Post by: Mxracer532 on February 14, 2014, 05:21:19 PM
So heres how this all went down, the velvet got ruined on the pack out so I had to have it sent out to have artificial velvet sprayed on. Taxi said no biggie at all and cut the skill plate in half to box up the 2 sides to ship out. I was concerned about cutting the skull plate but was assured it would be exactly the same. So a few months ago when I discovered this I called him up (my 2013 deer is at his place getting done now) and he says no problem bring it in we can check it out. So long story short he took it apart and swears he did it correctly and that there is NO POSSIBLE WAY this deer ever measured 23.5in. So after several minutes of me getting pissed off after what I felt was me and my dad and brothers, freinds ect who all know what it measured being called liers he said fine we can spread it to whatever you want but its gonna cost you cause its a pain in the ass to do I eventually left to brew over it some more at home. haha
Anyone have something like this happen. I understand a rack will shrink (SOME) but 3in seems a bit excessive to me.
Post by: 270Shooter on February 14, 2014, 05:28:54 PM
Post by: JohnVH on February 14, 2014, 05:49:43 PM
I cut boards and put them in my mount this year, and asked the taxi to leave them in.
Post by: hunter399 on February 14, 2014, 06:06:13 PM
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 14, 2014, 06:23:43 PM
I guess have your taxi measure before he cuts it in half next time and write it down .Then there wont be problemThats exactly what I told him when he said it wasnt his fault and wanted to charge me. Anytime a skull plate is cut measurements should be taken. PERIOD!
Post by: jrebel on February 14, 2014, 06:28:06 PM
Post by: hunter399 on February 14, 2014, 06:34:46 PM
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 14, 2014, 06:55:15 PM
Why do they cut the skull plate? How can they legitimately score a head if the skull plates are being cut? I guess I was under the impression that a taxidermist didn't need to cut the skull plate to mount a head.... I would like to hear from one of the taxidermist on this so I can learn something.
It was only cut to ship to have the artificial velvet done.
Post by: jrebel on February 14, 2014, 07:01:54 PM
Why do they cut the skull plate? How can they legitimately score a head if the skull plates are being cut? I guess I was under the impression that a taxidermist didn't need to cut the skull plate to mount a head.... I would like to hear from one of the taxidermist on this so I can learn something.
It was only cut to ship to have the artificial velvet done.
Yeah...that would bother me. If it were cut and not put back to it's original spread....I would be upset. I have never been a number guy until two years ago...I am trying to change my ways. I have found the numbers have ruined me to an extent. I wish I would have never started looking at animals and computing numbers based off their antlers. I hope however it works out...you still know you killed a stud deer. :tup:
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on February 14, 2014, 07:02:58 PM
I know if you saw a 23" 1/2" long 2X4 in half, the glue it back together it will be 23"1/4"...
Now figure cutting through the skull plate, lose that 1/4" and then make the antlers a little more upright...would not take much.
Post by: Killmore on February 15, 2014, 11:16:50 AM
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 15, 2014, 01:41:09 PM
You may want to apologize, They can shrink that much.
why would I apologies when it was 3in narrower then before the skull plate was cut? Measurements should have been taken and it put back exactly where it was. Besides I never said he did anything wrong (besides not measuring before & after).
Post by: jrebel on February 15, 2014, 01:51:53 PM
Post by: jackelope on February 15, 2014, 02:12:37 PM
It could have shrunk in that amount of time. They do shrink which is why there's a mandatory 60 day drying period before it can be officially scored...
SO I guess what I'm saying is...did it shrink before he cut it/before he measured it?
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 15, 2014, 02:22:33 PM
Once the skull plate was cut, shrinkage goes out the window...however.... How long after you killed it did he cut it in half?Im pretty sure we cut it not long after it was killed.
It could have shrunk in that amount of time. They do shrink which is why there's a mandatory 60 day drying period before it can be officially scored...
SO I guess what I'm saying is...did it shrink before he cut it/before he measured it?
I will see if I can find a pic. Taxi still has it
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 15, 2014, 02:28:28 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1204.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb412%2FMxracer532%2F2ea5f758.jpg&hash=59d33424f2411a1f4c18d8ca38df684be6abe98a) (http://s1204.photobucket.com/user/Mxracer532/media/2ea5f758.jpg.html)
Post by: idahohuntr on February 15, 2014, 03:18:56 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 15, 2014, 03:25:28 PM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 15, 2014, 03:27:04 PM
Lost 1/4 inch when he sawed it
Shrunk a couple of inches
Put back together a little too upright
:dunno:
Post by: MIKEXRAY on February 15, 2014, 03:27:25 PM
Post by: jackelope on February 15, 2014, 03:30:34 PM
If I had to guess I would say it is not the taxi that did something wrong...but that drying is the culprit. My dad has a set of moose antlers...measured 42" spread as officially recorded by IDFG when he checked it in...a year later they were down to about 39" as they dried and curled in. Several years later I want to say they may be down to the mid-30's :yike:
I wonder too if the blood still in the antlers(velvet) makes the shrinkage even more prevalent. They can shrink a lot for sure.
Post by: Jonathan_S on February 15, 2014, 03:36:42 PM
If I had to guess I would say it is not the taxi that did something wrong...but that drying is the culprit. My dad has a set of moose antlers...measured 42" spread as officially recorded by IDFG when he checked it in...a year later they were down to about 39" as they dried and curled in. Several years later I want to say they may be down to the mid-30's :yike:
:yeah: and it's a beautiful mount anyway, I wouldn't worry about it that much.
Great deer but it's not like it was a 30" buck or anything :dunno: just enjoy the thing.
My dad shot a velvet buck back in the 80s and I've seen pictures hanging in camp where the tips are normal but they dried curled inward and it looks like a different rack now.
Post by: TMortensen on February 15, 2014, 06:00:50 PM
Post by: blindluck on February 15, 2014, 11:26:55 PM
Post by: bearkautz on February 16, 2014, 12:56:42 AM
Post by: rasbo on February 16, 2014, 05:41:31 AM
Post by: bearpaw on February 16, 2014, 06:43:38 AM
FYI - It's pretty common to cut skull plates in half to save on shipping costs or to save space flying home from a hunt. If you take a width measurement before hand you can give that measurement to your taxi, but if a skull plate is cut I have always been told it cannot be entered in the books, so if you think you have a potential record book head, do not let anyone cut it in half, buck up and pay the extra shipping.
Post by: buglebuster on February 16, 2014, 06:56:03 AM
Post by: rasbo on February 16, 2014, 07:03:15 AM
Post by: blindluck on February 16, 2014, 09:44:59 AM
Post by: jrebel on February 16, 2014, 10:14:19 AM
Post by: CoryTDF on February 16, 2014, 10:39:34 AM
I always put a block of wood in the horns for the set 60 days to help prevent shrinkage. If that was not done and no measurements were taken I'm sure the taxi got back the horns and put them on to look as best they could. The mount looks good from what I can see. I guess it's just a learning experience for you and him. If this buck was being scored than 3 inches could be allot but since it's not...... I guess just save the money it would take to fix it and use it to mount the next great buck you shoot.
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 18, 2014, 05:25:06 PM
Here is my take on it. You lost the ability to have it scored the second that taxi cut it in half. So score is not the issue. When a person brings in a trophy to a taxi it is because he want to preserve the animal as closely as it can be done. This means that if the buck is 23'' it should come back near the same. Measurements should be taken and the taxi should make a solid effort to get it looking as close to live as possible.
I always put a block of wood in the horns for the set 60 days to help prevent shrinkage. If that was not done and no measurements were taken I'm sure the taxi got back the horns and put them on to look as best they could. The mount looks good from what I can see. I guess it's just a learning experience for you and him. If this buck was being scored than 3 inches could be allot but since it's not...... I guess just save the money it would take to fix it and use it to mount the next great buck you shoot.
This is exactly how I feel about it. Its about making them as (real life) as possible and to remember the memories from that day. So yes 3inches bothered me even tho its not a book animal.
With that said, he made some adjustments and I just picked it up. It measures 22.5 now so that accounts for 1inch of shrinkage so thats fine I can live with that. Here is the updated version.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1204.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb412%2FMxracer532%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F20140218_162210.jpg&hash=10384b329c1add75c428788e721305f5d370f327) (http://s1204.photobucket.com/user/Mxracer532/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140218_162210.jpg.html)
Post by: Timberstalker on February 18, 2014, 06:31:31 PM
Post by: blindluck on February 18, 2014, 07:16:30 PM
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 18, 2014, 08:28:34 PM
Do you have a picture at the time of the kill, would like to see the comparisonThe angles are alittle different as the head on the mount is tipped forward and the pic after kill is alittle tilted back.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1204.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb412%2FMxracer532%2Fcampingandhunting242.jpg&hash=3dd309c5cc37c98c1a2876ff3d256add503d59f0) (http://s1204.photobucket.com/user/Mxracer532/media/campingandhunting242.jpg.html)
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 18, 2014, 08:30:19 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1204.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb412%2FMxracer532%2Fcampingandhunting238.jpg&hash=eeefbe9303ad9e0db2df6897e1bfb197bba100ba) (http://s1204.photobucket.com/user/Mxracer532/media/campingandhunting238.jpg.html)
Post by: 6x6in6 on February 18, 2014, 08:53:04 PM
Regardless, nice buck!!!
Apple's and oranges....I've had 3 elk lose over 4 1/2 inches on spread.
Post by: blindluck on February 19, 2014, 07:05:42 AM
Post by: blindluck on February 19, 2014, 07:13:27 AM
Post by: CoryTDF on February 19, 2014, 10:38:56 AM
Here is my take on it. You lost the ability to have it scored the second that taxi cut it in half. So score is not the issue. When a person brings in a trophy to a taxi it is because he want to preserve the animal as closely as it can be done. This means that if the buck is 23'' it should come back near the same. Measurements should be taken and the taxi should make a solid effort to get it looking as close to live as possible.
I always put a block of wood in the horns for the set 60 days to help prevent shrinkage. If that was not done and no measurements were taken I'm sure the taxi got back the horns and put them on to look as best they could. The mount looks good from what I can see. I guess it's just a learning experience for you and him. If this buck was being scored than 3 inches could be allot but since it's not...... I guess just save the money it would take to fix it and use it to mount the next great buck you shoot.
This is exactly how I feel about it. Its about making them as (real life) as possible and to remember the memories from that day. So yes 3inches bothered me even tho its not a book animal.
With that said, he made some adjustments and I just picked it up. It measures 22.5 now so that accounts for 1inch of shrinkage so thats fine I can live with that. Here is the updated version.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1204.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fbb412%2FMxracer532%2FMobile%2520Uploads%2F20140218_162210.jpg&hash=10384b329c1add75c428788e721305f5d370f327) (http://s1204.photobucket.com/user/Mxracer532/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140218_162210.jpg.html)
Congrats on a great buck man. I'm glad you two worked it out and ended on a good note.
Post by: Rick on February 19, 2014, 01:06:50 PM
It looked closer to the actual deer than it does now.
Post by: sirmissalot on February 19, 2014, 01:28:24 PM
Just my opinion,but it was a better looking mount before you had the taxi "fix" it.
It looked closer to the actual deer than it does now.
Agreed. Main beams are laid out and the eye guards now point outward, whereas they were naturally pointing upward before, both alive and before fixed. Looks good though that's a pretty mount.
Post by: sirmissalot on February 19, 2014, 03:43:58 PM
Just my opinion,but it was a better looking mount before you had the taxi "fix" it.
It looked closer to the actual deer than it does now.
Agreed. Main beams are laid out and the eye guards now point outward, whereas they were naturally pointing upward before, both alive and before fixed. Looks good though that's a pretty mount.
Post by: Mxracer532 on February 19, 2014, 08:28:36 PM
just got my 2013 deer back today. Again far from happy. Its not positioned how I wanted and doesnt look right.
Post by: blindluck on February 19, 2014, 08:55:24 PM