I am mounting my first deer, and I have lost my measurements that I took before skinning the deer last fall. ###(I moved and lost a lot of stuff).
Anyway, what is an average distance between the eye and base of the antler? I'm needing to fit the skull plate to the mold and I want to know where I need to be before cutting the plate anymore.
Any help would be helpful.
Thanks in advance;
JJ
This is what I do. I take my skull and cut from the rear of the skull then cut towards the eyes all the way down to the nose, this will leave most the nose bridge in tact. Do not cut the nose bridge off. doing this provides me with most of the reference I like to have when I mount a deer such as width of the face. I do not know how you cut your skull but you should have some idea where the rear and center of the eyesocket is. By using this reference you should be able to look at the form and get a real good idea where you will place your skull. Your measurments from the eye to the antler burr will not change Unless you have shed horns. ###Also what I do after the antlers are placed on the form is shave the eyesockets ###down to blend with the antlers then rebuild the eyesockets where it fits correctly. Also is it a whitetail? and what form do you have. I hope I answered the question you are looking for, If not Let me know. Bryan ###
It's a McKenzie form. ###I cut the horns off between the eye socket and and burrs and then mada a cut to the back of the skull. ###Right now, I'm trying to think of how to fill in the open space between the skull plate and the ear. ###There is a lot of open area that looks like I need to fill it with clay. ###Though I didn't recieve enough clay to fill it and do the eye's. ###Also, the back of the skull plate looks like it sticks out too far, but I know it shouldn't go forward anymore, because it would be too close to the eyes.
Thanks for the help..............I hope this looks good enough to go on the wall.
JJ
Fill the empty area with plaster or even Great Stuff that foam in a can, once dry you can shape it. If the skull is hanging over the edge of the head it should be moved forward, the head is sculpted to fit the skull plate. Have you fit the cape on the form? I have found alot of mckenzie forms are to big in the shoulder and neck. Best: Bryan
What is Great suff in a can........where do I get it?
You have been very helpful,
I haven't fitted the cap on the mold yet. ###I'm wanting to get everything prepared and ready before I start the finishing process. ### I'm afraid I"m going to have a lot of problems, so I'm trying to prepare my self for all questions I can before. ###Since this is a step that has to be done in a timely manner.
Anyway, thanks again and if you have any more helpful hints or suggestions, please speak freely. ###You probably know some things that beginers do a lot. ###I don't want to hide this mount after I'm done.
Thanks again;
JJ
Great stuff is the foam in can that is used to insulate outlets ect. in your house. you should be able to find it at a hardware store. The main thing you should be concerned about is the fit, do not try to stretch it out to be a bigger deer, all that will do is lead to problems. Let me know what other supplies such as glues, tanning, instructions, steps, concerns you are using, and I will see if I can inform you more.
Alright, you hit the nail on this one. ###The McKenzie mold is tooo FREAKIN big. ###I ordered a 18 or 19", and when I measure it it is all of 20"'s. ###I tried to put the cape on it to see if I need to fix the wholes near the base and I can't even get the darn thing on. ###It's like trying to fit Rosie O'donnel in a dress made for Gweneth Paltrow. Anyway, what do you suggest? ###Try to send the mold back, or shave down the one I got. ###Just to let you know I didn't even get it close to the base. ###I used a "Y" incision to cape the deer in the first place.
I'm hating it!!!!!!
JJ
Or should I assume it will slide on easier when the glue is wet and I'm finishing it?
JJ
Well since you are a beginner I doubt you want to alter the form, which would involve cutting splices from the center, shaving would take forever, and not be accurate. From the description you gave of the fit, you should try to send the form back which they should take back if it has not been altered. REsearch manninkans has some whitail forms that have fit nicely for me, they are the "First Honest Whitetail series". It is a whitetail right?. Also how did you measure?, did you stretch the area behind the ears all you could?. To measure properly : slightly stretch all the way down the width of the neck then slightly stretch the length, Do not overstretch or try to make your deer bigger. then measure if you do not stretch the length you will simply pull alot of the cape into that one measurment. Also How was it tanned?. Best: Bryan
Well.......I did alter it already. ###I shaved off the smooth surface so the cape would glue better. ###I also cut out the lips. ###I'm thinking now I may just have a taxidermist to finish it. ###I've become really busy with work and don't know if I will finish it by Bow season. ###The last thing I want is to be working on this while I could be in the woods.
How much do you think I should get charged if I went this route? ###I have finished the cape and it is done really good. ###I had a taxidermist in my old town help me and give advice. ###So all there is to do is to use my supplies (eye's/ear liners/ chemicals etc.) and finish it!!!!
How much do you think would be fair? ###The market on a deer mount here in St. Louis is between $350 to $425. ###I would also give him my mold.
Thanks for your help.
JJ
personally, if someone brought me a project like that, I would not discount it, but that is just me. It would need a new form or major alteration, then using materials that I dont use in the first place such as plastic earliners, I would end up spending more time for the job. If it was commercially tanned I would knock that off. Best: Bryan
I understand where you are coming from. I don't think I was as clear as I could have been on my previous post. The cape has been finished (professionally tanned and stiched up) I already bought all the supplies (ear liners, competition eyes, and mold) and if I have a taxidermist finish it, I have no use for these supplies. So I might as well give them to the taxidermist. I know they wouldn't be able to use the mold on my deer but I'm sure they will have someone request a mold of this size this season. Anyway, I'm just wondering what a fair price would be.
Thanks for all the help already.
JJ
http:community.webshots.com/user/jimmyjones75
I understand where you are coming from. I don't think I was as clear as I could have been on my previous post. The cape has been finished (professionally tanned and stiched up) I already bought all the supplies (ear liners, competition eyes, and mold) and if I have a taxidermist finish it, I have no use for these supplies. So I might as well give them to the taxidermist. I know they wouldn't be able to use the mold on my deer but I'm sure they will have someone request a mold of this size this season. Anyway, I'm just wondering what a fair price would be.
Thanks for all the help already.
JJ
http:community.webshots.com/user/jimmyjones75
Jimmie, I may have missed it, but has your cape been properly sweated. If not, soak it in a bathtub of cold water for two hours, roll it up dripping wet and place it in the fridge for 24 hours. This will give it a lot of stretch compared to the dry tanned cape. Once this is done, I like to let them warm to room temperature before putting them on the cape, but without letting them dry too much. When pulling it onto the form, I prefer the use of a stout ruffer from Research Mannikins. A very handy tool that will not tear the hide. Also, once the form is all gooped up with hide paste (I prefer either Epo-Grip or Hidemaster), pull it on being sure to pull evenly all the way around. A common mistake is that guys pull it on too far, actually placing the neck hide around the neck somewhere. I pull it on, and it's always tough getting the crown of the head over the wide part of the head around the eyes, then push it forward a little, set the antlers, position the ears and build earbutts, then stitch. If it's too tight to pull on over, open the bottom leg of the Y-incision a little more until it goes. One way to loosen a professionally tanned cape is to spray it with a solution of 1 cup baking soda to 1 gallon water. this will give it a little more stretch while it's wet. One word of advice on buying forms in the future - I always measure my capes after they've been tanned and sewated, and from those measurement, I order my stuff. Also, order a form 1-inch smaller around the base of the neck than the actual deer. Example, order an 18-inch form for a 19-inch deer. This buys you some play room and helps avoid drumming. Finally, if you're really serious about doing this right, go to www.taxidermy.net/forums. Tons of archived informationa and centuries of experience at your fingertips. Good luck.
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