STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME: PT1 Trophy Head Conservation at Coe Hall For eighty years the animal trophies hung in Coe Hall, silent sentinels watching the many years and visitors pass by. In September of 2002, the Coe family trophy collection was conserved and documented by natural specimens conservator Catharine Hawkes. In the process, we’ve learned more about the people and places that make up the Planting Fields Story and help define its place in American history. W.R. Coe with Sioux Indian guide Tom Dawson in Wyoming’s Big Horn Basin, circa 1922. The elk pictured here hangs in the entry of Coe Hall at Planting Fields. Heading West Mr. Coe was an avid sport hunter and outdoorsman. The trophies he collected are a bridge to the Coes’ family history and their interest in the American West but also to the beginnings of the land conservation movement in America in the early twentieth century. W.R. Coe shared his enthusiasm for the outdoors with his family and with fellow members of the Camp Fire Club of America, the Explorer’s Club and the American Hunters of Big Game which included such eminent names as Theodore Roosevelt and Admiral Byrd. The Coes enjoyed hunting while out at their ranch near Cody, Wyoming and it was from here that Mr. Coe took the two large elk and Big Horn sheep in the 1920’s that hang in Coe Hall today. The Coes were friends with artist A.A. Anderson who owned the Palette Ranch nearby and became one of the first superintendents of Yellowstone National Park after witnessing firsthand the decimation of buffalo poachers. Read more about the Cody-Coe connection here. Others like Anderson were also moved to action by the toll of America’s westward expansion. By 1900, large game in America had been greatly reduced and in some places native animals were eliminated entirely. Two of the most notable groups formed to address these issues in the late 19th century are still working toward their goals today. The Boone and Crockett Club was co-founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt and spearheaded the effort to establish a national system of land conservation and wildlife management. The Camp Fire Club of America was established 1897 with the mission of promoting conservation and outdoor education. Membership included many eminent Boone and Crockett members as well as A.A. Anderson, E.T. Seton, Daniel Beard, Russ Aitkin, and James Clark. W.R. Coe joined the Camp Fire Club in 1908 was a member during the later 1920’s when the club created the first standards for national parks interpretation that emphasized the appreciation and responsible use of natural wonders. Since the conservation and management programs began in the early 20th century, many big game populations have again risen to healthy levels. Read more about the Boone & Crockett Club here Keeping Our Heads We were losing our heads to age and sunlight, dust and dryness. Other problems included tearing skin and deteriorating lead and plaster underbodies. ___ Click on photos to enlarge Before conservation, all four heads had tearing skin, as seen on the elk’s nose. After conservation, the elk’s nose has been cleaned, stabilized and cracks or losses filled in and stained to match. Natural specimens conservators must be skilled sculptors as well as technicians to recreate the artistry of the original mount. This Article continued > > >