9" (neck) mountain reedbuck : UPDATED

22 April 2010, 15:18

Fellas and gals

Any help appreciated...we are struggling to find a mannekin for my old ram that doesn't have the larger / usual size (12") neck.

Besides Van Dyk, Mackenzie and the usual suspects might there be another source or solution?

Thanx

Barry

22 April 2010, 16:23

Grafton

Any trophy photos? Something does not sound right. Is the cape fully rehydrated and stretched? You can alter a form to fit it but a mt. reedbuck with an oribi sized neck would look a little odd.

22 April 2010, 18:01

BNagel

Mine (#1)

Mine (#2)

Hers (similarly sized -- another old guy.

Grafton, yes to your ?'s I think he wants to avoid the cost of re-shaping. I wondered if a vaal rhebok or some female mannekin would work.

Barry

22 April 2010, 18:34

Jerry Huffaker

I don't understand the "cost" of reshaping, he should be able to alter that form faster than he could read this thread. Neck sizing is a very basic skill that takes no time at all and zero cost.

22 April 2010, 22:30

BNagel

10-4, Jerry. He does a lot of volume and I'm sure it will work out fine (again). A pre-shaped mannequin would save a bit of time is all.

23 April 2010, 01:41

madabula

He'll very likely have to reshape something!

Using a differnt species to get an accurate neck size will net a very inaccurate head or some part there of!

I can't imagine doing volume without running into a good number of specimens that "should" be put on none standard forms.

Best regards
Mike Ohlmann
Mike's Custom Taxidermy Inc.
4102 Cane Run Rd.
Louisville KY 40216
502-448-1309
Mike@mikescustomtaxidermy.com
www.mikescustomtaxidermy.com

23 April 2010, 05:22

BNagel

He had a thin-necked bushbuck drying the other day. Like I said, it will get done one way or another. I appreciate the concern...

14 May 2010, 17:57

BNagel

Well, crud! No luck finding a mannekin ANYWHERE. B&B Taxidermy shows a full-mount mountain reedbuck with a Vaal rhebock-thin neck so somebody figured it out sometime before.

http://www.bbtaxidermy.com/african/index.htm Photo #37 in "African" page.

For now it is a do-it-yourself shield mount. And, yes, Grafton, I had already built up the pedicels with and filled in the holes.

22 July 2010, 05:07

BNagel

Went to B&B today, on the way to Bobby Pitchford's for a rebarrel. Dad-in-law couldn't get a .257 Wby to shoot and had a Lilja barrel in 7mm. He is gone now and I have responsibility for the guns and reloading stuff. Inheritance $$ will help do the mount right. Jo said ; " We modify mannikins every day of the week."

They can even do my bushbuck horns, selling me the cape -- not interested in my Cape kudu cape. Oh, well...

23 July 2010, 04:50

L. David Keith

BNagel, those Mt Reedbuck do not appear to have 9" necks, in fact, they are both nice, mature rams. Something odd to me, especially now that you mention a skinny necked Bushbuck. Are these capes being home tanned?
LDK

23 July 2010, 07:22

BNagel

Dry tanned by South Texas Fur Dressers.

23 July 2010, 08:00

L. David Keith

try using a wet tanned cape in the future. I find they have better stretch. This can depend on the tannery, but there are several that excell at wet tanning.

23 July 2010, 18:47

Grafton

This question was never answered. Has the cape been rehydrated, stretched and measured?

Measuring a the dry tanned cape will always give you a wrong measurement, way too small. The cape needs to be rehydrated and stretched.

23 July 2010, 20:59

BNagel

quote:
Originally posted by Grafton:
This question was never answered. Has the cape been rehydrated, stretched and measured?

Measuring a the dry tanned cape will always give you a wrong measurement, way too small. The cape needs to be rehydrated and stretched.

All I did was keep it in the freezer. I'm sure B&B will take care of me. If you didn't live so far away, Grafton, dang I'd be poor. I love your work.

23 July 2010, 22:42

Grafton

Thanks. That is nice of you to say. You should be fine if you just measured the dry tanned capes. You will get several more inches in width when the capes have been soaked and stretched.

23 February 2011, 03:49

BNagel

Tape says 15" now. Thanks Mike Baird/B&B Taxidermy! The old man is up.

23 February 2011, 06:03

Grafton

congrats!