huntsman
Member
^ I’ll look for his card and PM you
FWIW he told me beetles are superior to boiling because skull doesn’t lo loosen up
FWIW he told me beetles are superior to boiling because skull doesn’t lo loosen up
I screwed up-to mount or not mount?
- Thread starter Axis II
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Thanks, I'm still playing with the idea of finding another cape but i feel it wont be right compared to the original. I would rather do beetles due to the mess and bones breaking from boiling. I found beetle to bones in akron and MOA skulls in Coshocton but im in SE lorain county so both are a little far.
SoonerMedic
Member
Hard to break any bones. You don't full on boil it, just a good simmer
Okay guys I know I might be beating a dead horse here but its still running through my head should I find a cape or euro it and be happy? My brother tells me I have the antlers, pictures and stories that's all that matters. I'm 50/50 here if I should use a donor cape and just deal with the white face not looking the same or euro it and be happy. Based on my pics do you guys think that face is anymore unique that it wouldn't match up? Just looking for some experienced advice.
Patocazador
Member
The horse IS dead. Let it rest.
Tinybob
Member
You would know it's not the same cape. So that will probably bother you even if it does look similar to the original face.
SoonerMedic
Member
In my opinion not unique enough to worry to much about it.
red rick
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At this point I would just do a euro . Like Tinybob said you will always know that is not the same deer every time you look at it . Too me if you were to use a cape from another deer that would be a forgery . A well done European will look nice and when you hang it also hang a framed picture of him under it .
The fact that you are this worried about the cape not matching now, should be enough to tell you that you will be really unhappy with the cape not matching after you spend several hundred bucks and wait who knows how long to get it back. I would euro it.
buck460XVR
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While I read the OP's thread about the deer's harvest, I don't remember much of it. But I'd assume it is similar to many folks that shoot a buck during a firearms season. They see a buck they never saw before, for a few moments, during which they see only antlers and body. They then pull the trigger and the buck drops and it's only when they walk up to it they actually see any features that might distinguish the buck from any other random buck. Those same folks then want the deer to look, once mounted, exactly like they remember it, while it was alive.....even tho they don't really know how that was. This despite the fact when mounted, the deer skin is wrapped around a commercial form that may or may not be altered for a better fit. The mounted deer has false eyes and facial features painted on like makeup. The taxidermist will pose the deer according to the choice of forms and make adjustments to the ears and eyes to his judgement. Really good taxidermists are artists and can make a deer mount seem alive, most basement taxidermist are not artists.....just assemblers. They send out the hide for tanning and send for a form in the direction the customer wants. They then stretch the skin, sew it and then paint lips, tongue, etc and position the ears and eyes according to the book they use for all of their mounts. While the OP may know the cape is not the original, odds are unless he tells them, no one else will.....and that is what most mounts are for....showing to others. One only needs to consider what's happening in the the fishing world in order to save trophy fish for the future. Replicas. Many folks claim since they know it's a replica,and not the real dead fish, it's not the same. But to most of us, it represents the memory, and that's what a mount should be. A $150 dollar mount is going to be a $150 mount regardless of whether or not the original cape is used. It's depiction of the memory will not really be enhanced by the original cape as much as spending two to three times that amount of the mount itself. Again, to the OP, go for the Beetles and move on.
You are 100% right. At first look i thought i shot a decent 10pt as i seen 5 on one side and said yep i'm going to take him. It wasn't until i walked up to him and grabbed his rack that i found it was a 12pt non typical and 15min later at picture time i see the broken outside 13th point. I had to sit there on a log for about an hour until my ride came to get me and just stared at him and that old white face i said man this has to be an old deer. Thanks for your advice. My buddy who was with me when i shot it said next year come to the farm and shoot one about the same size or smaller and use its cape cause its from the same herd and one i shot and not one someone else did. I guess what happened was just meant to be and i need to deal with the hand im dealt.
well decided to just euro mount it and be done. I will say I will never euro mount another one without paying someone else to clean it. This is the nastiest stuff ive ever done in my life! Boiled for about 3hrs and power washed it and slung stuff all over the place, smell is unbearable and I'm not sure we will get it 100% clean. Finishing up tomorrow so we shall see. any tricks for getting brain matter out?
Charliefrank
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The cheapest and by far the easiest way to clean a skull. Put skull in a bird cage and hang in the woods during the summer. Bugs will clean it perfectly. Then just peroxide the skull, not antlers for the white affect.
I hate that too. lol
Thanks for the advice all. We scored him today. My buddies pretty good at doing it he gets within an inch or so based on BBC scoring. 155 1/4 without deductions from the non typical point. We got to looking at it today and if he didn't snap off his g3 he would have had 2 non typical points about 7''. I might take him to a BBC scorer this spring if I have time and see what he goes but we did a couple bucks together today he's had done and his score was close to the officials.
SoonerMedic
Member
You can open the hole a little bit since it won't be seen from the backside. This should help. Power wash out again after.
yeah I seen a youtube video the guy says put a screw driver in a small back hole and pop them out on each side. Boiling a little more tomorrow and see what happens. Most of the outside and eyes blasted away with the powder washer but my buddy is having a heck of a time with his. My hole is pretty big like quarter or larger but his is like nickel size so a little rough.
you were correct Bigbore. Pics don't do him justice but when you've got that rack in hand and almost cant close your hang around it and the mass on the main beams and length of the brows and g2. We did a couple bucks my buddy had that were measured by scorers and he was pretty close today. I would even deduct the 5'' and make him an even 150.
I think its eaiser to skin it with out boiling. Then drill a larger hole under the skull to get the brains out. If you boil it the brain becomes cooked and rubbery and hard to remove.I went to a hair salon and bought a gallon of 30% peroxide
When its all clean from brain material paint the peroxide on and let it sit for a few hours then rinse and repeat if necessary.
Cover the antlers with plastic so you dont get any on them and change their color.
Michael's craft store has plaques just the right shape to mount them to. If you want to get fancy you can buy a wood burner and burn the yr and date ,location etc into it before you stain it.
Cheap wood burner also sold at michael's
When its all clean from brain material paint the peroxide on and let it sit for a few hours then rinse and repeat if necessary.
Cover the antlers with plastic so you dont get any on them and change their color.
Michael's craft store has plaques just the right shape to mount them to. If you want to get fancy you can buy a wood burner and burn the yr and date ,location etc into it before you stain it.
Cheap wood burner also sold at michael's
Getting drift wood mount with small info badge.
Captcurt
Member
I stand corrected. Now I'm jealous.
A 150 deer is a dandy anywhere. Congratulations!
SoonerMedic
Member
Also gotta keep in mind that you have a green score. Once it dries out it could lose 1/4" up to 2 or 3 inches.
Edit: regardless, still a great deer.
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