Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Taxidermy & Scoring => Topic started by: Tom Reichner on January 20, 2016, 12:21:45 AM

Title: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: Tom Reichner on January 20, 2016, 12:21:45 AM: When observing Whitetail bucks during the rut, I often see them get all "puffed up". This happens when they are in the presence of a rival buck. Their hair gets all bristle-like and stands on end. Their necks look huge when they puff up their hair like that. As soon as the rival buck leaves, the hair goes back down and the buck looks "normal" again.

Anyway, for some time now I have been wondering why I do not see more shoulder mounts with the hair in this intimidating "puffed up" position.
Is it because taxidermists are simply not able to do it in a realistic fashion?
Or is it because doing this would be extremely time consuming, and hence prohibitively expensive?
Or is it just because hunters don't really think about it as a viable option for their mount?

Are taxidermists able to do a very realistic job at mimicking this condition?
I mean, can they really get every single hair on a buck's cape to stand on end exactly the way it happens on a live buck?
I have a couple of racks that I would really like to get capes for and have mounted someday, but I'd really prefer them to be done in this manner, and want to know if it is possible and reasonable to do so.

I am attaching a few photos to illustrate my point.
The first two photos are of the same buck - one taken when his hair was all puffed out, and another taken 3 days later when his hair was normal (his hair actually went down to normal just a few minutes after the first pic, but I didn't get any good pictures of him at that time, that is why I am using one from three days later).

The 3rd photo is just a little buck, but it is included to show another case of a buck with his hair all puffed up, just to give y'all a better idea of what I am talking about.
Title: Re: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: boneaddict on January 20, 2016, 04:42:15 AM: Followed nicely with a snort wheeze!

I bet it would be hard to bristle it up and have them all do it. As outdoorsman, we might be stuck with just enjoying it.
Title: Re: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: LDennis24 on January 20, 2016, 07:18:08 AM: I think it's probably because taxidermy is an art and being that it is an art form where appearance matters most and so you always see these mounts with smooth well groomed looking hair. Its sleek and all lays the right direction, no scars showing or bald spots anywhere, etd. It also seems like whenever a buck is in this stage he always has a little hairloss somewhere around his throat or the scruff of his neck from sparring. I shot a big NT whitetail buck up by Deer Lake one time that looked exactly like your first photo and after getting up to him I noticed he had bald patches all over his neck and above his ears so I went with a Euro mount cuz his hide was thrashed. Looking back I probably should have asked around and found someone to do a mount like your describing. It would have been very fitting with the way he looked.
Title: Re: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: stryker on January 20, 2016, 07:37:58 AM: The natural resting position of the fur is laying down. I believe it is a muscle tension (Erector Muscles) that makes the hair change the direction and stand up.

I bet it would be hard to replicate this. But a pro would know.
Title: Re: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: jackelope on January 20, 2016, 07:42:27 AM: Nothing a little product wouldn't help with.
Title: Re: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: BlackRiverTaxidermy on January 20, 2016, 07:52:45 AM: That look is very do-able when it comes to a mount. The first pic looks more like a buck that got wet and just shook off though, not necessarily 'posing'. The hardest part about making a mount look like that is retaining it. If you do a 'puffed' look like that the hair is posed in that position HOWEVER, its going to want to return to its laid/natural position. Plus, EVERY time you touch that mount to either move it, etc. its going to change that spot you touched and be hard to return it to its posed position, just like a highschool boys hair who's got a prom date :chuckle:. Hopes this make sense and helped within info.
Joel- BRT
Title: Re: Are taxidermists able to do this with a deer?
Post by: Kit Carson on January 20, 2016, 12:05:23 PM: Quote from: jackelope on January 20, 2016, 07:42:27 AM
Nothing a little product wouldn't help with.

:chuckle: