First mount: Whitetail Doe{Update with pics on page2}

[Keyda81]

I'm not looking for any critiques, I'm afraid I'm going to get horrible comments, lol.  I just wanted to post a few pictures of my very first mount, which is also the very first deer I shot.  She looks pretty darn good to me.  I know she isn't perfect, but I wasn't expecting that either.  She meets my expectations, and I think that's all that matters.  Feel free to give an opinion, but don't tear me a new one please!  I know the lighting is horrible, and the pictures are crappy.  I couldn't take her outside for pics, it's way too cold out! Lol.  I plan on making a little habitat to cover up the brisket area that was chopped up.  

[franchi612]

Congrats on your first deer, and great job getting your first mount done!

[Keyda81]

Thank you!  It was a lot of work, lol.  Took me about 7 hrs to get mounted.  I would have spent more time on her, but with my two year old daughter wearing my husband out, I kind of had to move it along.  She's still wet, so I'm sure I'll be making adjustments to her tomorrow.

[Matt]

Looks pretty good for your first, you are on your way! Hard to tell alot from the pics, but one thing that jumps out at me is the front on shot. The front part of your upper lids are alittle low. If you have some good reference, take a look at the eyes from a front on shot. Watch her as she dries and make the necessary adjustiments. Nice job!

[Keyda81]

Thank you!  I was giving a bit of shrinking room on the eyes, didn't want them to shrink too much and make her look bug eyed.  I will be keeping a good eye on her while she dries, and making adjustments.  The ears need a little bit more adjustment too, I just didn't want them to lose grip from the form while they were still wet.  Figure once they harden a bit I can move them a little. 

[BOWFISH]

It looks like the brisket was cut short

[CrabCrazy]

good job...post when its finished

[Keyda81]

It looks like the brisket was cut short

Yes it was.  I plan on putting some habitat in that area to cover it up.  I'm not even sure how it got that messed up.  Hubby gutted her for me, and I know he didn't make that much of a mess, I was standing right there, lol.  Must have happened when my buddy skinned the body out for me.  That's okay though, I was planning on doing some habitat in that area anyway.  I'll get more pics up when she's all done and dry. 

[PatrickM]

Looks better than my first! (I know that's a cliche!) Thought you would find this recent post from michael p on here very helpful for finishing the brisket area. Keep it up. http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,293118.0.html

[Kevin Jaramillo]

Right on ,keep it up

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[Keyda81]

Thank you!  I did see that tutorial that Michael P did, looks really good.  I might try that someday.  But for mine I'm thinking of going with some wood, like tree branches, and some late autumn leaves, a bit of fake snow.  Going to try and recreate the surroundings from where I shot her.  She means a lot to me, since it took me 7 yrs to finally get a deer, lol.  Mind you I hunted opening weekend every year, and that was about it.  Got too darn cold out for me after that!  This past season I bundled up big time, and went out for the last weekend.  It was below twenty degrees that morning, but I stuck it out for a few hours, and there she was!  I appreciate all the nice comments!

[phoenix-cry]

for your first mount is is good!  Deer are not easy!

[3bears]

Sew that brisket up, it might be all there, take your time and line it up the best you can, and then if it doesn't look good worry about habitat. Every thing else looks pretty good for your first. In the front on pic, the eyelashes look to be the wrong angle. Tip them down. It looks like you have too much bottom lip showing, tuck it some more, it shouldn't be wider than nose typically. Do these things and watch it as it dryes and it should look good when you are done. 3bears

[Keyda81]

Sew that brisket up, it might be all there, take your time and line it up the best you can, and then if it doesn't look good worry about habitat. Every thing else looks pretty good for your first. In the front on pic, the eyelashes look to be the wrong angle. Tip them down. It looks like you have too much bottom lip showing, tuck it some more, it shouldn't be wider than nose typically. Do these things and watch it as it dryes and it should look good when you are done. 3bears

The brisket is not all there, lol.  I've been concentrating on the eyes as she dries, readjusting and checking them constantly.  The pic really looks crappy, I have the lashes angled downward.  I looked at a lot of other people's first deer, and read all the critiques on the eyes, so I took all that into consideration.  As for the bottom lip, there isn't much there to tuck.  My fault when I was turning and shaving them, put quite a few little holes in there.  I don't want to pull it any tighter, afraid they are going to tear.  But I will see if I can get them in there a bit more!  Now I just wish she'd hurry up and dry, lol.  Thanks for all the comments, I will keep adjusting as she dries. 

[yoder519]

im a newby but for a first i think it looks good! my first deer i mount will be a doe also. she was a wooly booger. hair on her head and neck was about 2.5in long! rest of her body was normal. which form did you use? also, when you made the cut to remove the skull, did you cut down the neck or across? keep up the good work! I love to see someone say that it took x amount of years to finally kill a deer, or " I aint killed a deer in 4 years, maybe ill get one next next year" That's what huntin is all about. My Dad always told me, its called huntin not killin.