Moving Trophy Room Advice from our Taxidermists

[Bullthrower338]

Alright guys, I’ve finally decided to head back home to Montana permanently! With this comes the logistical nightmare of moving when you hunt a lot. The first leg of this journey was moving guns, ammo, reloading and the garage north. I rented a U-Haul and an auto transport for my bronco. @ActionBob and @Just Gina took the time away from their busy lives to come all the way down to Houston with a 24’ enclosed trailer to haul stuff north. For this I will always be in their debt. They always say you will see who your friends are when you move. We completed the first leg with 3 blown tires on the U-Haul and 4 on Bob’s trailer, a blizzard in Nebraska and welcomed to Montana May 3rd with snow and drizzle all day to unload in. Thank You Bob and Gina from the bottom of my heart!
Leg Two:
@tarbe and his lovely wife are now on the way down from Missouri to complete the second portion. Which brings me to my question for the guys that move taxidermy, any suggestions or criticism of how I have this set up? I hung them as if they were going on the wall and then ran screws through the 3/4 plywood into the back of the mounts securing them to the plywood. The animals that have a lot of forward weight have bracing of the antlers/horns.

Thanks for any advice!
Cheers,
Cody

 

[BRICKBURN]

Think African shipping crate.

Perhaps put the biggest stuff with its back on the floor. Also, heavy stuff lower to the floor.
Use more screws, always more screws.

Good luck.

 

[VertigoBE]

I'm no expert by any means, but big heavy stuff on top does not seem right.
As @BRICKBURN mentioned, as much as possible put everything with the back on the floor, less possibility for the horns/antlers to create momentum and act as a fulcrum on where they are attached to the form.

I would also bubble wrap the bigger ones, tape it well in, as an additional strenght between the form and the horns/antlers.

 

[Bullthrower338]

The buff wouldn’t fit anywhere else without removing the shelves in the borrowed trailer.

 

[Shootist43]

Cody, I hauled some Taxidermy from Missouri to Michigan, Like Brickburn sed, screw everything to 3/4" plywood (I screwed 2" x 4" s to the underside of mine so I could get my fingers under them) and lay everything on the floor. I slid everything in from the rear of the trailer. You need to make sure that nothing can shift or move. You will need to put a couple of short pieces of 2" x 4" on the top near the ends of each piece to keep one "section" from bouncing higher and riding up over the top of the adjacent piece.

 

[BRICKBURN]

The buff wouldn’t fit anywhere else without removing the shelves in the borrowed trailer.

Oh, well.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

@Bullthrower338 , Cody, let me know if you need some help. I will work for an invite to a Montana hunt.

 

[Bullthrower338]

@Bullthrower338 , Cody, let me know if you need some help. I will work for an invite to a Montana hunt.

thanks Dave, you always have an open invitation my friend.

 

[Red Leg]

Sorry to see you leaving Texas - but if the alternative is Montana, I get it. Ok, for maybe eight months of the year. Best of luck in the transition.

Trophy haulers brought several of mine from Pennsylvania a few years ago. Obviously they had a customized trailer, but everything was screwed into half-inch plywood walls with the heavier things lower.

 

[lockingblock]

if you can, look Where things will fall and onto what. Egg crate foam around horns helps a lot. SECURELY screw it together and envision you in a hard stop, big bump, swerve, and where the load path will send the energy/force. Test it at home…go hard stop and see what breaks loose.

 

[ZG47]

@Bullthrower338 I suggest that you create two 4x2 timber frames, each with a bottom plate 2-3’ long and a vertical piece that will fit just below the buffalo’s jaw to allow some packing. You will also need a diagonal brace about 18” long to stabilise each frame. Once you have determined by repeated measuring what exact height and lengths to use, drill a 1/2” hole about 2” down from the top of each vertical piece so that you can secure your horizon rail with a coach bolt at a each end.
You can assemble the entire frame outside the trailer and adjust until it looks about right, then assemble in place and easily pull pieces back out to adjust. You can easily fit packers if, at the end, you have set the rail a bit too low. I advise that, with the exception of the two coach bolts, you fasten everything on this proposed frame with hex-head roofing screws. Chipboard screws are the wrong choice for such a frame. You can add some 3/4” ply shelves to this frame, where necessary, to provide extra support for a particular trophy.
Just my two cents, as a carpenter who recently turned 59. Have fun in your new location but do not move that trailer one inch closer to the road until you are completely happy with the load restraint and structural support system for your trophies. Also, check the load 300 yards down the road, and every time you are about to exit a fuel or refreshment location. The transit into a roadside gutter and across a footpath can sometimes do almost as much damage to a load restraint setup as emergency breaking.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Just moved last fall. Had a friend/taxidermist help load stuff. As others have said any big or heavy that can be placed on the floor the better. Pack between the framing but not the mounts themselves. Think anything that’s touching will rub.
Not sure how your traveling but if your going 287 SE Colorado and need a place to overnight give me a shout.
If timing works l could maybe help with the move also

Mike

 

[CAustin]

Looks to me like you have done a nice job of it. Now just don’t slam on the brakes going up

 

[ActionBob]

Cody it was an honor to help and a privilege to be able to take the time! Gina and I had great fun hanging out with you And we both absolutely loved meeting your mother. I didn't think I was going to be able pry Gina away when it was time to leave!

Might want to avoid any stretch of highway that has orange circles around the potholes! And hopefully you won't be quite as over loaded this next run

 

[ActionBob]

Cody has quite the views....

 

[Range 07]

That sounds good, Goodluck !

 

[sierraone]

Hate to see you leave Houston Cody. Only about 450 miles from central Arkansas. Not that I love Houston, (too big, crowded and hot) but it was easier to find you there, than it will be to carry my old self and old truck to Montana. Have never been there, but you have given me a real reason to go now. We will see. In the meantime hope to continue to see you at DSC. Be safe and continue to post your hunting reports.

 

[Shootist43]

Cody, are you retiring as well, or just changing airports?

 

[Ridgewalker]

Hire a pro! What a task to take on!
Best of luck and enjoy your new place! Montana is awesome!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Cody, are you retiring as well, or just changing airports?

Unfortunately just changing Airports Art! This job should be my last one though!