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:
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:
: 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.
: If a mount does not have a massive, record-breaking score or an incredibly unique non-typical antler growth, corporate curators generally will not look twice.
