Elk mounts and a scenario of mounting a cape of a different Bull?

[Alchase]

Ok, so I was watching Eastman’s
 “Hunting Public Ground Bull Elk during the Rut”
Cool hunt, with a great shot on a nice bull.
Then the host (I don’t remember his name) says this

“I will put this beautiful blond cape of this bull, on the bull I shot last year on a backcountry hunt, that I could not bring the cape out with me.”

This just hit me weird.
To be honest, I will never be in the he position to have this choice. But it got me thinking, would this be any different then buying a mounted bull someone else shot?
Mounting one bull with a cape from a different bull?
Seems kind of disrespectful to both bulls?

In the grand scheme of things, it should only matter to the hunter who took the bulls.
I guess I am different or old fashioned? Or I just don’t have the “bulls to choose from” but I like each bull or buck I got because of the hunt, mixing them to make a imaginary bull or buck seems like breaking some taboo of what the hunt was about, and the respect I pay to that bull or buck in my memory.

Seems weird to have to explain to someone who asks
 “where does that bull come from?”
And have to say
“He is a combination of parts from multiple hunts, and did not really look like that”

 

[Tbar]

The antlers are the central figure in most mounts. In addition to that a surprising number of hunters get the cuts wrong or let the cape spoil. I used to cape all of my bulls for taxi credit or trade.

[Dan-o]

I have a friend who used a different cape on his trophy bull. 

The original cape was in really rough shape.

He really loves his elk mount the way it turned out. 

I don't thinkn it would bother me.

To each, their own.

[Scruffy]

If it is one of only a few buck/bulls you shot and just want it for your mancave probably not a big deal for swapping the cape.

But, if we are talking a trophy class buck/bull that may be put in shows or displayed as a trophy then I agree and the cape should not be swapped.  I think some would hold out for a better looking cape to enhance the display.  If the cape gets damaged or looks kinda shabby go with a euro mount.  Just my 

[Parasite]

Sometimes you don't have a choice. A friend had a whitetail that the fur started falling out after a few years. No choice but to re-cape it.

[zwickeyman]

Sometimes you don't have a choice. A friend had a whitetail that the fur started falling out after a few years. No choice but to re-cape it.

 

Or like my dads 263" Muledeer killed in 56. He had a buddy do the Taxi work and it was terrible. Dad had it remounted in the early 2000's

Or My best buck. a 182" that like a *censored* slit its throat to bleed it and ruined the cape. I bought a cape and had it mounted

Or my last decent buck in 2019 a 172".  Beautiful cape, I killed him close to 16 miles from the truck and it was getting warmer everyday of the hunt. I knew that cape would never make it. So if I ever want it mounted I will need to buy a cape



I agree that the original cape is always better, there can be good reasons to mount with a different cape

[Rainier10]

I shot a deer years ago that I did a euro mount on and exchanged my cape for the euro work.  The next year my daughter shot her first buck and when the hide came back from the taxi the hair was slipping.  The taxi still had my cape from the year before so we used it on her buck.  It wasn't planned we had to do it out of necessity and it was just lucky that we kept it all in the family.

[RobinHoodlum]

The only blacktail I've had mounted had some mange or parasitic thing on one side of his face. It was barely noticeable, but the Taxidermist noticed it and how adjacent hairs would  easily unroot when slightly tugged. Out of concern for hair loss during the tanning process, she recommended a different cape. I didn't hesitate and have never thought about since.

[Karl Blanchard]

Its not always feasible to salvage a cape. Lots of variables go into that. I've never had a single person ever look at a mount and comment on the cape. Everyone looks at the antlers.  The cape is fairly irrelevant IMO.

I've got a buck with a different cape on it. It was my first big buck and I was just a young broke kid so couldn't swing a mount. Years later (like 2 years ago) I decided that buck deserved to be up on the wall so I saved a cape off a CO buck. Actually I think it was off a buck bullblaster shot if my memory serves me correctly. Someday when I have a house big enough to display elk properly I'll buy or hunt up a cape for my 2016 peaches bull. Would it be cool if it was the original? Absolutely.  Will anyone ever know or care if I don't point it out? Nope.

And Like you stated above, none of your business what a guy does with his mounts.

[B4noon]

I’m with the original post and can’t bring myself to a different cape cause it’s not the animal I shot rather a combo but I guess if your just interested in a way to display antlers and that’s what’s important then go for it my mind set is more to represent the actual animal and that particular hunt a lot of taxidermist do sub par work which is basically an antler holder with fur when you get a good one that pays attention to the finer details that’s where it transitions to an art just depends on what you want I personally prefer a detailed life like replica of the actual experience

[Karl Blanchard]

Thats a pretty big assumption that because a guy uses a different cape his taxidermist does sub par work 

[birddogdad]

took a young new hunter out who shot his "bull of lifetime"  a couple years ago here (300+).. he got excited and carved up before i arrived.. cape destroyed.. put into this kind of scenario.. looking forward to seeing it, gets back this week, will try to get his pics up but it required a donor cape to finish...

[jrebel]

Two sides this tale....and I have live it.  Here is my two cents.....

2012 I shot my biggest buck to date.  He had a beautiful thick dark coat with an absolutely huge swollen neck.  Had a shoulder mount on it and......well long story short, there were some problems with that taxidermist and the mount didn't turn out the way I had hoped.  I hung it on the wall thinking I would just live with it that way because it was his coat and I didn't want another.  As time went on, I just couldn't bare the site of the original mount. 

Fast forward......I finally decided to look for another cape.  A member on HW offered up a cape so I ended up getting him re-mounted with a new cape.  The mount turned out great and I couldn't be happier I made that decision.  I look at this buck daily and have two thoughts.....1. I love it!!  2.  I wish I had the original cape. 

Makes me sick knowing he is wearing another cape while at the same time makes me very happy knowing he is represented appropriately now. 

So....Given the opportunity, I would always....100% of the time.....keep the original cape.  With that said, If a cape is damaged, in very bad shape, etc....I think putting another cape on a mount to properly represent a trophy...is 100% appropriate. 

This is one instance in life.....where it doesn't have to be black and white.

[Karl Blanchard]

Well said J.

Only particular I have is the cape needs to be representative of the original. I'm a mule deer guy. Mule deer have slight variances in appearance based on the region they came from. I can spot a WY or CO buck a mile away. I'm not gonna put an ID cape on a NV buck or the other way around. Not gonna put an early season cape on a rutted up late season buck either.

Fixing broken tines is another hot button topic. I always swore I'd never fix a tine. Leave em the way you killed em. But then I killed a buck who broke a big cheater. I had found the buck six days prior. Have almost 40 min of video and 50 or more pics through the phone scope. That whole week I hunted the buck with the back kickers. When I finally killed him he had broken his driver side off. Didn't even bat an eye. I had all the evidence in the world to return him to his exact glory and a weeks worth of history hunting the kicker buck. I'd still never fix a broken antler that was just broken when I killed them but sometimes there's exceptions to ones rules.

[Stein]

I'm pretty selfish I guess because the animals I hang on my wall are for my enjoyment.  If others enjoy them that's great, if they are offended, well that's how it goes sometimes.

I can't say one way or another, I would have to be in that situation to know for sure.  I would probably lean towards a euro mount, but who knows.

[KP-Skagit]

Well said J.

Only particular I have is the cape needs to be representative of the original. I'm a mule deer guy. Mule deer have slight variances in appearance based on the region they came from. I can spot a WY or CO buck a mile away. I'm not gonna put an ID cape on a NV buck or the other way around. Not gonna put an early season cape on a rutted up late season buck either.

Fixing broken tines is another hot button topic. I always swore I'd never fix a tine. Leave em the way you killed em. But then I killed a buck who broke a big cheater. I had found the buck six days prior. Have almost 40 min of video and 50 or more pics through the phone scope. That whole week I hunted the buck with the back kickers. When I finally killed him he had broken his driver side off. Didn't even bat an eye. I had all the evidence in the world to return him to his exact glory and a weeks worth of history hunting the kicker buck. I'd still never fix a broken antler that was just broken when I killed them but sometimes there's exceptions to ones rules.

My didn't know the how big my biggest buck was until I got up to him (split second to make a shot, just knew he was legal). Absolutely destroyed him with a headshot.

Cape was a MT deer on a WA buck. Still bugs me a bit. Not sure if it was region or what. My buck had a big roman nose and a very grey face. Buck that lent me the cape had a pointy snout and a white face. Taxi got the cape I didn't have a say.

[Jpmiller]

For purely subjective non justifiable personal preference reasons I don't like the idea of putting a different cape on a mount. But when someone else has it done it doesnt really bother me unless it's being deliberately done to misrepresent the animal, like putting a rutted up mulie cape on a set of antlers from the early season.

I have commented to my dad though that the archery doe he had mounted in the 80s might look better with a new cape on it 

[fishngamereaper]

Elk capes are one thing.. only real difference is early or late season imo...

Deer are a totally different thing...I've had mounts done just because the cape is cool...I think deer mounts are more about the look of the cape for me and need to match the antlers to get on my wall...but I like the looks of Euro mounts for deer just as much so I'm good if I loose a cape...

[Karl Blanchard]

For purely subjective non justifiable personal preference reasons I don't like the idea of putting a different cape on a mount. But when someone else has it done it doesnt really bother me unless it's being deliberately done to misrepresent the animal, like putting a rutted up mulie cape on a set of antlers from the early season.

I have commented to my dad though that the archery doe he had mounted in the 80s might look better with a new cape on it 

I think as long as he doesn't add antlers he's safe from ridicule 

[dvolmer]

I have commented to my dad though that the archery doe he had mounted in the 80s might look better with a new cape on it 

. Now that is just funny!!!!  Love it!!!

[hunter399]

I've never had a head mount done,so no skin in the game.
Being primarily meat hunter on the poor end most my life.
Euro and plaque mounts are all I got.
I'd think if I didn't have the original ,it just slap it on the wall as a regular horn mount.
After reading the thread,and having no choice due to damage or other factors,I don't really see no harm in it.

But I just haven't had the right buck down yet to worry about it. And a poor boy to boot.

[Browndawg]

I know of a certain bar and grill in central Oregon that has a shoulder mount of a large elk on display.  When I commented to the bartender about how nice it was, he told me that it was actually a cow and the taxidermist put a matching set of sheds on it. I think that's a little strange, but its in a bar and not my house so whatever.

[Sundance]

I shot a cool mule deer in 2010, took it to a taxi and after 4 years of no communication got the skull cape and deposit back. Happy to get those back but cape was a loss. I’m going to do a pack board mount with it someday and buy a cape for the mount.

In 2012 I took a beautiful P&Y blacktail and had it mounted by a local taxi. Came back looking aweful so I had another taxi remount it with a stock cape, looks amazing.

If you’re on a backcountry hunt with warmer temps hair slippage can start fast. You either have to get it on ice and to a freezer or prep it out and salt the hide. If you’ve never hide prepped before that can be a daunting challenge to do right. I’ve stashed salt in my hunting spots for August bear since they are far back and weather is warm. Ideally I want to use the original cape, but sometimes circumstances can make it extremely difficult to remove the cape before spoilage and hair slip. I always prioritize the meat, so the cape and antlers comes out last, which could be 2-3 days after the kill in some situations.