Few Whitetail Mounts

[Michelle_Nelson]

This is a 16 point killed in Lee County, Georgia.  Not exactly sure what he scored but I would guess he gross scored in the 160's.


This Deer was nick named "Lumpy" for obvious reasons.  I am not sure exactly what happed to this deer.  When I received him he had a huge lump under his jaw.  When I capped him out I noticed their was a hole in the skin and the lump was almost entirely scar tissue.  The center of the scare tissure was full of puss.  I think the deer was stuck in the face with an antler whil fighting another deer.

Upon Customer request I rebuilt the lump under the skin and left it on the mount. 


These next two are just a few more nice deer take in Georgia.

[Michelle_Nelson]

[boneaddict]

All gorgeous mounts!  I need to work on my airbrush skills.  Or start developing them I should say.  I've mounted 4 whitetails, all turning out pretty poor now that I look back on them, especially compared to your skill.  Thats the fun thing about teaching yourself with your own animals. You learn as you go, and hope you improve on the next one.  I have no intentions of ever going commercial, so its just all for me anyhow.   My two biggest were back before I learned how to tuck the lips so as they look natural and would hold.  I also have ALOT to learn about ears.  The first three I did, I used the instant tan, or dry tan.  I imagine now that the life expectancy of those, probably aren't that great anyhow.  I guess I've done 5.  I did my Dads first whitetail.  That one probably turned out the best.  I still need to "Fix" and or piant the ears on my two biggest ones.  They are all split on me and I never finished them.  Again the learning curve.  I had the funnest time trying to learn how to skin the cartilidge out of the ears.  I've since went to bondo, then back to earliners as I figured out how to skin them.

[boneaddict]

Here is one of those whities.  My biggest issue with this fella was his mouth I wish I could fix.  I didn't shave the lips right, therefore not tucking them as I should.  I then used epoxi sculpt and sort of formed the mouth.  Looks OK from a distance, and most people don't notice, don't care, but it is something I would like to fix.

[boneaddict]

This guy needs all sorts of work, again with the mouth, and I REALLY need to fix and or paint his ears.

[boneaddict]

my living room.....minus the fish tank now.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Well if this makes you feel beter great.  I use to use Dry Preserve on all my Deer and small mammals.  The 16 point and the Doe were mounted with Dry Preserve and I used the Bondo ear method.  D.P. works if you know how to use it.  The skin has to be thinned properly to thin and it will crack, to thick you could run into problems with the hair falling out because the hide takes to long to dry.

Have you ever cut the horns off of a deer and left that patch of skin and hair on the skull cap.  After about a year or 2 you go out and try to remove that hide and hair?  PAIN in the BUTT.  The skin dries to the form in the same manner.  It is not going anywhere if don't correctly.

I TAN ALL my capes now!  The main reason is I have a longer working time with the hide and I don't have 10 tons of powder all over my shop.  Their are also a lot more pluses but to many to mention.

[boneaddict]

I used the Larry bollman tan for awhile, then switched to the Mckenzie tan.  Both seemed to work pretty well for what I do.  the main reason I quite with DP was the company I went through had legal troubles then I couldn't contact them any longer and I stopped getting their catalog.  Who knows if they even exist now.  I like the feel of the regualr tan better anyway.  It does take quite a bit more time.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Was the company you mentioned called Dan Chase Taxidermy Supply?  If so than they are still in buisness.

I use D.P on all my small game.  Their skin is thin and it works great.  I don't know a whole lot of taxidermists that tan their small mammals.  I use Best Maid Dry Preserve from Touchstone Taxidermy Supply.  Theirs is the best on the market.  I have a 5 gallon bucket full in my shop. 

Send me your address through PM and I will send you 3 or 4 pounds it will be enough to do 4 or 5 critters.  I will also send you 3 or 4 pounds of Powdered Borax.  Mix it with a box of 20 Mule Team Borax and your in. 

The 20 Mule team alone is good for Fish but I don't care for it on hides to course.  I will mix it with the powdered borax and it makes it go a lot farther.

I use the borax for fleshing.  After I wash the critter I add the D.P.  DON'T use the Borax on and hide you want to tan.  it will mess up the pickle big time you will never get the pH right.  Borax is like Baking Soda it will Neutralize the pickle.

[boneaddict]

Do you do birds.  I've used borax on my birds for when I am using it jsut for fly tying.  Yes it was Dan Chase. Thank you very much for the offer.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I'll get that stuff sent out to you.  I will try and get it out this week for you.  Do you use any referance photos when setting the eyes, lips, and nose, antlers, ears, etc, etc? 

You can use Borax to mount Birds but I use Dry Preserve because of the bug proofing agents added to it.  I use to tie flies befor I moved to Georgia.  Still have all my stuff but it is still in Oregon.

[boneaddict]

Mostly just what looks right to me versus what doesn't.  I have complied a ton of reference stuff.  I cut out all of the deer/elk pictures etc out of all of my old hunting mags and put them into photo alblums.  Still.....I usually just look at it.  I try to use what I know from my time in the woods.  Cool that you used to Tie flies.  Better get tthat stuff back into action when you move back.  I'm excited to try out your stuff.  Thanks again.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Referance photos are a KEY to any taxidermy work.  Especially when it comes to facial features and line up hair patterns.  I never use other peoples mounts as a referance.  In taxidermy you are trying to recreate Nature not other Taxidermist interpretation of nature.

[boneaddict]

I agree, I think you misunderstood me a bit though.  I mean photographs of animals, not like mounts in a magazine.  I'm still guilty of using what looks right to me.  I woul definately need them for animals I am unfamiliar with such as Antelope.