How big is your trophy room?

desperatehills

Very Active Member
Messages
1,382
My wife and I are in the design stage for building our Arizona Retirement home. She can pick anything out she wants so long as I get a trophy room. Looking at standard house plans, most dens are a little small. I have a dozen mounts or so with 5 being elk, moose, and oryx. How big should I make this room? I'm thinking 12x16 with 14' ceilings. I would like to have a TV, poker table, and maybe some exercise equipment in the room as well. Tell me about your trophy room. Anything you like or would do different? Pictures would be great also. I know its rare to get to build a trophy room from scratch, most are made with what space is available. Help me not blow this once in a lifetime opportunity.
 
I'm in the process of doing the same thing.. I think 12' is going to get eaten up pretty darn fast. 12x16 may not allow you to walk around the poker table and exercise equipment. It's sounds like an awesome man cave so you're going to want at least one couch in there too. See if you can get it to at least 16x16 minimum. 18x20 would be super ideal! Good luck to ya!!
 
Mine is 20x20 with high ceilings. I have 3 deer 1 elk ,1 moose, 1 speed goat ,1 lion and a bear. I a few small game animals and birds on the wall.Im just about out room.Unless I start putting them under each other.And nothing is full body. I'd think about it if you are planning on adding to your collection.
 
Mine s 30? X 24? I can honestly say it is to small. I do have 14? Ceiling. Biggest problem is I have to many windows. I would recommend sheeting all walls with 3/4? osb before drywall. Doing this will allow you to hang critters anywhere.
 
I have a 3800 sq ft house and have something on every wall........ not a trophy room but a trophy house........ and yes my wife is OK with it. Some of those are hers.
 
As big as she will let you get away with!!!

Also, Wapitiwilly stated it best. Few windows and mainly the best advise is "I would recommend sheeting all walls with 3/4? OSB before drywall. Doing this will allow you to hang critters anywhere."

Look forward to photos when finished.
 
Just having a new home built now. The 3/4 on all of the walls was one of my first additions! Gives tons of options.
 
Our family house is only 1700 square feet and animals everywhere, the coolest trophy is the life size brown bear between the living room and the kitchen, the kids can wipe there hands off on the bear on there way out to watch tv. The desert sheep looks good out in the shop, and my father who's 85 keeps asking me when am I going to come back up to Wyoming to pick up my 30 plus mounts that are hanging in his house.
 
>HUGE! An elk and pronghorn at
>Ace Hardware in Cedar City.
>

Are they Cow & Doe Mounts?









I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
Before you get PIZZED efa!

I'm RAZZIN Ya!:D







I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D
 
You would be surprised how fast they fill up. I have one or two mounts in almost every room in the house upstairs, except the living room and the wife's bedroom.. I removed the dividing wall between my two trophy rooms in the basement to leave me 22' x 26' of open space for larger animals like African mounts. My major problem was having to remodel an existing home, with only 8' ceilings. Ten foot would be much better. Consider where to put your windows, so the direct sunlight doesn't damage mounts. It does make for an enjoyable space to entertain friends and watch TV, when all the girls gather upstairs!!

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Thanks guys. The secret is having a wife that loves to hunt deer and elk, and enjoys our special trips abroad. When we were first married, I used to buy her jewelry every time I bought another gun. Finally she told me. I don't wear the jewelry that much, and would really rather have a gun or binos. Knew I had a keeper for sure!!!!
 
>
>Before you get PIZZED efa!
>
>I'm RAZZIN Ya!:D
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I know so many people in
>so many places
>They make allot of money but
>they got sad faces
>
>It Ain't Easy being Me!:D:D:D


Thanks for the RAZZIN back! Since my post was meant to RAZZ you folks who take trophy hunting serious enough to actually set aside a bragging room, I was hoping someone would notice it and get a kick out of it. Sometimes we need to lighten up, don't we?

And NO, they are not cow and doe mounts. Both are P & Y Book animals that a trophy hunting friend helped me with and talked me into mounting them. He got me started hunting antelope, which I love doing and he helped my get the elk off the mountain after I pulled a rib muscle trying to turn the blasted thing over after I skinned and quartered one side. It was my first elk and I didn't realize how much bigger they are compared to a deer. In any case, to me, hunting and fishing are simply enjoyable ways to set aside the challenges that life brings to all of us.
 
Tall ceilings. You can nest a lot of euro mounts closer, and mount lifesize mountain goat etc a litte ways up the wall and it looks good.

I have 15 european mounts and a 12 foot sail fish in a storage unit right now. Thinking about building a garage with an apartment over it that will be my man cave/trophy room.
 
My den/trophy room is 12 x 23 with a angling ceiling from 9 feet to 11 feet. With two elk on the walls on each side. It only leaves 42 inches between the elks nose?s. It started out fine in my younger life. But my wife now says my trophy room is puking into her family room. With 12 skined mounts shoulder mounts mainly two rugs turkey fans full body mount turkey,cat and european mounts etc. I guess I am saying plan for the future. Cabin space also gets taken up fast as well. Then you have to think of gun safes taking up space. Then someplace to store all of your gear. Then your going to need space for your reloading room. Boy time to start those plans over. ?? But seriously here are a few things to think about.
 
>I had mine built in our
>retirement home (AZ) is fairly
>large with high walls.
>I had the walls sheared
>with 3/4? plywood underneath the
>drywall so I can hang
>a mount anywhere.
>
>
44452395389caf32549b0839b3f8bed912f9a.jpeg

>
>BOHNTR )))---------->

smart. great lookin bucks

Ryan Templeton
https://GearLobo.com
My biggest worry is that after I'm dead my wife will sell my hunting gear for what I told her I paid for it!
 
Thanks guys, there is lots of good information here. I will certainly put OSB sheeting under the sheetrock. 12 foot wide is not going to cut it. Our plan was for 2500 sq feet, 3 bedroom 3 bath. I'm starting to think about having dual master suites and using one for my trophy room. Its just my wife and I so we really don't need 3 bedrooms. We will also build a shop with a casita so we will have plenty of room for guest.

Blank, great looking room. I have never wanted to hunt giraffe but that rug is too cool, it finishes off the room perfectly.

Bohntr, Great wall of bucks you have. I like the ceiling you have as well. We did a accent wall in our barn bathroom with grey stained pine and seeing yours makes me want to do the same on the ceiling of my trophy room.

The room will be positioned so that it has a view of vulture peak. I will have windows on the the south facing wall but they will be low.
 
>BOHUNTR
>
>That top middle buck is a
>real monster. How wide?
> Nice pictures guys.
>Thanks

I believe he was 31 and some change.


BOHNTR )))---------->
 
That sheeting a wall first is an awesome tip. I got a 32 by 22 with a 16 foot ceiling and spacing layout is an issue. With elk type critters you eat up space quickly
 
Our whole tri-level house except our master-bedroom...the misses said that is just for she and I...
 
I'm out of room and have a few dozen shoulder mounts. I guess no more shooting small bucks. Haha
I know a guy who has two grand slams mounted and they are laying in his garage. His wife wont let them hang in his library/trophy room. I'd give her the ultimatum.
 
A buddy thought that, and tried it. Hasn't hunted out of state ever since. Be careful what you wish for.
 
Just curious, what works better for backing under the sheetrock, the OSB or Plywood?
 
I would think plywood would be a little better the way it is built up in layers , over osb which is just chips glued and pressed together, plywood a little more expensive than osb, but either one sure beats no backing at all
 
Thats what I thought. I asked because several posters mentioned OSB. Either one in 3/4" thickness is not cheap, but well worth it. Thanks.
 
You don't need 3/4" anything. That is complete overkill and overspending.

I have two large -- and over-filled-- trophy rooms, and there is not a lick of backing on any wall -- just studs and 1/2" sheetrock. I haven't counted lately but I know there are more than 30 heads hanging that include some big ones like a 60" moose (the heaviest), three caribou, red stag, couple wilderbeest, kudu, gemsbock, nyala. scimitar oryx, 1/2-lifesize sheep with rockwork. Not ONE mount has fallen over the nearly 40 years we've lived in this house.

Most small shoulder mounts weigh little nowadays, and the array of hanging hardware even for 1/2" sheetrock is mind-boggling. Plus, most construction offers a stud every 16" or 24" at most for a 2"x6" wall. These are where you locate the big stuff such as elk, moose, etc. with a lag bolt.

All that said, if you see a need for backing, the cheapest 7/16" OSB along with the sheetrock will be more than adequate, IMO.


TONY MANDILE
48e63dfa482a34a9.jpg

How To Hunt Coues Deer
 
Being a builder for 30+ years outdoor writer is correct. By sheeting it with 3/4 you have the flexibility to do anything you want. Pretty inexpensive investment for sheeting considering the invest in the critters
 
>Being a builder for 30+ years
>outdoor writer is correct. By
>sheeting it with 3/4 you
>have the flexibility to do
>anything you want. Pretty inexpensive
>investment for sheeting considering the
>invest in the critters

You probably meant to say I was INCORRECT. LOL

As I had stated, 3/4" anything is overkill. When I added my second room (15'x34', 12-ft. ceiling on one long side) that doubles as our family room, I certainly had the option of sheeting it since I did all the work myself. But after hanging mounts for more than 50 years in several different houses and NEVER having one fall, I opted to just do what I normally do -- use the studs and proper hanging hardware where otherwise needed. And the arrangement is never a problem.

TONY MANDILE
48e63dfa482a34a9.jpg

How To Hunt Coues Deer
 
I have thought a lot about this. I have done several remodels. This house will be our first new construction. My only concern with using 3/4 osb versus 7/16 osb is electrical outlet depth and trimming out doors, not cost. There will only be $100 extra in the cost of the OSB. If I was framing it myself I could take the time to rip the studs down the 3/4" and use mud rings on the outlets. It is really not that big of a deal. But a contractor might not see it as no big deal. So long as I bring it up in planning and not last minute he can make his adjustments.

7/16 osb would be would be fine for 99% of the stuff I would hang. But you can't put 3/4" in later. Most the time we don't have the luxury of choosing. Hitting studs is fine if that is all you can do. I am looking forward to putting my mounts exactly where I want them.
 
>>Being a builder for 30+ years
>>outdoor writer is correct. By
>>sheeting it with 3/4 you
>>have the flexibility to do
>>anything you want. Pretty inexpensive
>>investment for sheeting considering the
>>invest in the critters
>
>You probably meant to say I
>was INCORRECT. LOL
>
>As I had stated, 3/4" anything
>is overkill. When I added
>my second room (15'x34', 12-ft.
>ceiling on one long side)
>that doubles as our family
>room, I certainly had the
>option of sheeting it since
>I did all the work
>myself. But after hanging mounts
>for more than 50 years
>in several different houses and
>NEVER having one fall, I
>opted to just do what
>I normally do -- use
>the studs and proper hanging
>hardware where otherwise needed. And
>the arrangement is never a
>problem.
>
>TONY MANDILE
>
48e63dfa482a34a9.jpg

>How To Hunt Coues Deer

You?re missing the point, Tony. You HAVE to hang your heavier mounts on a stud as you've stated. As such, you limit your ability to hang it where you want/need it. What the plywood allows you to do is hange a mount ANYWHERE on the wall(s). It's a small investment.....I also noticed it increased the R factor in that room.

BOHNTR )))---------->
 

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