There are some posts that are, well, not easy to write — but they just have to be written. And given I’m on my way to pick up new mount for my son, this is a post I’ll need to put behind me. I realize I’m probably going to get fired as a friend by some of my male hunting pals because this is the post these friends have known was coming. But as a matter of principle and because I’ve been asked to weigh-in on too many husband/wife disputes on this subject, I just have to do this. (deep sigh)
It’s about deer head mounts in the home. Here goes…
I’m an advocate for taxidermy in the home, so I’ve often been asked by my male friends for help in getting their wives/girlfriends to agree to a deer head mount in a prominent place in their home or to agree to another mount in the house at all. So here’s what I think…
First of all, much depends on the size of your house! So let’s base this on a smaller home, here’s what I have to say:
One deer head is great (in the right place). Two is fine … three is okay…but it might be beginning to grow the herd inside the home (which is not so good). Four or more in a smaller home is a herd and now you’re on the slippery slope of having them all relegated to the “man cave” in the basement or garage (or barn) along with the stained pool table (if you’re lucky). Even worse, you’re possibly staring down the “it’s them or me” conversation (which is a lose – lose for everybody. She doesn’t want to hear him waver- which he will, and he doesn’t want to hear her say “are you out of your mind?”- which she will.) In business school, they’d call this a “high-risk negative” for both sides.
But antlers and mounts have long enjoyed a space in many traditional (and non traditional!) homes and add elegance, texture and interest to a room. Two keys to making the most of a mount: first, don’t grow the herd in the house: you don’t need a mount in every room. Less is more. The other key: placement. If your ceilings are low or if a room is small, just over the fireplace might feel intrusive. Looking the mount directly in the eye doesn’t exactly appeal to some people, so if you have a space with high ceilings, placing it higher maximizes an open space and gives the mount dignity.
Now let’s think more out of the box…
