Taxidermist Mounted Deer With Wrong Pose
Whitetail Deer
Contributors to this thread:
A taxidermist mounted my deer with the wrong shoulder mount pose and im wondering about my options. Basically i was looking to have it mounted semi upright facing straight ahead, but they messed up the order and mounted it as a semi sneak looking left.
The taxidermist indicated they could soak it and re mount it with the proper pose, but mentioned there is risk losing the cape. The other option would be to keep the mount as is, with a discount. Im not a huge fan of the semi-sneak poses, so ideally id have them re mount it. The problem is whether or not i risk losing the cape. Im not sure if its worth the risk, or how much risk there really is here.
Thoughts?
In my area deer processors save capes all the time and sell them to Taxi guys. Taxi guys also re mount grandpa's old buck on a new mount with a new cape. It can be done, maybe you shoot another decent buck but don't have it mounted, use the cape from the new deer to replace the possibly damaged cape from the old deer. Just my 2 cents.
Plenty of capes to be had. Let the taxi make it right if you don't like the mount.
Sorry to hear about your issue. I'd have him mount it the way you want.It's something you're going to look at all the time.
You can always get another cape. And if you lose the cape because of his mess up, I'd get an even further discount.
Wouldn't semi upright and semi sneak be the same thing? I have always saw either upright, semi sneak or full sneak.
I would find a good fit for it as it is and thank him for the discount... Re- mounting is probably going to take additional time too.
I'm probably not like most customers, as I usually tip $20 or $30 cash when I get a mount back- which probably has something to do with my mounts exceeding my expectations.
Unless you absolutely only have a spot it can go- which would be pretty unlikely, move on to the next thing and maybe your taxidermist will do you right in the future.
Roll the dice and have it mounted on the form you wanted. But I have always wanted MY cape with any of my mounts, so I would take the discount and find a spot on the wall, over time it might not seem so bad.
Keep it and mount it somewhere that will highlight the pose. I had a nice whitetail mounted and when I got it back it was not the pose I thought I ordered (but I did). A bit disappointed but still beyond thrilled to have it back, I hung it in a corner in the living room and love it. What I thought I ordered was looking straight ahead; what I actually ordered was semi sneak left facing.
I'll try to get a picture tonight.
-Joe
i'd leave it like it is if the quality is good. it is a deer shoulder mount not a big ticket full life deal or something like that. that said, the discount would be substantial and he should be offering that up anyway. you taking it as is should be worth a lot to him.
I would not risk it, I hate using a different cape. If it is not the animal that grew the rack then I would not want the mount. I would just do a European mount instead! Shawn
Well let's see a pic of it. Trying to reduce it would be a bad idea. Leave it alone and maybe next mount he will give you a discount for his mistake. I'd be happy with that arrangement if it were me.
Without seeing a picture of it, I'd keep it as is (especially if it looks good). Negotiate a deep discount and then find a different/better taxidermist.
As a taxidermist I would recommend the discount and it would be deep. If it was me I would only charge for the cost of materials which would only be about $180. He screwed up so he should not charge you for his labor. The reason I would be hesitant to re-mount is that I have found that you can make things worse by trying to make it better and too much working of the skin can cause problems
I'd leave it, although I don't care for the sneak poses either. I have a great taxidermist and on one of my mounts I asked for a left turn and he put it right. Not exactly what I wanted but he gave me a discount and took real good care of me next time. I don't even think about it now. Hopefully you get a couple more and you will like/want the variety. Or keep it until you get another cape. My friend just had all of his dad's re-done and they turned out great.
No brainer for me. If I went to a restraunt and ordered steak and they brought me chicken, I would send it back and get steak.
Have him remount with a new cape. No biggie for any good taxidermist. For sure, don't go with that cape soaked and remounted, no way.
Last year I shot a deer that had some major battle scars. He basically didn't have any skin or hair on his head. In one spot you could see his skull. He also had an ear that was almost completely ripped in half. I tell you this because when I was took him to the taxidermist he asked me if I would like to use another cape. He went on to say that he does some European mounts for the local Amish and Mennonites and they never use the cape. He said he could take the cape off of one of the deer they brought in and put it on my deers rack.
Might be an option
if it is otherwise a good mount, I would accept it as-is with a discount.
I would take the discount I think......unless its REALLY going to bother you.
x2 on the pic...let's see it. .. x2 on keeping it if the quality is good...might not be so good if the guy has to do it over, the attention to detail and care are never the same 2nd time around.
x2 on euro mounts, can't go wrong, and they last a lifetime or two....
I'm a taxidermist and have been for 45 years.If that cape has been properly tanned,it can be remounted with no problem.The cape prep work is already done as well as the ear work.Except for about an hours work,removing it from the mannikin and installing the antlers on a new mannikin,it takes less time to mount the second time.Fresh is the key.You don't want to wait two years and try it.
Most taxidermists have never taken a mount apart and remounted it so are naturally apprehensive but a fresh mount,with a quality tan,it's a no brainer.I personally wouldn't hesitate to redo it.
Again,if the tan is good,there is no reason you can't have the mount you want and there is no reason for it to be of lesser quality.
Get it redone! I have a deer a taxi messed up on me, he offered to redo it and I didn't want to wait or go find a new cape. I hate the mount every time I look at it and now wish I said do it over. Deer looks like its smiling, just a horrible disastrous mount.
I think the decision to 'redo' is a tough call.
Years ago we had a guy who was a "Taxidermist Hobbyist" mount a 10 point that my wife had taken and regretted it for one reason - he used a small 'doe' form instead of a buck's form. We thanked him, took it home and put it in the garage rather than display it with my wife's other trophy's. We had it remounted a year or so later using a cape from a buck I'd killed.
That said, ask yourself is the mount 'bad' from either a quality or aesthetic perspective? If the mount looks BAD then I'd press on with the re-mount. If it's simply the wrong pose you may want to ask him why? He may have thought the pose showed more of the buck's 'unique' qualities. I say that because we've often told our 'whitetail taxidermist' to use his judgment on how to make the buck look it's absolute best and we haven't been disappointed since.
RH
Jim B. What kind of tan do you do? I have mine sent off to be alum tanned but I have heard of some good things with pressure tanning.
I would put it on a pedestal or a fence post mount. You can then turn it and place it in a room until the pose satisfies you. The pedestals from I think it is roosten ridge on line look great!!!
so original poster what say you?
Like Jim B I've been doing Taxidermy since 1972 and with a good tan and pretty recently been mounted I'd have him redo it. From experience over the years I know it will work.
If you have a place for it, have the taxi do a pedestal at his expense and pay him the original agreed upon price for the mount.
"I would not risk it, I hate using a different cape. If it is not the animal that grew the rack then I would not want the mount. I would just do a European mount instead!"
I'm no taxidermist but I've never seen a taxidermy form that allows you to insert the entire skull into it just in case you decide you want to do a European mount later. Surely this was posted in jest.
KSCowboy, I believe you can get a reproduction skull and add the antlers to it and it will look pretty good. But as far as the post you are referring to.... I have no words. lol
Like others though I would like to see the mount. If you are truly not happy then have it remounted. He messed it up and is willing to do so. I'm not a huge fan of using other capes, but I have used capes from other bucks I've killed on racks from previous deer I decided to mount. Wouldnt feel right using another persons cape. No idea why...thats just me. Nothing wrong with using a different cape.
I do for sure like the idea of the pedestal. It can really change the way a mount looks and take it from so so to great just by changing the angle you are looking at.
Thanks for all the replies, very helpful! Im leaning towards keeping it as is with a discount.
I guess my old taxidermist wasn't the only one who got mounts mixed up! Several years ago I took my first bow killed bear to the taxi to get a rug. It was a small one,125 lbs (I swear it looked 300 at the bait lol) About 9 months later he called me and said "Bob,I got some good news and some bad news;your bear is done,but"..... Apparently,he was teaching a taxidermy class at the community college,and he was doing a full body bear mount.He sent his son to get the bear out of the freezer for the class,and the kid grabbed my bear by mistake. They didn't realize it until they were doing the final sewing on the form and saw the broadhead hole,The "right' bear was a rifle kill. Anyway,he apologized over and over,and told me he could re-do it but it would be a LOT of work,and asked if I would at least come and look at it.And if I liked it,he would give it to me for the rug price($750 at the time,compared to $1200 for a full body mount)Well,I took his offer. Now I have a Barney Fife size bear in the corner of my living room.
Take the discount. Go shoot another one and get the other pose. :-) I had same thing happen and kept it. Sucks but if it came out good why mess with it.
Nice deer. I like the pose and mount. I'd keep it and get the next deer mounted the way you wanted this one done.
I think it looks good, take the discount and hang it up!
I'm surprised the number of people who have said just take what you didn't order at a discount. How is that reconciled with the thread where the guy didn't get a guided elk hunt and everyone told him to pay nothing? What is the difference?
As in my other post I would talk to the taxidermist and try to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion.
Backpack - "How is that reconciled with the thread where the guy didn't get a guided elk hunt and everyone told him to pay nothing? What is the difference?"
I look at it as the difference of effort and results on the part of the outfitter verses taxidermist. If the guy brought in a deer and the taxidermy returned a stuffed badger, then I would consider the stories similar.
Looks good like it is take the discount and move on.