Taxidermy lessons

[wyldkat49766]

"IF" I get a nice buck this year, but only want a antler mount, do some taxidermy shops or school take in the whole head and use it as a practice?

Like if I wanted an antler mount but let them use the whole head for a practice/example, would they charge me less for the antler or what or is that something I need to ask individuals?

[chris_kreiner]

If you bring in the whole cape some taxidermist can nock a little off the price of the horn mount. I think the average price is about $25 for a good cape if it is small and full of holes you many not get anything.

[rwenglish1]

If the cape was large and in great shape and not cut wrong. You might get the antler mount for half off or more depending. Many times a hunter can bring in a deer for a shoulder mount and have his cape be in poor condition. It is either cut too high in the brisket, cut off to short at the shoulders or was dragged out with a four wheeler, they were so excited to get it back to camp, they wasted no time getting there. And when the deer went up on the buck pole, the perverbial carpet rub or in this case, forrest floor rub showed on the shoulder that it was being dragged on.

So yes, some taxidermist might give you a break for bringing it to them. But you must take every precaution to take care of the cape, just as if you were going to have a full shoulder competition mount done, if it is not near perfect, most taxidermist are to busy trying to make money on other customers mounts, to put the time in a free cape, that later will show faults in it.

[wyldkat49766]

Thanks.

[Paul Thompson]

I agree RW.