I got my beautiful leopard skin and skull back last week from the boys at CM and have priced the varous trophy options. A full body mount is too much for my humble budget. What about a rug with fake head attached or a shoulder mount and keep the rest of the back skin? I will definitely keep the skull in a place of honor but wondered what you guys who know so much more than I would do?

Dick

"I don't think I ever was the man I used to be..." Mack Dowell

R. Gunn,

I rugged out my first leopard, it looks great and was about $2,000 less than a life size. Check out my rug on the Trophy Room Pictures Forum under "Mounts in my new home". I rugged out a lion hyena and several others that you will see there also. I think they came out very nice.

Mark

Leopard rug, affordable and VERY cool!

My opinion regarding the rug...don't do it!

Have the skin tanned and store it until you can afford to have it full mounted. Once tanned you can store it indefinetly.

I think you'll regret having it rugged.

Just my 2 cents

I agree, FBM only respect the trophy. If I hunted sucessfully a second Leopard then maybe a rug.

Sacrilege! Leopard is lifesize only. Sell a child if you must, but lifesize is the only way to go.

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:

Once tanned you can store it indefinetly.

Not according to my taxidermist. He says after a few years it difficult to mount without problems. The hair may not fall out when tanned, but it does when you rewet it. I am not a taxidermist, but he hates it when guys bring in stuff that has been tanned for a few years.

I am told that it wouldn't be a problem, but at the least it would give him several years time to save for the full mount.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:

Once tanned you can store it indefinetly.

Not according to my taxidermist. He says after a few years it difficult to mount without problems. The hair may not fall out when tanned, but it does when you rewet it. I am not a taxidermist, but he hates it when guys bring in stuff that has been tanned for a few years.

quote:

Originally posted by Leopardtrack:
My opinion regarding the rug...don't do it!

Have the skin tanned and store it until you can afford to have it full mounted. Once tanned you can store it indefinetly.

I think you'll regret having it rugged.

Just my 2 cents

Agreed, tan it and start saving (try to mount within 2 years). A full body leopard looks much nicer than a rug IMO.

Tanning it certainly is the way to go. But then you should hydrate and freeze it, if you want it to be stored for a long period of time. Don't just tan it, and throw it in the closet.

Make the skull a euro mount, the skin a full rug with no fake mouth with attachments so it can be hung on a wall, then have a nicely frammed large photo of you and your trophy placed between the both of them. It is cheaper, more durable with less maintenance required, takes less space and much easier to move if necessary.

quote:

more durable

A lifesize mount will outlast and is much more durable than a rug.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Neilson:
Tanning it certainly is the way to go. But then you should hydrate and freeze it, if you want it to be stored for a long period of time. Don't just tan it, and throw it in the closet.

+1

I would go with a rug. Hang it on the wall or lay it on the floor. I went with a rug on my Mountain Lion for the following reason, I would see life size mounts that I didn't like at all but never saw a rug that didn't look great. I just didn't want to take the chance of ending up with a lifesize mount that I didn't like.

At the conventions , I can go by a Taxidermy booth and see a lifesize cat mount that looks fabulous and another one in the same booth that to me has a goofy look on its face.

Just my opinion

If you do not plan to shoot another leopard or if the leopard is huge, I'd recommend that you save for a FBM. If he is just a medium sized cat or you plan to hunt other leopards, you might go with the rug or a bust on a pedestal.

quote:

Originally posted by smarterthanu:

quote:

more durable

A lifesize mount will outlast and is much more durable than a rug.

Maybe, but not if you hang it on the wall so it won't be walked on.

What Safari Lawyer said!