Taxidermy or not

[boneaddict]

How would you preserve a trophy.  Money is an issue.  What is important to you?

[rasbo]

shoulder mounts are fine for me..

[bucklucky]

I would do whatever is the most expensive   

Ok , but seriousely it would depend on the critter for me and situation for me. I really want to do a lifesize bull , but Im gona have to kill him in a easy spot to get that cape out , so just a pedestal mount with habitat and a nice cabinet for a big bull. If I killed a cougar its getting lifesized for sure  ANy nice bucks will either be shoulder or pedestals. My moose will get pedestal mounted , but if I kill him in a good sppot on the road there is a posibility it gets lifesized if it is a good one  Moutain goat lifesized, bighorn definately lifesized.

[carpsniperg2]

if it is a trophy to me then it gets a shoulder mount. if it is just a nice buck it will get a skull mount or horn mount. the only think i could do a life size mount on is a mt goat or some varitey or sheep, and maybe a grizz. even on the new zealand critters like the tahr i don't know if i would life size them. even though life size is the most popular on the tahr and chamois.

[Ridgerunner]

Money is definately an issue on this topic.  Not to mention space as well as the attitude of the wife, lots of variables here, tough decision.  I think most of my deer will probably become eurpoean mounts from here on out up to now they;ve just been horn mounts.  

[rasbo]

opps didnt think about a cougar,that would be a life size mount...

[bucklucky]

Grizz is definately a lifesize! I just want an excuse to build a trophy room 

[BLKBEARKLR]

I did not vote, but my honest opinion wether you shot a trophy in regards to points or a trophy in your own mind. Money should always be a concern. A skull/horn/shoulder/half life size/life size with or with out habitat is a WANT. It is not a necessity, it will not do anything but sit on a wall or in a corner. It does not improve your lifestyle, it does not gain interest over the years.

So with all that being said I think you should do whatever you can afford. If this year you are tight on money and little joe/josephine needs braces then that is what you get. If you are behind on the bills then that is what you get caught up on.

So overall a true trophy in my mind is the memories that come with the hunt. I have taken many large caribou that I just left the racks behind in the tundra, but I have the true trophies/memories of building friendships during that time with friends that are no longer with me.

Joe

[whacker1]

I voted shoulder mount as I don't think I could afford a lifesze mount - although - I do want a lifesize cougar and bobcat.  So need to start saving more pesos

[billythekidrock]

Garage rafters or shelf.

[CMG]

So with all that being said I think you should do whatever you can afford. If this year you are tight on money and little joe/josephine needs braces then that is what you get. If you are behind on the bills then that is what you get caught up on.

  

  I hope someday after raising two kids, saving and putting them through college, eeking by on one salary to allow the wife to raise or children and volunteer three days a week at their school I would be able to afford some luxuries. But that's just crazy talk, I will follow the footsteps of my father. Antlers hang on the cabin wall, with a plaque stating the year and a few pics of the hunt underneath for stories to be told and remembered and passed down thru generations.

  Now for the dream, if money wasn't an issue - There would be a man cave built with ....................I'll have to finish this later, I need to write some checks to pay for the boy's school supplies, clothes, football cleats, Jersey's, sports tuition, Etc. Etc.  

[Atroxus]

I selected skull mount, only because I could not afford to get any other type of mount done.

[seth30]

I would do whatever is the most expensive   

Ok , but seriousely it would depend on the critter for me and situation for me. I really want to do a lifesize bull , but Im gona have to kill him in a easy spot to get that cape out , so just a pedestal mount with habitat and a nice cabinet for a big bull. If I killed a cougar its getting lifesized for sure  ANy nice bucks will either be shoulder or pedestals. My moose will get pedestal mounted , but if I kill him in a good sppot on the road there is a posibility it gets lifesized if it is a good one  Moutain goat lifesized, bighorn definately lifesized.

Has anyone ever done a cougar shoulder mount?  I have only seen lifesize mounts cougars, and bobcats.

[GoldTip]

I voted skull mount, as thats what I did with my recent Washington Shiras.  I have 6 shoulder mounts and a couple bear rugs at the house and space is becoming an issue.  Money with the Shiras was not the issue, space was somewhat of an issue but could have been worked around as well, with a few extra's performed on the honey do list!  But I already have a 54-55" shoulder mounted Canadian Moose, so I thought a skull mount would look good as an addition to my Man cave.  But if I shot another true trophy in my eyes as my Shiras, was and money was an issue, skull mounts are the way to go in my book.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I would do whatever is the most expensive   

Ok , but seriousely it would depend on the critter for me and situation for me. I really want to do a lifesize bull , but Im gona have to kill him in a easy spot to get that cape out , so just a pedestal mount with habitat and a nice cabinet for a big bull. If I killed a cougar its getting lifesized for sure  ANy nice bucks will either be shoulder or pedestals. My moose will get pedestal mounted , but if I kill him in a good sppot on the road there is a posibility it gets lifesized if it is a good one  Moutain goat lifesized, bighorn definately lifesized.

Has anyone ever done a cougar shoulder mount?  I have only seen lifesize mounts cougars, and bobcats.

They have the forms to do a shoulder mount. I just think most people that get any type of cat automatically picture a life size.