Ok Im getting rdy to try my first deer I have 2 to work on.
Anywho a few questions my measurements were taken when I got the deer but have been taken care of thanks to a 2 year old at my desk.
I measured again and got a eye ta nose 7 neck behind ears 15.5.
Most forms Ive looked at are larger than 15.5 with the 7 e2n.
Will the cape stretch to more than what I got I did try and stretch it b4 measureing but could be off still.
Next do you suggest earliners or bondo to beginners.
Anything else anyone wants ta throw in that I need to watch for let me know. Thanks and take care , Andrew
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I KNOW there are forms out there to fit a 15 1/2" neck. Eye to nose sounds longer than what is usually offered in that neck size, but you can still mount the deer if you could get a 6 1/2 or 3/4" face measurement. If this is your first deer (or any deer), you will find out stretching that cape any larger around the neck than what it should be will only cause you troubles...Trust me! You can always alter that muzzle to be longer if you need to. Look at McKenzie or Joe Coombs forms. I am sure there are others out there, but they are the ones I am familiar with.
As far as "Bondo" vs. earliners is all a matter of opinion. I would suggest (and this is my opinion) to go right into earliners. I think they form a better looking ear and are not hard to use at all.
Good luck and have fun with it!
That was also a question I was going to ask if I could drop down to a smaller e2n length. Just forgot to ask. Thanks so much.
You may also be able to push the neck to 16"....but don't do any more than that! A 6 3/4" eye/nose will not need altering. Have a good one!
By going to the smaller eye to nose measurements and stretching the muzzel out will only give you more problems, like the face will be too narrow, the lower jaw line will be off and the lip line will be too short. Order the eye to nose in which you neeed with the smallest neck that is close to what you need. Rasp the form down in the neck by only taking from the back of the neck and down the sides of the atlas, never remove from the front. The object is to keep your anatomy of the deer as correct as possible. Keep test fitting your skin on the form and rasp where you need to. One main key to remember in taxidermy is you make the form fit the skin not make the skin fit the form. If you don't care about the quality of your mount you can use the smaller eye to nose, I know that once you do your first deer, you will be hooked. I have won several awards and best of catagories with white tail deer, and everyone of them has had the neck on the form rasped down to fit the skin. Good luck and don't be afraid to try it, I know the old school way sounds easier, but making natural looking mounts is the key to beeing a sucessful taxidermist.
You didn't specify whether this cape was tanned or not. If it is, did you rehydrate and sweat before attempting to stretch? This step in itself may bring out far bigger measurements. Jeff F.
Jeff yes the cape is tanned rehydrated it and stretched it after I let it sweat. Layed the cape out stretched it and had 15.5 inches on neck behind ears. Just wasnt sure if I could go upto 16 inch or not.
Mike thanks for the input and yes I want the best quality mounts I can do. Taking a form down is fine maybe I will remeasure the cape to be 100% how tight should I stretch the cape? Maybe I didnt pull far enough? Im sure I will be back to ask more LOL next time I will tell my sister shoot a bigger buck =)
If you are skeptical about making alterations you can get a change out head with a 7" eye to nose from Research Mannikins. Also a 6 3/4 eye to nose will accomidate you 7" E to N on your cap. That's why it's called "Taxidermy"...Taxi- "to move"/ Dermy (dermis)-"skin". Move Skin!