Wall Hangers

                I see it all the time, hunters or anglers gathered around telling stories about the moment they got the “big one”, or others that got away.  It is inevitable.  With our love for the outdoors comes the excitement and adrenaline rush of our encounters that must be shared.  Story telling is just one way we re-live these encounters.  Pictures are a must, but the ultimate visual display of that moment comes from a “wall hanger”.  When walking into a fellow outdoorsman’s house that has one of these trophies on the wall, my eyes automatically go in that direction and soon the story telling begins.  I know there are those who don’t understand the excitement some of us feel about these displays, in fact, some may feel it is morbid.  I say, “To each his own”.  From the beginning of time people, and animals alike, have had to hunt for their next meal.  Some people prefer to hunt at Bashas.  For the most part the heads or bodies may be on the mount, but the food is in the freezer.  This is especially true when an animal is the harvest, fishermen do have a choice.  I believe most fishermen looking for fillets would rather eat a younger, smaller, tastier specimen.  A trophy-sized, say 10 lb. bass, is sought for more for a rush or a trophy than for the next meal.  So with this in mind, do you really need to keep him with the sole purpose of a wall mount?  Again I say, “To each his own”.  You have the right to do as you please.  I have to admit, even for a catch-and-release guy, this can be a tough decision.  On one hand, just think how big this catch can become if released and how much fun another angler may have with her on a later date.  On the other hand, you want to keep this memory alive forever, and be able to show her to your friends in the artistic form of a well-designed wall mount.  If I told you could do both, what would you say?  Well you can.  There are numbers of good taxidermists out there that can reproduce your catch in such a way that you will probably not be able to tell the difference, and most likely nobody else will either.  It is just an alternate way to preserve your memories and the fish at the same time.  If the fish ends up dying and cannot be released, get him on ice until you find a taxidermist.  When in possession of a healthy fish that is worthy of a trophy, and a couple hundred bucks, be sure you take several good pictures at different angles.  The closer they are the better.  Then take a few minutes to measure the length and the girth of the fish, and that’s it.  You can now release her.  Watching her swim away can be a special moment also.  Good Fishin’, Kip Pollay (AZOD)