allow seperate levels in the truck for the different size mounts. Depending on how many you have you should be able to coordinate a seperate truck with your mover or on your own. I happily offer my expertise in this matter and would also be happy to get you an estimate if you like.Call my office if you are interested Dave K.1-800-426-1919..United Van Lines.or email to dave@kandsmovingsystems.com

My few mounts came across the ocean mostly packed in bubble wrap, not crated, not bolted down. There weren't many; one shoulder mount deer, one life-size fox and one jay bird. Just a tad of damage on one of the fox' ears, the others did well. Of course the container was so packed with other stuff, there was no room for vibration! ;-)

Frans