First and only mount I’ve ever had done. Honestly just never could reason spending 400-500$ on a mount when it’s free to do a skull in the back yard. Just takes time and patience. Really had a hard time convincing myself to lay down the money on this one. But I figured it was better to do it than not and regret it every time I look at the skull. It was a combination of things. I loved the character in the antlers, and the deer itself. The fork in one tine and knot in the other, the split ear and over all appearance. I was happy with the mount for the most part. But it didn’t capture the buck exactly the way he was. The Roman nose was missing, the neck is smaller on the mount (based on measurements taken at the time of harvest vs on the wall, only a few inches but it’s noticeable to me), and at time of harvest the bucks whole face was swollen and puffy like a boxer at the end of a match. Just made him look like a scrapper and was a little disappointed that that wasn’t captured in the mount. But over all I was very pleased (I know it doesn’t sound like it but I’m just being picky) and would use the taxidermist again no questions asked. Would just be sure to be more clear in exactly what I want, which is where I think the other mount fell short. I believe I just didn’t relay to the taxidermist what I was hoping to see in the mount and what was important, didn’t give him pictures or measurements. Which in my defense he didn’t ask about the pictures and I didn’t think to mention them. And on the measurements I did ask on those but he said he didn’t need them.
Sorry kinda rambled. But in my opinion on when to mount a buck. The main thing is when you can afford the 400-500$ bill and it not cut into other necessities. If you can afford it I believe it comes down to what my buddy asked me with this one. If you don’t get it mounted are you going to regret it down the road? If it’s the buck or the hunt that is important to you and you can afford it then do it. But that’s all down to the individual. I’ve seen spikes done in shoulder mounts and monsters done as skull mounts. Some is just preference. But anyway without rambling again or repeating the same as several others have already said. It’s your wallet, your wall, and your Buck. Nobody should have anything to say about what you should or shouldn’t mount. Other than maybe Household 6 (your wife) if married.
Sorry kinda rambled. But in my opinion on when to mount a buck. The main thing is when you can afford the 400-500$ bill and it not cut into other necessities. If you can afford it I believe it comes down to what my buddy asked me with this one. If you don’t get it mounted are you going to regret it down the road? If it’s the buck or the hunt that is important to you and you can afford it then do it. But that’s all down to the individual. I’ve seen spikes done in shoulder mounts and monsters done as skull mounts. Some is just preference. But anyway without rambling again or repeating the same as several others have already said. It’s your wallet, your wall, and your Buck. Nobody should have anything to say about what you should or shouldn’t mount. Other than maybe Household 6 (your wife) if married.
