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Mounting that trophy$$

iowabruce

iowabruce

Active Member
Hanging out with taxidermist and antler finatics most of my life has brought up a question of fellow hunter. What dictates a hunters decision on mounting a whitetail? Is it strictly price or quality of the work done by a taxidermist? Also what amount do most guys (and gals) expect to pay to get that special buck mounted? Just curious.
Bruce Wohlers
 
To me, the cost isn't as big of a factor as the quality of the mount. I'd rather pay too much for a great looking mount than save a couple bucks and be disappointed when I get it back.

The going rate in Sioux Falls is between $250 and $300 for a shoulder mount. I've found that if you offer to pay an additional 10% some taxidermist will bump you up in line, so you don't have to wait 2 years to get it back. There is close to a 2 year wait with some of the better taxidermists around here.

I'll have another question for all the trophy hunters here. When you get you buck mount, would you rather have the mount look the same as the day you shot him, or do you ask the taxidermist to make him look pretty? This happened to me with my last P&Y, the buck had a chunk out of it's ear and a hole in it's cape near the white patch on it's neck, which I assume was from a fight with another buck. The taxidermist called me up and offered to replace the cape with a nicer looking one. I choose to stay with the original. I thought it gave it some character and since most bucks don't go through their capes with a brush every morning, I figured it was a more natural pose.

What do you guys think? Sorry to add another question to the original IowaBruce. You just got me thinking of a similar situation.
 
LUVTOHUNT,
Rumors of my death are greatly exagerated! I'm working at Waterloo Implement selling John Deere stuff and loving it. Give me a call sometime and we'll talk boars and horns.
Bruce
 
I seen a sign at one studio that said something like "The price you pay for a good taxidermay job will be forgotten long before what you saved on a poor one" or something like that.

I had couple mounts done years ago when a good one was still under $200. One looks like the live animal with the powder keg neck and the other looks "sissified" but nice with a normal neck.
Both are good quality, but I favor the "real" thing. Every split ear or gouged up face was earned by the animal and is the truth.

I have since quit having mounts done as I would rather put the money back into more hunting opportunities. But If one has the money to spend on taxidermy, I would make sure you get a good job done.
 
Qaulity first my mounts have been and will be done as he looked when i shot him no need to make something more out of what you have, out of respect for the animal
 
My first deer head was done in 1966, back when they used a wood form and shaped it with plaster paris before stretching the cape over it. After about 30 years the old boy started looking pretty ratty...had the rack remounted with a new cape, looks great.

I've got about 4 different Taxidermists that do much of my work. Prices have ranged from $150-to-$350 for a shoulder mount. Some of the more expensive mounts do look that much better. Probably have close to 40+ mounts at home and at the farm (our Hunting Lodge). Everything from Buffalo, Antelope, Mulies, Whitetails, Sheep, Ducks, Pheasants, Fox, Coons, and more. I prefer many of my mounts with a habitat scene...one is a Red Fox jumping on a rooster Pheasant in the snow, all in a coffee table display case.

Some of the best work I've seen is by "Jonas Brothers" in Denver,....their work on African and North American species is superb. For many, spending $3000-$5000 for a full stand up Grizz mount will be out of the question....but we have one in our clubhouse done by Jack Jonas, excellent workmanship.
 
Iowabruce,

I shot a 120 class whitetail 2 years ago that is the biggest buck I've shot with a bow. I decided to get him mounted since the hunt was so exciting. I shot him with 4 other bucks and a doe close by. I saw more action in that 30 minutes in the timber than all of the other time I've spent in the field. He is not the biggest buck on the wall, but everytime I look at him I remember that day. By the way, I left his battle scars on him too. I also think that it adds character.
 
The price around here is between $250-$350. When I get a deer mounted, I definitely turn to a quality taxidermist. Reasons are mainly for the memories. I have a 125" buck I arrowed back in 1998 mounted, and did so because it was a very exciting hunt. Whenever I look at that deer, it brings back those memories. Other deer that I have had mounted I did so because they were nice-sized, and/or have a lot of character to the antlers. I'll tell you one thing, I sure never get tired of looking at them!!!
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-Jody
 
After having some very poor workmanship on a couple of mounts, "Headgear" and I decided to try our hand at Taxidermy. I can tell you that it is in no way a small job. Quality workmanship is by far more important than the price. If you take a buck, or a doe you're proud of and has some great memories with it then I say mount it. One thing you need to do is to take a look at some of the work that your Taxidermist has done. Also ask him how he tans his capes. If he has them professionally tanned then you're heading in the right direction. Some of them use a wet tan that after a short time can begin to crack around the eyes and nose and can even have a bad odor. It is also more difficult to achieve a life like swell in the neck with this type of tanning. The hair can also begin to "slip" because of a bacteria that forms in the cape which can occur with any type of tan if it is not properly cared for. As far as a natural look with cut ears and scars intact, that is entirely up to each individuals taste. If you have harvested an animal that you want to mount then by all means make it something you will be proud of for many years to come. As BW said, "The quality remains long after the price is forgotten."
 
I personally like the original look. Forget pretty, forget the combs. When asked if he made sure the capes didn't get mixed up, I once heard a taxidermist say, "I'd rather mix up babies at a hospital than mix up my capes".
 
My buck I had mounted last year had a broken g-2,I didnt have him fix it and it sounds like most of you would not have had it fix either.
 
I paid $425 here for the buck I got last year. I made the mistake once of going to another guy, and the mount sickens me to the day. I stop in at my taxidermists shop all the time just to shoot the breeze and now consider him a friend. I like my deer mounted how I shot them..with all the scuffs, tick damage, broken tines, or punctures and torn ears worked into the mount. I want to try to capture the essence of that animal, or at least what was happening when I took him.
 
I would rather spend alot more money and leave the deer the way it was the day i shot it than to have paid less and have the thing fall apart on you in a couple years.

BOWHUNTINFOOL
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I have a Corsican ram on my wall that I had mounted many years ago. Had to have a replacement cape because of "slippage"(my fault-took too long getting it to the taxidermist. It's not the same when I look at it. For one thing the original had an old bear razorhead embedded to the hilt straight on into the nose. He must have had a headache from it!! And then it is embarrassing when explaining why the ram on the wall does'nt look like the one in my hunting album!!!
Don
 
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