Finally, getting to mount some of my own
Contributors to this thread:International
From: AZ~Rich
24-Mar-16
I finally was able to mount my own eland from 2014 Limcroma. I have my lifesize bushbuck and 1/2 lifesize warthog which will be coming up next unless I get grief from customers:)
From: AZ~Rich
24-Mar-16
From: AZ~Rich
24-Mar-16
From: WV Mountaineer
24-Mar-16
A+ job. It looks incredible. God Bless
From: Alexis Desjardins
24-Mar-16
They look really good.
From: GF
24-Mar-16
This is a 100% serious question, so please don't write me off as a smart@$$....
But what the heck is a 1/2 life-size???
And yeah, that Eland is gorgeous!!
From: AZ~Rich
24-Mar-16
No problem GF, the 1/2 lifesize will be the front half of a lifesize warthog which is sitting on its hind quarters. I plan to have that front 1/2 coming out of his burrow (hole) just like where I ended it for him.
From: Drahthaar
24-Mar-16
They look Awesome Rich, are you going to put the arrow in the warthogs head. Forrest
From: AZ~Rich
24-Mar-16
LOL!!! I am not that sick yet Forrest! As it is I have some slick trick repair work to do on the ears and neck. You see I tried first to slip one down along its neck into the chest but alas that did not work and now I have a four part ear, and a long slice down the neck for no reason. So, between the eyes should have been my first choice after all.
From: Barefoot
25-Mar-16
Nice!! your work look great!! Will come over next year and see your work for myself!!
From: Drahthaar
25-Mar-16
Rich, just kidding . Forrest
From: KJC
25-Mar-16
Nice work Rich!
From: Ambush
25-Mar-16
Some very nice work there!
And it that really an arrow in the warthogs noggin, for a finishing shot!?!?
I'm very intrigued by the warthog half mount. I have two at a taxidermist right now and one is skinned for a half mount.
From: t-roy
25-Mar-16
That's too bad that you messed up the cape on that warthog Rich! They have such beautiful coats:>)
Can't wait to see the finished product!
From: AZ~Rich
26-Mar-16
The form I am using is the front half of this one from Research Mannikins. And yes that is the finishing shot on the old guy.
I have my bushbuck lifesize to do right now and that is giving me some real fits. I've already altered the form now in three places and it still is not quite ready to put together. Hopefully soon, then I can start on Grandpa Warthog. They thought he was around 14-15 yers old.
From: AZ~Rich
26-Mar-16
Very Old plus an odd tusk sweep, like its sweeping straight back not up. His tusks were just shy of 14"
From: Ambush
26-Mar-16
That is an awesome pig! Old sack of bones and huge tusks!! Can't wait to see the finished mount.
Unfortunately I had this one caped for a head mount because I already had another smaller one skinned for a half mount.
From: Firehuntfish
27-Mar-16
Very, very nice. I can't wait to see the finished warthog....
From: AZ~Rich
03-Apr-16
Finished up my bushbuck yesterday. That's just the way I first saw him in the thickets, checking us out.
From: AZ~Rich
03-Apr-16
From: AZ~Rich
03-Apr-16
another view
From: AZ~Rich
03-Apr-16
one more
From: AZ~Rich
03-Apr-16
From: Drahthaar
03-Apr-16
Rich, the bushbuck looks awesome. Love to see a person take pride in their work. Forrest
From: BO-N-ARO
17-Apr-16
I knew you would get the form to fit the skin!! Nice job on the tail.... Not sure what I used but looks like the one I used for a 1/2 life size on mine. I did turn the head looking straight back, did you turn this one?? Another great piece of taxidermy work brother! Oh ya, the eland is a beast and again, great work!!
From: michaelw
17-Apr-16
They look great!
From: Heat
17-Apr-16
Outstanding work Rich!
From: AZ~Rich
17-Apr-16
Thanks guys. I've got plenty to learn still but they keep getting less stressful as I go. The original bushbuck form was looking back over shoulder (Boyce's animal artistry) but the original head was really bad. That was replaced plus I lengthened the body 3" and neck in two places another 3". Luckily the tail fix was done with an extra kudu tail I happened to have. Next is this old warthog of mine that has been a challenge of different sorts.
From: Ambush
18-Apr-16
Great work so far! Can't wait to see the old warthog peering out out his hole!!
That looks, to me, to be a very impressive bushbuck. Awesome pose to!
From: AZ~Rich
25-Apr-16
AZ~Rich's Link
Ok, I finished the old warthog piece yesterday and aside from some additional base pieces with foliage to fill in and make this corner of my cave flow better, its complete. This first photo is off a video of him prior to shooting him a day later at night.
From: AZ~Rich
25-Apr-16
The link should get you to several other photos of the project to completion.
From: AZ~Rich
25-Apr-16
From: StickFlicker
25-Apr-16
Rich,
That is VERY COOL! Great job!
His tusks are exceptionally long, but seemingly not as heavy as other large ones I have seen (maybe it's just an illusion caused by the length). It's amazing they got to be that long without his breaking at least one of them.
From: AZ~Rich
25-Apr-16
Yeah, I thought the same thing when I inspected him. They measured 3 12/16" and 3 11/16 circumference, 13 15/16" and 13 8/16" lengths for 35 1/16" SCI. From watching him, he definitely tried to avoid other Male WHs and probably got that old and unbroken by being cautious. He was nocturnal for the most part and lived near camp where he visited their garbage pit at night, which is where I shot him while siting for honey badger..
From: t-roy
25-Apr-16
Incredible tusks for sure Rich!
He must have had to turn his head sideways to get into that den;>)
Better start boning up on sable mounts. Sounds like it's next on your list!
From: Herdbull
26-Apr-16
Great work! The WH had slightly more arthritic knees in life than the mount. Ha ha. Very cool displays.
From: AZ~Rich
26-Apr-16
You would'nt know he was arthritic from watching him run around as much as I did. When I first saw him it took over two hours for that WH to work his way in close. All the time moving relentlessly out at 100-200 yds skirting the area 360. He had been shot before as there was what looked like either a bullet or two blade broadhead hole in his skull (cheek) that had healed over. He was super cautious and moved all around during that time. However, I did have to take off over an inch of front leg mass though on the foam form which was sculpted for a more muscular Boar. His ancient legs were leaned down for sure.
From: OneShot
26-Apr-16
Great looking mounts!!!!!
From: Guardian Hunter
26-Apr-16
Ohio is impressed. You are talented!
From: AZ~Rich
29-Apr-16
Filled in some empty spaces with foliage. Now it looks like a jungle!
From: Ambush
30-Apr-16
Heck of a room, for sure!!
Very creative on that old bag-of-bones and tusks. I'll be showing these pics to my taxidermist this week.
From: LBshooter
01-May-16
Love the warthog mount, very nice!
From: Drahthaar
01-May-16
AWESOME. Forrest
From: stoneman
01-May-16
Very nice African collection. Where is your Kudu?
From: AZ~Rich
01-May-16
My Kudu is in the Main house in the stairwell where his height fits well. Other mounts in the cave are posted below.
P.S. We now refer to the old boar as BOB, (Bag Of Bones).
From: AZ~Rich
01-May-16
African room
From: AZ~Rich
01-May-16
other wall
From: AZ~Rich
01-May-16
odds and ends
From: AZ~Rich
01-May-16
another impala
From: razorsharp
26-Sep-16
Wow! Those are awesome!
