I have a deer to mount and for some reason I cant figure this one out.The cape came off of a 155 class buck. I went to test fit the cape and found out that the neck is to small and the shoulders are to big. I have about an inch overlap in the neck but the cape is to small to fit all the way down on the shoulder.Even if i were to bring the brisket up alittle higer then I have even more skin on the neck to deal with. I have another form that will fit the nose and neck better but it has even bigger shoulders.What can I do to fix this.Also the nose on the form is alot smaller than it is on the cape.Can I just order a bigger nose and sand it down to match my form.thank you to all how reply.
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pre stretch your cape first? if the neck fits loose you should be able to pull any extra length into girth.
Bill I thinned my cape down as much as I can get it and stretched it out as much as I can.If I pull the hide down to make it fit the shoulders it puts the brisket to far down.
Did you pull the cape in the shoulder area forward on the top side of the mannikin? Align the brisket, then slide the top side of the cape forward, should give you the extra skin you need. The neck will shrink down the one inch, no problem.
What are the capes measurement and the forms? Whos form are you using? I have run into the same problem before. Shoulders are running bigger these days. You may have to shorten your form a few inches. Cut the back of your form off about 2 inches. Now check the back of your form with a straight edge. Rasp off any high spots. Areas around the brisket can be recontoured and reshaped with a rasp and sand paper. To make a new back board trace the back around a 1/2 inch piece of plywood. Use a jig or band saw to cut it out. Rough up and epoxy it to your form (I like to use Smooth-Out or Magic-Smooth). After epoxy has set file any rough areas down. I have had to do this on more than one occasion.
Good Luck
Dan
I suspect that your form is actually too small! If you get an undersized form, the neck will obviously be loose, but what is not so obvious to a newby is that now the shorter neck of the form will not accomidate the longer neck of the cape and the cape neck will be pushed toward the shoulder of the mannikin making it seem tight at the shoulders. That is because you're trying to get, basically, a neck to fit on a shoulder. True, makers like McKenzie makes some big shoulders I've notice. IF you are handy with modifications you can merely cut the head and neck away from the shoulders, cut the backboard away from the shoulders. Cut several (say 1/4 inch) slabs out from the shoulders and slap the pieces (minus the 1/4 inch slabs) back together with bondo. Then bondo the backboard back on and cut off the excess backboard. Bondo the neck back and reshape and smooth out that union. What you end up with is a mannikin with the same size neck and head with narrower shoulders. Don't try this if you are not confident in what you're doing and are not very familiar with anatomy. Now I'm guessing at what your delema is, but I'd have to see for my self to tell more accurately.
The problem I am having is the neck on the cape is alot longer than the form. The shoulders are to big for the cape.When i slide the cape over the form it slides on easy.Once I start to posistion everything i find that I can align the brisket area and the face.I just have to work really hard to get the top of the back over the shoulders.There is alot of extra skin from behind the ears to the top of the shoulders.Should i cut the neck and lengthen it a few inches? also the nose on the cape is alot bigger than the one on the form.can i just build it up with alittle clay before i mount it?THanks