One of my good friends is a museum exhibit specialist and 3rd generation taxidermist (a good friend to have, eh?) and has agreed to do my kudu mount.

I have a rare opportunity to have it mounted any way I choose by a museum quality guy. I thought I'd get him to do something other than just a standard shoulder mount, but I just can't decide what.

Any suggestions????

Stagman,
I am an novice taxidermist. I have my important pieces done by a competition taxidermist. I visit with him, look at photos and catalogues for ideas, then turn him loose with his own creativity. I have been stunned at the great work this has brought about. I would suggest you visit with your friend and ask him what he would really like to try - then work out details. He will amaze you. Good luck.

I love my very typical shoulder mount but if you´re into pedestals etc they can be nice.

Stagman,

My kudu has a slight turn to the right with a shoulder mount with the veins in face noticeable and great looking...The artistic work is very important....
More importantly is the heighth of the room..My kudu is 65 inches tall from the bottom of the chest to the top of the right horn...


Mike

I just got the bill for my Kudu....and I pick it up later this week...I think...anyway it's going to be a pedistal mount (I'm doing the pedistal now) as I don't have a ceiling high enough for it....something to think about.

First question- How many kudu has your friend done? Second question- What form will he use? I have seen some "museum" quality pieces that did not show the facial veins which are so very prominent on the big bulls.I agree with the concept of turning him loose if you are satisfied w/the above points.

The one thing I would try to avoid is the straight ahead stare. They look so fake to me. Just a slight turn can help your mount look much more life like.

Half mount it.I recently got my gembok back that was half mounted.

One consideration in mounting your kudu is where you intend to display it. A kudu shoulder mount takes an amazing amount of space. I would suggest you give consideration to a head down mount with the head thrown up and back, like the animals was drinking water. This keeps the entire mount very compact, and can be very effective. If you don't have twelve foot ceilings or a stairwell, a full mount will be a challenge. Kudude

Here is one I did for myself. It was modified heavily, starting out as a standard straight wall shoulder form.
Hope it gives you an idea or two.
1.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/bo-n-aro/DSCN1852.jpg
https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1821043/m/293102642

Is this it? I like it.

Bo-n-aro, Nice work! I like the turn and chin dip on your pedestal mount. I wonder how it would work as a wall pedestal, with the backside flat to fit against the wall? That would be unique, although a lot of dicking with the form. Do you mind telling me which form you used? Looks like and altered McKenzie GK151WP.

My friend has mounted every type of African game you can imagine and he did a knock out job on my wildebeest (wall pedestal), so my confidence-o-meter is maxed out. And I do plan to let him run with his artistic inclinations.

A good taxidermist knows how to mount animals. A great taxidermist is an artist who treats each animal as in individual.

BTW I have 12' ceilings, so that's not an issue.

Charles, thats him! Thanks!
stagman, it is from McKenzie but is a GK301 from Precision Manakins, now owned by McKenzie.
I think a wall mount would work great! This one "was" going to be just that at the beginning.
Looking forward to the finished mount.

Bo-n-aro,

Thanks for the info! I wish I could get him on a turn that would include part of the first stripe. But, he wasn't caped quite far back enough. Would have been cool.

My kudu was a bowkill too, by the way. I got it at 25 yards and was probably the single most thrilling moment of my 30-year-plus hunting career. Luckily, I'd been practicing breathing techniques beforehand and was able to keep from hyperventilating while I had to watch and wait for the kudu to approach, drink and turn for a broadside shot. Unbelievable thrill!

Stagman, just an idea but what if you can get the mount almost like Charles_Helm on the photo but with the head an nose kept high and the horns dropped to his back like he would be ready to run !!!

Safari-Hunt,

I saw a striking mount at a show, with the kudu's head tilted back. But he was coming straignt out of the wall, not angled like the wall pedestal. I don't know if the horns would hit the wall at that angle, but it would be cool, wouldn't it?

Stagman, Unfortunately the horns would hit the wall that is why you would have to do it at an angle looking left or right. But it would look super and very natural