When I took my elk cape in to be tanned for my mount, my taxidermist had a small bull just completed. I liked the mount--a slight sneak and turned to the right. So I had him order a similiar form. Stopped in last week and he had the rack on the form. With the slight turn it is past the base 2-3" on the right side. Curious to see how he deals with this problem. I was thinking that a wedge removed from the joint in the form, perhaps bringing the head down and straightening the turn somewhat.
Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks
Phil

I have a sign in my shop. 55. dollars an hour, if you help: 75. an hour. Its probably a McKenzie form. It is an common problem easy fix. Tell him he can contact me direct if he needs advise. No charge.

quote:

Originally posted by sculptor:
I have a sign in my shop. 55. dollars an hour, if you help: 75. an hour. Its probably a McKenzie form. It is an common problem easy fix. Tell him he can contact me direct if he needs advise. No charge.

Jim is right, he is trying to put a big bull on one of those Mckenzie forms, they have too much turn for a long main beam. Easy fix, but he should have used a different form.

I think turns make the bulls look best. He can easily shim the bull from the side and top. Don't let him cheat the antlers forward, lowering the brow tines onto the nose. That is not the way to do it.

If it is a McKenzie, then he should have ordered their off-set elk form, which I think is one of the best looking commercial forms on the market.

Stopped by this morning and checked out the progress on my mount---didn't try to help! Guess he has a plan.
Looks good, he says I can pick it up the end of the week. It is a McKenzie form.
I'll post a pic when I get it home.

Thanks
Phil

I've had the mount for several weeks, been deer season here and didn't get around to posting these pics.

He firred the back out with pcs of 2x4s. Horns clear the wall, but there is a gap that is visible from the side.
These pics were taken before help came to get it hung up on the wall



Bothered me abit at first, guess I've got used to it.
What do you think.



Phil

That is the Mckenzie Elk form we were talking about, that style was not made for a bull with long main beams, Not what I would have done. I wouldn't have excepted it, if it was me.

I agree with Jerry. I hesitate to respond. Sorry Phil in my opinion that mount is not up to professional taxidermy standards on several levels. The back, the ears, the nose, the lips, the eyes.. But, if you are happy and that is the best your taxidermist can produce then let it go and enjoy.

Very unprofessional remedy. It simply amazes me that someone could call that finished and have you pick it up. Very low personal and professional standards.

OK, you've heard from the pro's, now hear from another consumer. I am not going to speak to the quality of the detail work as I didn't (and wouldn't) pay that much attention to a couple of offhand pics. But the 3 pieces of wood that hold it out from the wall so the beams don't touch, the answer is not no but HELL NO. In my opinion show a complete lack of pride in his work to let some jerry rigged piece go out like that. Take a buddy with you when you go to complain so he can film the ass chewing, I would like to see it.

Thanks for your response.
I was much less than impressed with the firring to hold it out from the wall. I did mention Jim's offer to help but he went ahead with what you see. Still no one has come forward with the correct way to solve the problem. Anyhow the elk blends in, same fella did the caribou and ram in the pic, plus a couple bucks in the room. If I switched to a true artist now, I'd have to throw everything out and start over again.
There are several shops around here, say within 50 mi or so, from what I can see their skill level is about equal. Also have a couple bears that aren't anything to write home about.
I have this big room, need to hang something on the wall. Besides I have to show my wife I really do some hunting on these trips I take.
Seriously, he's not photogenic, was just up looking at him and the pics show worse than he really is, plus the wall color doesn't show true either. But a work of art he's not.
I'm probably to easy going. At this point I'll just take Jim's advise and go ahead and live with it.

Thanks
Phil

How about adding a driftwood/rock wall habitat behind him.It would fill your gap and look good.

Not sure what you mean by no one giving you the correct way?The wrong form was used to start and was mentioned,or the existing had to be changed by cutting apart and modification.This is standard stuff for a pro,and was easy to accomplish.

There in always lays the problem;a true pro doesn't cost that much more and is often the same price as a haxidermist.Nothing worse than a hard won trophy being poorly mounted for lack of research in where to go.

Sorry this isn't what you wanted to hear or for you to have on the wall.

Look at this;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuRk6mtrx2A

quote:

I'm probably to easy going. At this point I'll just take Jim's advise and go ahead and live with it.

Regardless Phil, congrats on a great bull, none of this should spoil the memory or bragging rights, just another chapter to the story.

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:

quote:

I'm probably to easy going. At this point I'll just take Jim's advise and go ahead and live with it.

Regardless Phil, congrats on a great bull, none of this should spoil the memory or bragging rights, just another chapter to the story.

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Huffaker:

quote:

Originally posted by 505 gibbs:

quote:

I'm probably to easy going. At this point I'll just take Jim's advise and go ahead and live with it.

Regardless Phil, congrats on a great bull, none of this should spoil the memory or bragging rights, just another chapter to the story.

x2

Looks like he tried to get by cheap on his taxidermy.

Also looks like he got what he deserved. I would not blame the "taxidermist" 100%.

quote:

Originally posted by SG Olds:
Looks like he tried to get by cheap on his taxidermy.

Also looks like he got what he deserved. I would not blame the "taxidermist" 100%.

Just how did you jump to that conclusion, price was never discussed in any of these posts. Or did you just feel the need to take a cheap shot at someone.
I paid the man's asking price, $650.00. Which I have learned since is more or less right for an elk shoulder mount in this area.

Phil

I have to concur. There was a better way your Taxidermist could have gone, and maybe he'll learn more as he goes on. If you get your Taxidermist to read this, one way to get past the piss poor design of these particular head forms, would be to add a couple of layers of ¾-inch plywood cut to the shape of the base of the shoulders, each one progressively larger than the one before it, allowing it to slightly feather out some. The edges are then filed and sanded to a somewhat smooth finish, then given a couple of coats of orange shellac to seal the wood against moisture. There you have it! To this you attach your hanger, set so the head will hang straight and true, and antler clearance should no longer be a problem! Hopefully, your Taxidermist can learn from this. Good luck to you both!

John.

Well, I know I'm far from being politically correct, but I gotta say it: For $650, you got exactly what you paid for.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
Well, I know I'm far from being politically correct, but I gotta say it: For $650, you got exactly what you paid for.

Something to consider, posts like this tell potential customers exactly what they can expect from you.

LOL My customers don't need to be told what to expect. They come to me because they already KNOW what to expect. After 50 years, you don't go recruiting customers, your old customers recruit for you.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
Well, I know I'm far from being politically correct, but I gotta say it: For $650, you got exactly what you paid for.

I started this thread to get some help with a problem not price shop or roast my Taxidermist.
I gotta agree with you and I can live with the mount the way it is or may try a rock or tree branch accessory that was suggested.
If I should be fortuate enough to get another bull better than this one--I'm gonna try--I'll probably have the same fella do the mount. he's only about 20 min away. Now I know enough to steer him away from the McKenzie form, would one of you gentlemen or lady be kind enough to tell me the proper from to use. I'd appreciate it.
Last fall I was kickin' around several hunts that were available at that time. Some of his pricing that I remember was the $650.00 for the elk, $1000.00 for a moose shoulder mount, $400.00 per ft for a full bear mount including the stand, $375.00 for a deer shoulder mount. Got a coyote while deer hunting here, that would of been $600.00 for a full mount--passed on that. This pricing has to be competitive for the area. He seems to live pretty good, nice house and studio.
I would be interested in seeing some pics of those $1200.00 elk mounts you were talking ahout.

Thanks
Phil

Phil- In my previous post I gave you the correct form to use. The McKenzie off-set, or you could go with the McKenzie antler clearance. I like the off-set best because I do not like the look of a bull with his nose lowered too far. Any form can be altered to accomodate the antlers. In fact, the form your taxidermist used can easily be altered to off-set and allow for antler clearance. It appears that he just is not interested in producing "quality" work.

Just know that if your taxidermist is cutting corners on properly altering a form, what else is he cutting corners on? Not talking about appearance, because it hangs in your house--not mine. I am talking about the longevity of the mount. What kind of hide-paste is he using, if any? Did he do anything to those ears, or will they fall apart in a few years? Was the cape tanned or was it just "preserved until it dried"?

Now, I have seen $1,200 elk that looked like they were not worth $500 and I have seen $500 mounts that looked like they were worth $1,000. Money isn't always the qualifier. Take some time in the next 8 months before the hunts and drop by taxidermists' shops and look at their quality. Ask questions. If they are 30 minutes farther down the road and $100-200 more expensive, but they do quality work then I think that is worth it.

I guess what I don't understand in the situation is,why are you so locked in to someone "close"?

Its not worth driving an hour to deliver a trophy to someone who has the appropriate skills?

If YOU have to tell HIM what form to use,why not have a proper job done?

It won't cost any more than a couple hours and a few gallons of gas.

So you don't what one good mount,just a bunch of poor one's,cause they all match and are not well done?

Good luck,

Dinsdale

philny1, I for one think it's commendable that you'r sticking with the guy. I just hope he's on the upgrade of the learnng curve. There's NOTHING wrong with the McKenzie form, it's either the choice of forms or the taxidermists lack of understanding how the form has to be modified in order to fit.

And before we laugh too long at the "spacers", any of you who've been to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation headquarters have seen some animals mounted on BOXES that set against the wall in order to get antler clearance. This guy was just saving money on furniture. If that one block did the job, he oculd have mounted it on a 1 inch thick walnut or oak plaque and taken care of the same problem but in a more porfessional way.

Phil, your taxidermist can not afford to produce a decent job or afford learn new skills for the prices he charges if he were in any area of the country. His wife must work or he has a retirement or pension he draws from. He lost money on that mount and he did a VERY poor job for you; honestly, one of the worst I have ever seen from a modern professional studio. He tanned that cape himself and the job was over his skill level for a elk and he slapped it together as fast and as cheap as he could do it. He had no choice because he was trying to break even on it. Your taxidermist did you zero favors. Do yourself and your valuable trophies a favor and learn what excellent taxidermy looks like and then expect the best. Here is the web site of Frank J. Zitz, one of New Yorks and the countrys finest taxidermists. I suggest a visit to his shop by you. I still realize the bottom line is that you are happy with the mount and your taxidermist. http://www.taxidermymuseum.com/ Remember you asked for honest opinions.