How different do your mounts come back?

[JohnVH]

Curious, had my first deer done this year, came back looking pretty different than when it was shot, is that pretty normal?  I keep looking at him wondering...

[jackelope]

Before and after pics? I'm sure there's bound to be a little difference, but I'm also sure that it comes down to the quality of the work performed. Safe to say the buck's own cape was used for the mount?

[D-Rock425]

Pics?

[JohnVH]

Yep, same cape, Im hoping anyway, but I guess thats my question.. Ill get pics here in a sec

[JohnVH]

Im mainly looking at the ears, the double check white spots,

[jackelope]

First thing that jumps out at me is the form is much smaller than your buck. That would irk me.

Maybe one of the taxi's could chime in here.
 

[JohnVH]

yeah, also, the second white patch is fainter, the ears used to have a white line in the black outline, thats gone too...

[Hunter Dug]

I can tell you right know the taxidermist did as little work as possible to transform your animal to what it was if he had the pictures of your buck upon harvest.  The neck on your buck is clearly swollen when harvested, and this would require adding to any form to make it look as pictures, this is a very time consuming part of the process and is skipped by some who are in a hurry to process your trophy. Your finished buck is not swollen in the neck at all and that will clearly change its appearance.  This is very common on animals that are turned around in a quick manner.  I have seen several bucks killed in the rut that came back from the taxi with skinny necks and even bunched up cape on the back of the neck to fit the form that was not altered to fit the hide.   If pictures were supplied for reference I would be pissed.

[bucklucky]

I can se that the cape was cut wrong in the last picture. It was cut to the inside of the leg into the brisket..... Looks like on the mount picture that is was sewn back together in the brisket armpit area. If so that should tell you if it was your cape on the form.

[klikboom]

I had the same thing happen to me with the neck on my only buck i had mounted. The reason I wanted it mounted was it was a nice rack but big roman nose and huge neck. I had a guy mount it that i know  (non-professsional) and he did a good job but the size just wasn't there and definitely didn't look the same as when i shot it.

[HntnFsh]

I think its the same cape look at the notch in the ear.

[Hunter Dug]

The nick in the ear and the blonding around the antler base makes me think its the same cape.

[ellensburgpo]

I think its the same cape look at the notch in the ear.

 

[Natures Way]

That is your deer there are a lot of things that can make your deer come back different, tanning, form selection for anatomical accuracy, the taxidermist. Another reason is when you harvest a deer the hairs are standing on end and have moister content to them when it is mounted the hairs lay down(we call it grooming) but with the hair laid down it will appear smaller. There are even a few more reasons than this just wanted to put some basic reasons out there. Hope this helps. Nice buck

[JohnVH]

Thanks guys, I guess I didnt know what to expect, I did not take a picture to him to give something to aim for in the finished product, lesson learned, this was my first deer mount, my bear came back great.

[Kuduman]

often times field photos look great but are no replacement for taking carcass measurements of the actual animal. few hunters actually take the time to measure more than the gross score of the antlers and pay little attention to the neck measurements. whereas a taxidermist is more concerned about the proper measuring of the carcass and in the case of an animal delivered to a shop that has already been skinned only has the cape as a reference. field photos do little to represent a pose of a semi sneak or upright form which will lengthen the neck and make it look considerably smaller than the field photo. I record each deer's green measurements and tanned measurements along with the form measurements. expect about 1/2 - 1 inch smaller form due to shrinkage.  IMO same cape no doubt.

Kuduman

[BOWHUNTER45]

That is your deer there are a lot of things that can make your deer come back different, tanning, form selection for anatomical accuracy, the taxidermist. Another reason is when you harvest a deer the hairs are standing on end and have moister content to them when it is mounted the hairs lay down(we call it grooming) but with the hair laid down it will appear smaller. There are even a few more reasons than this just wanted to put some basic reasons out there. Hope this helps. Nice buck

[huntnnw]

Taxi are suppose to take measurements before ordering forms...eye to nose and neck which is measured under the jaw bone and behind the ears...hair up or not Id say that form is small. I have also seen capes on bucks comeback from tanneries that were just avg bucks to giant rutted up looking bucks.

[Natures Way]

clearly it is small, The hair patterns on the deer arn't where they should be the right form wasn't selected for this deer. with that being said we don't know what the taxi had to go through to get it mounted. maybe, just maybe there where other reasons for it that we don't know. But form selection is definitely one of them 

[Ghost Hunter]

I had the same thing happen to me with the neck on my only buck i had mounted. The reason I wanted it mounted was it was a nice rack but big roman nose and huge neck. I had a guy mount it that i know  (non-professsional) and he did a good job but the size just wasn't there and definitely didn't look the same as when i shot it.

I had the same thing happen with a decent WA buck.  Roman nose with a very pronounced forehead.  Forehead on mount is a little dished with extra cape bunched around base of horns.  I was disappointed.

[huntnnw]

Problem with taxi is the forms are all the same other than pose and size.. If a deer has features such as a roman nose that will not be on your form.. The only way this will be replicated is talking with your taxi and sending him pics.

[bucklucky]

Problem with taxi is the forms are all the same other than pose and size.. If a deer has features such as a roman nose that will not be on your form.. The only way this will be replicated is talking with your taxi and sending him pics.

Actually your info is partially incorrect. There are forms out there with the roman Nose sculpted into the head. All the Frazier Mule Deer forms in Research have the roman nose. I just rasp it down because 95% of the bucks Ive mounted do not have it.Some  Aaronn Connelly Mule deer have the Roman Nose too but most do not.

  I know if a buck comes in caped already there is no way for the Taxi to know it had a roman nose unless pictures are with the paperwork to go off of. I will make notes if I get a buck in that I cape myself if it has a roman nose and make drawings and take pictures .

[dscubame]

What is a Roman Nose?

[blindluck]

What is a Roman Nose?

Usually the big ol bruisers will have them. From a side view the bridge of their nose will have a hump. or between their nose and eyes it will be raised. Important to give your taxi close ups and field photos when you drop off your animal. I always do.

[dscubame]

What is a Roman Nose?

Usually the big ol bruisers will have them. From a side view the bridge of their nose will have a hump. or between their nose and eyes it will be raised. Important to give your taxi close ups and field photos when you drop off your animal. I always do.

Thanks.

[Natures Way]

It sometimes occurs on older deer because of calcium build up between the skin and the bone. The bridge of the nose bone structure is almost always the same and usally doesn't change unless something has happened to the deer. Not always but usally.