Trophies - A Collection of Memories

After four years of importing and planning, my African trophies arrived in Pleasanton by way of RCVL. Never heard of RCVL? They’re awesome and in fact their global headquarters is Pleasanton, California. RCVL stands for Rich Clayton Van Lines. After months of deliberation, I decided the best way to get my trophies from Iowa to California was, um, well, to drive them. Driving across country with nine African trophies in the back of a Penske Truck is a story for another time.

As neighbors and friends visit our home over the coming months they'll quickly realize (perhaps for the first time) that I’m a hunter. For those of you, see my earlier post on Why We Hunt. The obvious unstated question will be – Why would you want these dead animals in your house?

Why? Because they are a daily reminder of that once in a lifetime experience. Trophies remind you of your passion and the hunting experience. The weather, the people, the conditions, the angle, the obstacles, the distance, the terrain, and of course the animal and it’s surroundings.

Seeing these animals brought to life through excellent taxidermy from my cousin, Joe Meder puts the hunt in the present tense. You can see it all instantly. Hunting trophies (at least for me) aren’t for the record books or the collectible value, but for remembering the hunt and how truly blessed we are to have the opportunity to pursue these magnificent animals.

Yesterday, we hung the Buffalo, Gemsbuck and Waterbuck and I couldn’t help but drift away thinking about Africa as I looked at these beautiful pieces of art.

So when you come into our home, be prepared to hear at least one hunting story even if you think you've heard it already. It will be mostly true with a splash of embellishment just to make it interesting. With these great trophies, the subject is unavoidable. If you’re a PETA member looking for a donation, perhaps you keep walking and pretend you didn't ring our doorbell.