Hanging a European?
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: griz
04-Oct-16
To those who do Europeans for elk, how do you hang them? I just scored on a 360 bull (rifle kill so no pics) and have no room for a full head mount. I know, I know, I have heard it from everybody, but the reality is that at 53 years old I don't expect to 'upsize" any time in the future. More likely downsize. Anyways, I was looking at Skull Hooker but read some reviews that say they are wobbly. Any other ideas out there? Its a very heavy set and I want a stable attachment. Thank you. (ps, if you read my thread about burning 7 point for a general tag, YES, it was worth it!!)
From: cnelk
04-Oct-16
I twist up some copper wire and run it thru the back of the head and twist it together
Find a stud on the wall, use a long screw. I also add a length of leather strap for a secondary attachment
From: Charlie Rehor
04-Oct-16
Moose is a bit heavier than an elk! Skullhooker worked fine for me. I am also doing mostly euro's now that the majority of the race has been run:)
From: cnelk
04-Oct-16
Another pic of my living room
From: Blacktail Bob
04-Oct-16
I would only hang the socialists.
From: Bear Track
04-Oct-16
I wasn't sure I should have been opening this thread either. Ha!
From: YZF-88
04-Oct-16
I have two elk on Skull Hookers and they are great. They aren't as heavy as a 360 bull though. Yes they are a tad wobbly but you aren't moving them around all the time.
From: Vids
04-Oct-16
Skull Hooker has worked well for mine, but it's just a 280 so not as heavy.
It will wobble a little bit but never goes anywhere. I've even bumped my head pretty hard on it a few times and was worried it would fall off but it never has.
From: ghost30
04-Oct-16
As stated they do have a little wobble to them but the weight of the skull keeps them in place. They will only move if you touch them. I used muy first one this year on a 305 inch bull thanks to some advice from guys on this site. Just make sure they are in a stud. For the price they look good and do the job they are intended to.
From: DarrylDunsloppy
04-Oct-16
DarrylDunsloppy's Link
Load Rated Angle "L" bracket into the brain cavity and screwed into a Stud. A little Bailing wire through the back of the skull onto the bracket as well. Sits flat on the wall and the skull covers all of the hardware.
Something like this.
From: DarrylDunsloppy
04-Oct-16
From: APauls
04-Oct-16
I use a jigsaw and "keyhole" going up from the brain cavity. Use a heavy duty screw into a stud and so far I've never had anything let go. I also bump things fairly regular. I don't have any 360 bulls on the wall though.
From: olebuck
04-Oct-16
something like this would work. I just used an old beam and old fence post.
From: Lee
05-Oct-16
Here is what the taxidermist that did my first couple of bulls did. I just ordered one off of Amazon yesterday for the bull I killed this year for $12.00. It is an Extra Heavy 3-Hole D Ring Framing Hanger that you just screw to the skull and hang it off of a heavy duty deck screw in a stud. Works great and lets the head sit flush against the wall.
Lee
From: ohiohunter
05-Oct-16
Lee, that looks choice. My plaque mounted euro has about the same 2 screws holding it into place. Brilliant!
From: Mossyhorn
05-Oct-16
I do exactly what Lee posted. My taxi did that for me and I went down to Home Depot and bought a bunch more and converted all my other euros.
From: Lee
05-Oct-16
It works well! It was hard to find that heavy duty of a hanger but Amazon had them.
Lee
From: Z Barebow
05-Oct-16
I am pretty sure Barty was probably a little nervous about reading this thread!
From: Bake
05-Oct-16
I REALLY like the skullhookers. I have had zero issues
From: sheds
05-Oct-16
Skull hookers the way to go very classy, a couple of mine
From: huntperch
05-Oct-16
I have mine hanging on lag bolts so they are flat on the wall but really want to get skullhooker as I like the angle it hangs much better.
From: Heat
05-Oct-16
Bison skull on the Hooker. Anything but wobbly. I like it.
From: Buffalo1
05-Oct-16
This is a mount I saw in a bar/restaurant in Vail, Co. I thought it was pretty neat. (PHOTO 1)
From: Buffalo1
05-Oct-16
(PHOTO 2)
From: Buffalo1
05-Oct-16
(PHOTO 3)
From: griz
10-Oct-16
Thanks for the help guys. I am going to try the Skull Hooker. I'll give a full report once it is up.
From: carcus
10-Oct-16
I use a dloop hanger, hard to find them though
From: carcus
10-Oct-16
From: smarba
10-Oct-16
I tried an angled display with a simple loop around an antler. In long run I'll change the cord to something tan that blends in better, but for a high display, I really like this look.
Really accents the mass and you can see a lot more character than a standard frontal pose, especially from below.
Bottom of skull is probably 10' off the floor.
One camera shot makes it look a little off-kilter, but in reality it looks just like the bull is tilting his head to avoid a tree or to posture dominance to another bull.
Carl
From: TD
10-Oct-16
Bob beat me to it.... =D
Lots of ways to do it but I really like the Hooker. I mean, you know, the skull one... I do a fair number of euros.... the skull ones.... and recommend the Skull Hooker to my customers. Clean, simple... doesn't detract or take the focus off the trophy.
Much prefer the angled, set out from the wall position rather than mounting flat up against the wall. I mean like, for hanging a euro....
From: Dyjack
10-Oct-16
Don't have a picture on my phone right now, but I have a 356 bull on a large skull hooker. Have some cardboard as shims so it sits right. It holds it solid, but there is some wobble if you mess with it. High up enough that no one will touch it though.
Might do the wire idea with the hooker to hold it better.
From: Barty1970
11-Oct-16
Another thread that got me worried...as a British bowhunter, I wondered what I'd done :-)
Bit like the thread on 'How to start a fire', which wasn't about Rage vs COC BHs etc.
I am trying to find the skull plate to mount these shed antlers from a red stag I found some time ago
From: ohiohunter
20-Oct-16
Mountain mikes elk skull kit.
Suppose to look pretty good, I've never used one.
From: Surfbow
20-Oct-16
smarba, I really like that!
From: Kolbeck
20-Oct-16
Kolbeck's Link
I used this one once, good and solid, doesn't have the adjustability of a skullhooker. http://www.taxidermistwoodshop.com/Elk-Skull-Hanger-p/sh03.htm
From: Barty1970
21-Oct-16
Thanks Ohiohunter; much appreciated!
Plenty of choice [though not sure if the pink version will go with our décor]
http://www.mcssl.com/store/8991c3433fa941639d0d61d756cba0/taxidermy-kits-hunting-accessories/european-mounting-kits
From: griz
21-Oct-16
MArty, Sorry for the title! No offense intended. I have used Mountain Mikes on a number of whitetails and if you are careful and patient you won't know the difference from 10 feet away. I have a wall of both real and repro European mounts and no one notices the repros are different.
From: icemann
21-Oct-16
Piece of driftwood cleaned up and varnished and old arrow drilled into skull and wood worked for me.
From: smarba
21-Oct-16
Icemann: it would be tough make that buck look bad no matter how it was displayed - great buck! I really like that presentation.
From: pirogue
21-Oct-16
Iceman, that is a nice display.
From: griz
13-Dec-16
Update: I ended up going with the Skull Hooker and placing it on a laser engraved cedar plaque that was ordered from a place in Wisconsin. They engraved a picture of me with the bull at the top. Other than a small mistake on the date (2015 instead of 2016 which I will "adjust"), it looks awesome. It is far better in real life than in the picture. I screwed the plaque into the stud, top and bottom, and then used long screws to place the Skull Hooker into the studs also. My skull was huge and I had to use the extra large hook provided. For additional safety, I placed a small bracket at the ceiling into a stud and ran two lines of 50# mono from each beam up to the bracket. This will at least impede a fall and possibly prevent an injury to someone if it should get knocked off the bracket (doubtful). I am very happy with the set up. Thanks for all the help and have a great holiday season!
From: ghost30
13-Dec-16
Wow that is a huge bull. Turned out nice. Congrats!
From: griz
13-Dec-16
Thanks ghost30, My taxidermist wanted me to drop it off in his yard while he was away for a week. No way I was leaving that lay around unattended!! Did it all myself and it makes it even more special.
From: Dwayne
13-Dec-16
Dwayne's Link
If you like it away from the wall and want almost infinite adjustability look at the SkullMax. See link.
From: Mr.C
13-Dec-16
I bought a skull hooker and took it back $70 .00 really! and it seemed cheap and wobbley and too far from the wall and no way was I gonna hang an elk rack with 1.5 inch screws and trust it...
Griz why not hang it like the one next to it that looks ok? good luck MikeC
From: Deebz
13-Dec-16
I'm in IL and have admittedly little experience with elk...(read: tv and magazines are the only place I've seen them...) but I've never seen a sticker on the eyeguard like that. Tremendous bull and a beautiful mount!
