measuring full body mounts

[hideguy2006]

when measuring for a full body mount which is more accurate over the hair on carcass or on the bare carcass I seem to be ordering forms a little to small and trying to figure out why

[RTtaxidermy]

I take them off the tanned hide that seems to work best for me

[Keith]

The most accurate measurements are off the bare carcass. I suppose if you had an extremely fat animal with a lot of the fat clinging to the skin could be a variable. 

If your forms seem small but your carcass measurements match it, you skins may be letting out during the tanning, which is not a bad thing.  It makes detail work easier. 

Keith

[Matt]

I agree the carcass is your best bet, but on fatty critters like beaver, muskrat, coon, you have to take in account the fat layer. I think alot of guys skin it off with the skin. When I skin mine, I try and leave as much of that on the carcass as possible. It also makes for easier fleshing!

[Jim B]

Take the nose to eye before skinning and the rest after.Having said that,I don't have any trouble measuring over the hide usual.I just pull the tape tight on circumference measurements and if it is super long haired,I might knock of an inch or two.The truth is,some mannikins are longer than listed and some are bigger around.Some are both.Your measurements could be right on.You just have to do the best you can,try the skin and make adjustments where needed.

[gavinm95]

The carcass. You're measuring for the form, which will be under the skin, like the carcass.

[George Roof]

Careful Gavin. At your age, I know you think you already know everything, but this is one of those personal situations that you'll learn there are no specific rules.  The best advice here is what RT offered unless you're talking about things you dry preserve or small game.  I've taken meticulous measurements over the hide AND over the carcass only to get back a hide from the tannery that hadn't been neutralized properly.  Two inches can make a world of difference in length and girth if that happens.

Like Jim, I take the E-N and run a tape over the girth and lenght, but I keep it as "nice to have".  I NEVER order a lifesized big game form until I get the hide back from the tannery. If you're a guy like Ken Walker or Dennis Harris, you can lift up a hide and just start whacking on a manikin and it'll fit.  I'm NOT LIKE THOSE GUYS.  Most of you aren't either.  When you're doing big  game animals, the surest bet with the least effort is going to be taking the measurements from the tanned hide in your hands.

[Keith]

In rereading the answers to this post I should edit my first response.  The reality is I receive very few animals in the carcass.  Even many of the bobcats and coyotes are skinned out.  Anything larger than those, are just the skins. And if I know the pose  the client wants in those small lifesize that are still whole, I will pose the animal in that position and take the measurement.  The measurements will vary somewhat with the pose. 

But all I usually have are the tanned skins, from which to take measurements from.  I have a couple brown bears that measurements were taken off of.  It should be interesting to see what differences are in the tanned skins.

  Best of luck.

[Riverland]

My experience with measuring a carcass of a large mammal and then ordering the form there is generally plenty of leftover skin.

[TMALONE]

Large mammals I measure the tanned skin, coyote and smaller I measure before skinning.