Adobe Stock ; Alamy ; Captured Expression Taxidermy animal . Decades later , long after the meat has been consumed , the animal ’ s likeness , story and spirit continue to live on .
Often , animals are posed in positions , complete with habitat surroundings , reminiscent of the final moments of its life – a culminating restoration of the hunt that reminds the hunter of that exact moment and effectively tells the story to anyone who sees it . Other times , the animal is posed in the most regal and statuesque manner possible ; a tribute to species itself and the spirit of the individual animal and memory of the hunt so proper and magnificent , our ancestors would be astonished .
However , the trophy can take many more forms . Whether as a rug , skull display or tools , furniture pieces , clothing and jewelry , making use of and displaying all the animal has to offer , from horns and hide to tail feathers and claws , symbolizes the connection between predator and prey … between man and animal .
It is the iconic head on the wall however , that animalrights activists have unjustly simplified and saddled with emotional rhetoric that turns usually reasonable people against hunting . The more “ charismatic ” and symbolic the animal , the greater the emotional response . While claiming moral superiority in the condemnation of “ trophy ” hunting , animal-rights organizations wholly misplace even the most basic idea of ethics when it comes to individual animals and place entire species at risk with their rhetoric .
Trophies are Morally Superior
Despite the assertions of animal-rights organizations , making a trophy of your kill isn ’ t just natural , it ’ s also
Trophies take many forms , and include not just taxidermy , but tools , clothing and jewelry .
Today ' s taxidermy are works of art that would amaze our ancestors with their lifelike appearance , habitat inclusion and staging . Ethically , trophies such as taxidermy use more of the animal than just the meat .
ethical and morally superior .
It ’ s universally accepted that if you kill an animal , you should make use of that animal . Rarely do people have an issue with subsistence hunting or the use of hides for clothing or other body parts for rituals by indigenous people . Indeed , not using as much of the animal as possible is frowned upon by people and is often illegal .
It ’ s an intellectually dishonest , circular argument the animal-rights movement has adopted . In one breath , they claim that any hunting that doesn ’ t make the utmost use of an animal is immoral , and then in the next persecute anyone who does make use of the hide , horns , feathers and skulls for taxidermy , jewelry , clothing , furniture or more .
When it comes to African species , which invoke the greatest wrath of the animalrights crowd , the meat of the hunted animals can ’ t be imported into the U . S .; rather , it is eaten in camp , given to local communities or finds its way to market . The trophy is the only physical reminder of the hunt that can be brought back from overseas , and is