I put up my Elk mount today, approximately 80lbs+, with those 200lb Ook no stud hooks. Has anyone had any experience with these or suggestions? Im scared to death that my $800 mount goes crush in the middle of the night....

FWIW...I used 4" lag bolts for my 2 biggest mounts (Eland, Kudu).

i usually make a metal plate with a hook on it and fasten it up with a couple of #10 screws, but i'm also fastening into 1" oak boards. if i'm in drywall I'd use a couple more screws into the studs

I have tried everything, but the best for me is tw0 4" bolts side by side into a stud behind the drywall.

I hung my Kudu, Sable, and Elk this way and they are doing fine. I usually place the screws at about a 15 to 20 degree angle up and it has served me well.

I answered the same post in the Taxidermy forum.

The drywall will only hold temporarily. It absolutely will creep and loosen over time under load.

I'd be thinking about a more permanent solution.

Quickly.

I used a 4" lag bolt into the stud to hang my eland. It has been on the wall for a few years now and no problems.

I usually read the old threads, such as How to Hang the Big Stuff? to see how to do it. -TONY

I too use 4" lag bolts into studs for everything which is probably overkill but I feel better with precious trophies.
John

The Lag bolts have served me very well but make sure you are into the stud or wood backing. I am putting OSB Board behind the finished wall in the new addition to my trophy room. I just don't trust drywall.

Hawkeye47

It is not the trophies so much as the children/granchildren/wife being gored. I hung a moose up in "my cave" w/8' ceiling for that very fear! Damn moose must weigh well over 100 lbs.

I have a large "great room" of sorts with 18'high ceilings w/huge empty walls where I will have reinforced wood installed for the upcoming African trophies as well as having all the windows "fixed" for UV, etc.

Damn hunt is only half the cost.

Dittos on all of the above stated concerns!

If you can't dead center a stud and still hang the mount where you want then move the mount or get a proper mounting plate constructed to span the gap and reach the studs.

An elk shoulder mount should be 16" wide so ther is a stud there somewhere. you can get a metal plate cut and bolted to the stud with a hook, bolt or other apiture sticking out in the proper spot to suspend the elk from that will be hidden behing the mount and in the desired place.

e-mail or call if you need a better discription.

Best Regards

Mike

Thanks for the replies. Fortunately, I found a stud and I entered a 3 1/2'' screw below the fur line in the back. It did make a hold in the mount board but it now has a 200lb hook and screw in the stud.

The info I can provide is that, think outside of the box. If you can shoot a screw in the backing of the fur, do it in a stud.