This mount has been in my wife's family for many years and now it belongs to me! It's seen much better days as you can see and I'd like a little advice on how I can go about restoring it without spending a fortune. One option I'm considering is to just seperate the antlers and display them alone. Is it possible to change this to a European mount?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Options include:

1. remounting as a shoulder mount with a new elk cape.

2. Antler mount on a shield (skull cap covered with leather etc..)

3. Euro mount on a shield using full (reproduction) skull.

4. Clean it up, repaint, restore as is. It will still look rough.

you could always try and buy an elk mount from an auction of some type or online, and theyn have a taxidermist put the horns on by pegging them, new body, pennies on the dollar for an already mounted elk...best option.

I'd have it measured for it's B+C score. Looks like a good one.

personally, i'd get a new cape and form. it's the more expensive route, but with the work of some of the guys and gals on here, the result would be spectacular and last a long time.

I agree with 724wd, take it to a quality taxidermist, have him buy a good cape and remount the bull. It looks like a good one.

I'd be careful before putting it near any other mounts in its current state, it's probably crawling with bugs.

What Grafton said. There are plenty of capes out there for sale. The reproduction skulls make excellent European mounts. A good taxidermist can help you with any of this.

Toss the old mount and save the horns - it is horrible.

i just want to say... that looks like a fantastic bull! it deserves to be restored to it's full glory.

for me there is a 90% of probability that there are the full skull under the hide

Slug, I am very possibly going on a cow elk hunt in AZ next year. If I do, and a cow hide can be used on that old bull (can it, knowledgable taxidermy folks?), it's yours.

If I were you, Slug.........I'd convert it to a nice European mount, provided the skull is still inside as someone mentioned above. If not, just mount that beautiful rack on a fine piece of wood and leather.

I think it would be a chip shot for a taxi to find another bull elk cape to remount it.....and make it a shoulder mount if you go that route.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:
Slug, I am very possibly going on a cow elk hunt in AZ next year. If I do, and a cow hide can be used on that old bull (can it, knowledgable taxidermy folks?), it's yours.

NO, a cow cape cannot be used for a bull shoulder mount.

There is a skull under there but it's in very bad shape too. For many years this mount was played with by kids and then left to decay for many more years. I definitely won't bring this into the house as I suspect it may be infested as someone mentioned.

The antlers are really the only thing worth saving. Would it be safe to just use a Skil saw to cut the skull plate around the antlers to free them?

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Huffaker:

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:
Slug, I am very possibly going on a cow elk hunt in AZ next year. If I do, and a cow hide can be used on that old bull (can it, knowledgable taxidermy folks?), it's yours.

NO, a cow cape cannot be used for a bull shoulder mount.

OKAY (I'm yelling back at you)!



Thanks.

Its not that nice a bull, save your money and go shoot one of your own to mount.

quote:

Originally posted by wyoske:
Its not that nice a bull, save your money and go shoot one of your own to mount.

I think it's a pretty nice 6x6 and it's an heirloom so I'm probably going to have it redone as a European mount with an artificial skull.

KG, thanks for the offer, I would have thought that would work too.

Hey, post a picture when it's done. Maybe with an original picture.

For my own $.02, spend the nickels and get it shoulder mounted again. That is a heck of a bull!

Unique looking antlers and a family heirloom. I vote shoulder mount with a new cape! No doubt about it.