Is there ever a time that you use a wild boar's actual teeth when you pepare a head/shoulder mount? Just curious. I find what y'all do to be very intriguing.

Whitworth,

While we do not do a large amount of wild boars, we do take in a very large amount of javelina, and from time to time someone will request the real teeth be placed in the mount. The upper and lower jaw are cleaned and used, not just the teeth. A sealant is put on the teeth to prevent cracking.

With the advanced taxidermy supplies available today, the artificial jawsets and teeth are anatomically and cosmetically accurate and are an easier and more affordable way to go with commercial mounts, as there is extra expense and time involved with using the original jawset.

Almost every one of our javelina and wild boar customers have their skulls cleaned and display them as a hunt trophy also.

Kind regards,
Mary

Whitworth, I agree with Mary. It is done on occasion. Most of the time when a taxidermist uses the real skull or jaws is for competition purposes to score brownie points with a judge! It's a lot of work and worth the hassle if done correctly. But not cost-efficient for your average customer.

So, a plastic "skull" is used, but how much size variation is there? Obviously it is not a one size fits all proposition....... Sorry, but I am intrigued -- and ignorant!

Forms are made out of 4# density polyurithane foam. Several different sizes are available from different supply companies. An eye to nose measurement is taken to give you the info on what size form to use. If there is not an exact size match (which happens more often than not) alterations are made on the form to fit the size of the skin.

Ryan, I disagree with you on your "brownie points" comment. If a competitor takes the time and energy to use the original jawset he has duly earned the right for a higher score than a competitor who puts a supply company premade jawset in.

Another alternative to using the real teeth or a plastic jawset is to make a simple mold of the original tusks and cast them in plastic. This would allow for an exact "copy" of the hunters tusks if the originals were not to be used in the mount. This would involve a bit more work but would be a good alternative to using the real tusks in a situation where they are abnormal/unique in size or shape.

Not exactly a boar but I think gives the idea;

Here is a baboon from Namibia,the yellow in his mouth was his last meal;






And the mount with a set of "fake" jaws;



These are Mohr jawsets;jawset is the trade name for using artificial jaws;they run about $85.Pig sets are $30 to $70.They are availible from elk to pigs,even cape buffalo teeth.

Best thing I've done since starting to have my animals mounted is to obtain a McKenzie taxidermy catalog.Gives the hunter a way to help understand the options and basis to discuss the mount you have in mind.Great source for ideas and terminology also.


Also makes you appreciate the skill and talent of taxidermists of bringing a pile of fur and some horns/antlers together to make a mount!

dan

Thanks for the responses, folks. I have just gained a little knowledge as to the work that goes into making a quality mount. It does take real talent.

Dan, that's some excellent work on your baboon.

I do everything I can to discourage a customer from using the real teeth. Because of the hollow never channel, eventually they all crack. Even the best epoxies and sealers will eventually fail if the tooth is stressed in any way (like bumping it). As Mary says, the anatomical accuracy of todays "plastic" mouth inserts and mouth cups is realistic beyond compare without the worry of long term effects. It also allows the hunter to have the European skull mounts for display along with the taxidermy piece to double his fun.

george;

I'll pass that along to my taxidermist;I sketched the design with the flared neck,but can't take credit for the mount!

Maybe some day;

My goal is to shoot it,skin it,and mount it...

So far so good on 1 and 2;but you should see the skinners in africa when I bring out my #10 blade scalples to cape a mounts skull.Can't believe someone would want to sit in the skinning shed and join in!

I feel it's part of the hunt...

dan

Mary, I wasn't using the term brownie points in bad taste. Anyone who takes the time to use real skulls and jaws correctly knows they are gonna have an edge over the competitor who uses a bought jawset. Same thing with carcass casting. If one guy mounts a coyote on a stock form with stock jawset and the other guy carcass casts it with the real jaws and they both do a phenomoenal job, you and I both know the guy with homemade parts is gonna get "brownie points". And rightfully so.

Not to disagree totally, but I've been to a bunch of competitions and I don't recall ever seeing that many that ever used the real teeth. I do know that guys like Ken Walker use "slip casting" and they make reproduction mouth sets of those real teeth. His World Championship piece of a ringtail cat and tarantula was all slip caste. Perhaps that gave him "brownie points". Eddie Johnson with his National Championship boar mount use a stock form and a stock Rick Carter mouthpiece. Using the real teeth can strip as many points as it might possibly gain. To recreate muscle and skin tissue anatomically correct would be so time consuming that it wouldn't seem very feasible to me.

I have a boar mounted, the Taxidermist use the real teeth, they are cracking like crazy. I put some clear epoxy on them to keep them from cracking further. My next hog will use a fake jaw set.