Mount your own deer?

[snapcrackpop]

Anybody try to do their own deer mount?

I watched a couple of videos on it.  One guy just used borax on the hide and bondo in the ears....LOOKED pretty easy.  Just wondering how it will look a few years down the road.

Then again my grandfather mounted my dad's first buck himself and it has lasted.  Looking a little shaggy now, but holding together.

[drdougrx]

Certainly not me!  Too much can happen from when they are down till you start the mount process.  Thought about it though.

[deerman12]

Here is one I did from my buck this year.  The worst part is skinning the face and removing eyes and brain.  It is important to get as much of this tissue off as possible.  Secondly, I boiled(outside on a camp stove, unless you want a divorce) for about 2 hours.  Scrap of all possible loose tissue and let in dry.  Lastly, I used high luster, like appliance paint.  I have about $12 total in it besides my time.  Sorry I already posted this and then figured out you meant like with hair, etc.

[youthpastorjon]

Good taxidermists are artists.  I have seen some really cheesy looking mounts in my day.  If you have an animal worth mounting I would pay someone.  Maybe practice a little buck or even a doe just to get good but I wouldn't experiment with a true trophy.  Personally, I would never try.  But thats just me.  Good luck

[Buckskin]

A buddy of mine does taxidermy on the side and I must say, he does quite a nice job.  And yes there is a great deal of art in the trade.  He had me do most of my last mount myself.  Showed me how to do it step by step all the way to the final detailing of it.  Obviously he helped and corrected as I went. It really isn't that complicated of a procedure.  Although I can't imaging how it would look if you were to try it by yourself from scratch.  Mine turned out beautiful although he said the cape fit the maniquin perfectly so it was an easy one to do.  I have a bear and another buck to do this winter.

[watershed wildlife]

trapping  for fur bearers prices are so low that i got into tanning several years ago and started taxy. go on utube,its free and watch all you can, then just practice, 450 for a buck mount, i did it myself under 100, its not like a pro, but close,for the difference ill do my own  and im only getting better . the hardest is setting eyes, and eyes. even if they are of alittle they still look good to any hunter. you just wont win a contest. i spent several hundreds on books and tapes and its all free on utube.

[drdougrx]

I've learned that taxidermy is an art, but not all taxidermists are artists.

[kenfred]

I've learned that taxidermy is an art, but not all taxidermists are artists.

That's an Amen, Brother.............


Won the "Big Buck" contest.  Free mount was the prize.  Look at the eyes, ears, & nose.  Good news is that rack draws your eye away from the rest.

[Buckskin]

I've learned that taxidermy is an art, but not all taxidermists are artists.

That's an Amen, Brother.............


Won the "Big Buck" contest.  Free mount was the prize.  Look at the eyes, ears, & nose.  Good news is that rack draws your eye away from the rest.

Donkey ears and he looks like he's stoned out of his mind.  Nice rack though!

[mrbigtexan]

I've learned that taxidermy is an art, but not all taxidermists are artists.

That's an Amen, Brother.............


Won the "Big Buck" contest.  Free mount was the prize.  Look at the eyes, ears, & nose.  Good news is that rack draws your eye away from the rest.

i think that it looks just fine myself

[snapcrackpop]

Well, its a start and I learned a few things for next time.

Used borax to preserve the hide.
Wish I would have left more skin around the eyes and mouth and trimmed the nose a little thinner.  The hide was split all the way up the spine to the antlers and wish it wasn't.  That made sewing it back together difficult, fighting gravity of the wet cape...

Now to wait a couple of weeks for it to dry.  Then a touch-up with paint and I'm done.

[snapcrackpop]

 i think that it looks just fine myself

I agree.

Whats' wrong with the ears?

One lower eyelid looks a little low...
Nose is fine, maybe needs some black paint inside the nostrals is all.

[catkiller]

You will be sorry that you dry preserved your deer.The skin will never stop shrinking, it will eventually crack and split around the eyes and nose and pull away from the mannikin.Plus using borax instead of a real dry preserve you have no protection against insects.You are inviting carpet beetles and if they get in your house they will eat every mount you have, skin, foam and all plus you'll have to have your whole house treated. Good luck.