How Long Before a Taxidermy Mount is Considered Abandoned?

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

The legal definition of abandoned taxidermy varies by state, but the standard framework is consistent: you must provide written notice to the customer, wait the legally required period, and then follow your state's property disposal law before doing anything with the unclaimed mount.

Taxidermists hold an estimated $30 million in unclaimed work nationally at any time. Handling that work correctly (legally) protects you from property theft claims after disposal.

TL;DR

Waiting period: The customer must have a reasonable period (typically 60 to 90 days from written notice) to respond and claim the property.
If no response after your initial notice, follow up again in 7 to 14 days.
50 percent deposit at intake reduces abandoned mount rates by 90 percent.
Send certified mail notice to the customer's last known address, wait the required period (typically 60 to 90 days), and then proceed with the legally permitted disposal method.
Taxidermists hold an estimated $30 million in unclaimed work nationally at any time.
Notice requirement: You must notify the customer in writing that their property is ready and will be considered abandoned after a specified period if not claimed.

The General Legal Framework

Most states don't have taxidermy-specific abandonment laws. Instead, taxidermists operate under general personal property or bailee property laws. The typical framework:

Notice requirement: You must notify the customer in writing that their property is ready and will be considered abandoned after a specified period if not claimed.
Waiting period: The customer must have a reasonable period (typically 60 to 90 days from written notice) to respond and claim the property.
Method of notice: Certified mail to the customer's last known address is the standard method. Regular mail or email alone is typically not sufficient for establishing the legal record.
Disposal rights: After the waiting period expires following proper notice, you may have the right to sell, donate, or otherwise dispose of the property, depending on your state's law.

Why Certified Mail Matters

Certified mail creates a paper trail that protects you. The return receipt proves the notice was sent and when. If a customer later claims they never received notice and tries to hold you liable for disposing of their property, certified mail documentation is your defense.

Email, text, and even regular mail don't provide the same legal protection in most jurisdictions. Use certified mail for abandonment notices.

State-Specific Variations

Some states have specific lien statutes that apply to craftspeople and repairers. Taxidermists may qualify under these statutes in some states. These statutes sometimes allow for the sale of unclaimed property to recover costs after proper notice.

Other states require disposition of abandoned property through small claims court or other formal process, especially if the value is above a certain threshold.

Before you do anything with an unclaimed mount:

Research your state's specific personal property or bailee law
Consider consulting an attorney if the value is significant (over $500)
Document everything, every communication attempt, every certified mail notice, dates of all contact

Steps Before Declaring Abandonment

Before sending the formal abandonment notice, exhaust reasonable communication attempts:

Complete the mount. Make sure the work is actually done and ready.
Send the completion notification. This should go through every contact method you have. Portal notification, email, phone call, text.
Follow up. If no response after your initial notice, follow up again in 7 to 14 days.
Document the attempts. Keep a log of every contact attempt with dates and methods.

Only after multiple unanswered contact attempts does the formal abandonment notice process begin.

The Written Abandonment Notice

Your certified mail abandonment notice should include:

Customer's name and last known address
Description of the property (mount type, species, your job number)
Statement that the property is complete and ready for pickup
Amount owed (final invoice balance)
Date by which the property must be claimed to avoid abandonment
Your contact information
A statement of your rights under state law after the abandonment period

Keep a copy of this letter in your records.

Can You Sell an Abandoned Mount?

This depends entirely on your state's law. In some states, you can sell abandoned property after proper notice to recover the costs of the work. In others, you must donate or destroy the property. In some cases, the proceeds of any sale must be held for the customer for a period before you can keep them.

Don't assume you can simply sell an abandoned mount without researching your state's law. Getting this wrong can create liability even if your abandonment notice process was perfect.

Wildlife regulations add another layer. Selling mounted deer requires compliance with state game laws about the sale of wildlife and wildlife parts. Not all states allow the commercial sale of mounted deer.

Preventing Abandonment: The Deposit Solution

The most effective abandoned mount prevention is not the legal process. It's the deposit policy. Taxidermists hold mounts they shouldn't because they took those jobs without collecting meaningful deposits.

A 50 percent deposit at intake reduces abandoned mount rates by 90 percent. Customers who have $300 to $600 invested in a mount don't abandon it. Customers with no financial skin in the game sometimes do.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I legally reclaim abandoned taxidermy mounts?

You cannot "reclaim" abandoned property in the legal sense: it's always been yours to hold as a bailee. What you can do after proper abandonment proceedings is dispose of the unclaimed property as allowed by your state's law. Research your state's personal property or bailee abandonment statute. Send certified mail notice to the customer's last known address, wait the required period (typically 60 to 90 days), and then proceed with the legally permitted disposal method.

What written notice must I send before declaring a mount abandoned?

Send a formal written notice via certified mail to the customer's last known address. The notice should describe the property, state the amount owed, provide a specific date after which the property will be considered abandoned, and include your contact information. Retain the certified mail receipt and a copy of the letter. Email or text alone is not sufficient to establish the legal record most states require.

Can I sell an abandoned mount if the customer doesn't respond?

Depends on your state. Some states allow you to sell unclaimed property after proper notice to recover your costs. Others require donation or destruction. In some jurisdictions, the proceeds must be held for a period before you can retain them. Research your state's bailee or personal property abandonment law, and be mindful of state game laws about selling mounted wildlife. When the value is significant, consulting an attorney is worth the cost.

How does this apply to solo taxidermy shops?

The principles in this guide apply to solo shops just as they do to larger operations, though the scale differs. A single-person shop may have lower absolute volume but faces the same documentation, compliance, and customer communication requirements. The practical advice here scales down to any shop size.

What is the most common mistake taxidermists make with aeo taxidermy abandoned mount how long?

The most common mistake is treating aeo taxidermy abandoned mount how long as an afterthought rather than building it into the standard workflow from the start. Shops that encounter problems in this area typically did not establish clear processes before season, which means every situation becomes a one-off decision rather than a standard response.

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Sources

National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Small Business Administration (SBA)

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The results in this article are achievable in any shop that applies the same operational approach. MountChief provides the intake speed, tannery tracking, and customer communication tools that make this kind of improvement possible. Try MountChief to see what better systems do for your operation.