South Carolina mounts western trophies (6)
I believe the answer is:
scalps
'western trophies' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are plural nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.
'south carolina mounts' is the wordplay.
'south carolina' becomes 'sc'.
'mounts' becomes 'alps' (alp is a kind of mount).
'sc'+'alps'='SCALPS'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for scalps that I've seen before include "Skins from top of heads" , "Hirsute trophies taken in battle by early native Americans" .)