BIG Buck Down

[boneaddict]

Fun stuff.  I just placed my first order from Van Dykes.   hadn't realized the Cabelas merger until I ordered.  Hey, more points on teh credit card.  I just picked up a pedestal elk form I think I will try.  May end up with an extra elk head, I lost my measurements of my cape, and was going off memory.

[gray brow]

You can just measure the cape if it's hydrated.  Most outfits have a little diagram showing how to do it, it's pretty straight forward.  Not ideal, but I've done it and it works fine.  It's about the only way you can do it if you ever get a hard salted dried cape off e-bay or wherever for a set of horns you need to mount.

[boneaddict]

I didn't want to thaw it and freeze it again.  Hopefully I guessed right.  I suppose its tanned so it wouldn't be as much of an issue, but I don't like to tempt fate with these sort of things.  The big box came last night, so keep an eye out at the big bull down thread.  More taxidermy struggles to come.

[boneaddict]

OK   the hide has been tanned.  I dinked around too long in the woods yesterday to start it like planned.  SOooooooosince it was cold, I folded it in a moist sheet to keep it damp and waited for today.  I bondoed the antlers on after I did a quick check to make sure the cape fit. It was REAL close on the neck. I cut the slots in the mouth to make it wasier to tuck skin, and I set the eyes and through some clay aroun them.  Hopefully not too early.  I sewed a hole in the cape.  Then I mixed up a batch of bondo and fiberglass and got the ear going.  First error, I had a bit more of the ear to split.  I tried my best but with bondo already inthere, it becomes a chore.  It was taking forever, so I moved onto the next ear.  I used a bit more of the kicker and it set fairly fast.  I am still waiting on the one ear.  I hope it goes soon.  I got them aas even as I thought I could.  MAN this guy has big ears.  As soon as this ear kicks, I'll get too wads of clay to build up the ear butts between the bondo and the form.  I've got my waxed sinew ready to sew up the cape, and a paintbrush and hide paste ready.  I hate that part as I always get idepaste on my hair.  You can wash it off with mineral spirits, but it still is a pain.  The tan came out good.  In the meantime, I have painted my fox, touched up the nose of my fisher that has been hanging on the wall for years, and painted another buck.  That buck from Idaho. 2004 I think.

[boneaddict]

Man this cape was a big fellar.  AND talk about ears.  I had two forms side by side, and this one was huge.

[boneaddict]

Now I just have to wait for him to dry a bit, and then I can do some more work on his eyes.

[boneaddict]

.

[Red Dawg]

your buck still gets me going. That is great buck. I would kill to shoot a buck like that.

[bowsandhose]

looking good bone nothing but the fun stuff left

[Hunting Cowboy]

That is a beautiful cape Bone! That critter has one dark brow! Going to be a really pretty mount sporting a big ole rack!

[boneaddict]

Thanks guys. ....Yeah, he is the biggest in body size I have mounted I think.  No wonder I couldn't get him out in only one trip.  When the form arrived I thought holy cow as it was next to another form I was getting for another project.  THere is no way thet is going to work for this buck.  Then the test fit looked good.  The neck was close. I don't like stretching them much, but it was a snug fit.  His face had more of a roman nose naturally than this form had.  I should have added some clay but didn't.  I think this is the best all around skills taxidermy job I have done, mostly due to the skinning.  Thats half of your battle, making sure to get it fleshed without hacking it to death, getting the eyes and lips done right.  This is also the first deer I think I have done where I hadn't split the ear too far and made a whole.  Bondo is a bitch to get out of the hair.   THIS WAS TRULY a large Mountain buck.  His neck was swollen and good to go in the first of October as well.  Hopefully he spread some genes before I wacked him.  Soonas the nose plugs come out and his eyes set up a bit more, I'll add some pics.  I promise with the elk I'll do a better photo job.  I was going to walk everyone through the process, but you dive into this, and the next thing I know its done.

[Bearhunter]

Looking real good so far.  The cape is definetly charactristic of a high mountain buck, nice and dark along with the horns.  Do you put the septums in the nose, most guys dont put it ads a touch of realism.  Looks like youve had a couple of them forms for a while they are yellowing nicely, I had a bear sitting around for a while that yellowed out like that.  Hopefully my buddy will have finished my whitetail by the time I get back into town.  Great looking mount cant wait to see it finished.

[boneaddict]

The whitetail to the far right was the first form I ever ordered.  I ordered it and it came in and I really didn't have a clue about what I was doing.  About the time I went to mount it I realized they sent me the wrong one.  I didn't pursue returning it and its a monster.  Someday maybe I'll use it.

The other two I need capes for.  The whitetail I gave away and the other I didn't pack out.  I could have used Idabooners cape this year for the one, but NO CHANCE.  His is getting mounted up next on the agenda.

[Hornseeker]

Cool man. That buck looks LOTS bigger on the form like that then the pics of Daisy holding it you sent me! NICE!

[PacificNWhunter]

Your buck looks better and better every time I get on here Bone. It's fun watching it come back together and seeing what he looked liked in the field. Love the dark cape and brow...beautiful