Author Topic: Barnwood plaque for Dad's elk antlers (Read 18172 times)

7mmfan · « **on:** February 05, 2015, 08:32:42 PM »

My dad has never been one to mount anything. He shot a beautiful bull and the horns are leaning against the wall next to a few sets of beautiful mule deer horns down in the basement. I decided that since this is his one and only elk that he's killed, I would try to do something nice. I'm building this plaque from some old barnwood that I had laying around. I like the character of the knots and old screw holes in it. Its being glued right now. I haven't decided if I'm going to shape this in any way, or if I'm just going to leave it as is.

I also haven't decided what I'm going to cover the skull cap with. I saw on another form that many taxidermists will provide the molded foam part to "even out" the skull cap before you cover it. Is this something thats readily available to anyones knowledge?

I'm pretty excited to get going on this, it looks good I think!

7mmfan · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2015, 07:31:21 AM »

Has anyone done a board/plaque like this before? Hoping to get a little inspiration and maybe some photos of what other people have done similar to this.

Karl Blanchard · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:01:38 AM »

I think it looks awesome man! I have done similar as well. DON"T SHAPE IT! Its barn wood, its supposed to look rough. Cut a couple lengths of rusty barbed wire and run one the length of the board towards the top and towards the bottom. Fills a bit of the "nothing" area of the plaque and adds a bit of rustic flare.

To cover the cap, just get some felt or whatever color cloth you want, some pliable foam and then just wrap and tack it down. I'm sure Van Dyke's or somebody sells something more professional though that may look a bit better. Looks pretty good as is though

7mmfan · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:28:06 AM »

Thanks BLRman. I agree on not shaping it, I decided to keep it that way. I found some old rusty door hardware that I'm going to add to it, I think it will look good. I also found online where someone wrapped the skull cap with jute cord, looked good and maintained that rough look, so I think I'm going to play around with that.

Natures Way · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:46:46 AM »

make sure you clean the skull. everything needs to be off of it first. good luck looking forward to seeing it done.

7mmfan · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:50:33 AM »

Thanks for the heads up. The skull is actually in a pot of hot soapy water right now. Should be able to clean it up very well in about an hour or so.

Magnum_Willys · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:02:15 AM »

Seen em wrapped with moss from michaels Mite be worth a quick try.

NRA4LIFE · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:06:35 AM »

I have used modeling clay to form the shape around the skull. Then cover it with deer or elk hide and tack it down with some decorative tacks. If you're careful, you can hide the seem of the hide behind one of the antlers. The clay will eventually harden up somewhat over time. I like the barn wood idea.

pilebuck · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:10:42 AM »

Looks awesome

robodad · « **Reply #9 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:13:41 AM »

Here is one I did a couple years ago !!

Charlie · « **Reply #10 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:17:45 AM »

Nice mount Robodad! You can also try Hobby Lobby. They have tons of supplies that may give you some inspiration. You are definitely on the right track.

7mmfan · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:28:05 AM »

Man that is a battle scarred veteran there Robodad! That looks great. I really wanted to do a euro with this bull, but Dad went home after he shot it, and I stayed to fill my cow tag. When I got home, he had capped it!

I have a few blocks of foam laying around, I will probably try my hand at shaping one first to see how it goes.

Here is the horns cooking right now. If only the wife knew what I did at home alone during the week

Ballance1 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2015, 02:21:42 PM »

Some burlap sack to cover would keep the rustic look

Fowlweather25 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2015, 02:46:47 PM »

to be honest I like it just the way it is, without adding a cap cover. Blr has a great idea with the barb wire. That would look killer!

Bean Counter · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2015, 03:04:34 PM »

Barnwood for a euro is my favorite

Bean Counter · « **Reply #15 on:** February 06, 2015, 03:06:14 PM »

Quote from: 7mmfan on February 06, 2015, 09:28:05 AM

Man that is a battle scarred veteran there Robodad! That looks great. I really wanted to do a euro with this bull, but Dad went home after he shot it, and I stayed to fill my cow tag. When I got home, he had capped it!

I have a few blocks of foam laying around, I will probably try my hand at shaping one first to see how it goes.

Here is the horns cooking right now. If only the wife knew what I did at home alone during the week

You have bigger stones than I--cooking that thing inside the house

7mmfan · « **Reply #16 on:** February 06, 2015, 06:56:16 PM »

Oh believe me, it was back out in the garage and a candle burning well before she got home. None the wiser

AntlerHound · « **Reply #17 on:** February 06, 2015, 07:06:44 PM »

Here is the horns cooking right now. If only the wife knew what I did at home alone during the week

.....

... Awhile back I boiled a buffalo head and the skull wouldn't fit in my kettle..so I went to the local rental store and got me a big ole thing...told the guy I was having a big crab cook...

7mmfan · « **Reply #18 on:** February 06, 2015, 11:46:22 PM »

Thats funny Antlerhound! It's funny because if we told people what we were really using the pots for, we would get run out of the store, or at the very least, given a really strange "uh huh" look.

Skull cap is all cleaned up and trimmed to size. The board is glued and ready. Tomorrow morning I'm going to play with a different wraps for the skull cap and see what I feel best about. Dad is going to be back in town by about 3:00 or so, so I'm hoping to have it done and back at their house for him to find.

7mmfan · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2015, 01:05:42 PM »

Rough finish. This will be the basic finished product except I'm going to test drive some heavy jute cord around the base of the horns to clean things up a little. Still have to figure out exactly how I'm going to secure these badboys to the board, but it shouldn't to big a deal. I think they're coming along well!

goody31 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:49:10 AM »

Looks great, you are giving me some Idea's for my elk rack that's sitting in the garage...

Karl Blanchard · « **Reply #21 on:** February 09, 2015, 11:25:45 AM »

Fill the back of the skull with a two part epoxy and then you can secure it with screws from the back.

7mmfan · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2015, 08:53:36 PM »

I like that idea BLRman. I will play with that idea.

Crunchy · « **Reply #23 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:00:33 PM »

I have a euro almost ready to mount. No one reattaches the jaw to the skull before mounting?

Bean Counter · « **Reply #24 on:** February 09, 2015, 11:09:38 PM »

No. No one does that.

7mmfan · « **Reply #25 on:** February 10, 2015, 08:42:35 PM »

All wrapped up!

Tbar · « **Reply #26 on:** February 10, 2015, 09:01:02 PM »

Great job! That turned out awesome!

CAMPMEAT · « **Reply #27 on:** February 11, 2015, 07:44:06 AM »

Quote from: 7mmfan on February 06, 2015, 09:28:05 AM

Man that is a battle scarred veteran there Robodad! That looks great. I really wanted to do a euro with this bull, but Dad went home after he shot it, and I stayed to fill my cow tag. When I got home, he had capped it!

I have a few blocks of foam laying around, I will probably try my hand at shaping one first to see how it goes.

Here is the horns cooking right now. If only the wife knew what I did at home alone during the week

So, what's the misses think about that stinky thing being boiled in the house....?

7mmfan · « **Reply #28 on:** February 11, 2015, 07:57:16 AM »

Quote from: CAMPMEAT on February 11, 2015, 07:44:06 AM

Quote from: 7mmfan on February 06, 2015, 09:28:05 AM
Man that is a battle scarred veteran there Robodad! That looks great. I really wanted to do a euro with this bull, but Dad went home after he shot it, and I stayed to fill my cow tag. When I got home, he had capped it!

I have a few blocks of foam laying around, I will probably try my hand at shaping one first to see how it goes.

Here is the horns cooking right now. If only the wife knew what I did at home alone during the week

So, what's the misses think about that stinky thing being boiled in the house....?

None the wiser

mfswallace · « **Reply #29 on:** February 15, 2015, 04:28:03 PM »

barn wood

7mmfan · « **Reply #30 on:** February 16, 2015, 08:40:53 AM »

Sweet find, to bad that bull had to die prematurely. Could you tell, was the wire the cause of death? Caught on something and couldn't get free?

mfswallace · « **Reply #31 on:** February 18, 2015, 08:16:14 AM »

Don't know where wire came from

left it on Euro as I'm gonna barnwood frame up the field pictures to add to wall and thought it was great part of overall story, saw him on a rainy soggy day on the hoof a month earlier and went back to look for sheds and found deadhead instead...

99% sure the copper wire strangled him. There were 3 strands' tight around his neck just behind where lower jaw connects. The other 1% might have been cat or wolf as his front right leg had 2 loops around it like he was trying to paw it off while lying down but got tangled and tightened neck loops as well as immobilizing himself allowing predators to finish him...

Watimberghost · « **Reply #32 on:** February 18, 2015, 05:49:14 PM »

Barnwood mount looks great! Too bad that bull with the wire wrapped around his neck died too early. Sure does look good in your house though

hunting4sanity · « **Reply #33 on:** February 18, 2015, 06:11:22 PM »

7mmfan that turned out very nice, good rustic look. I like all these examples using barn wood.

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Author Topic: Barnwood plaque for Dad's elk antlers (Read 18172 times)

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