I shot a buck last week while in Manitoba. Full rut, swelled neck, the whole nine yards. When I measured the neck just below the throat patch, it was 33". Looking at the forms available, it doesn't seem that there are any available to fit. Am I wrong, and what should I tell the taxidermist?
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Boy that neck measurement sounds pretty big . Did you measure the deer over the hide . The correct way to get an accurate measurement would be to cape or skin the animal then measure flesh side of cape . Even better if you still have some of the neck attached to the head after skinning to take a measurement . If you are not a taxidermist I would take it to one and let them get the measurements as it will ultimately be his or her responslibility anyway to use them to to provide the correct material and insure that you get back a quality mount .
That measurement was over the hide. Sorry I didn't specify that in the first post. There was still a good portion of the neck left attached to the skull. Do you have a guess as to the neck dimension beneath the hide? Is there a rule of thumb for subtracting a certain percent from measurements taken over the hide?
You simply can't get an accurrate measurement the way you are approaching this . There is no "rule of thumb" for this . It has to be an exact measurement taken from the flesh side of the skin . I would take one right below the ears and 3-4 inches down from the ears (ON THE FLESH SIDE) or a rutting buck. You say there is still a good portion of the neck left ? Measure it and there is your bucks TRUE neck measurement .
After all, some of the big bruisers have hide that's 1/4 thick X Two. Or Half inch. After shaving, I've lost half inch. I always pull the tape taut. Now the 33inch measurement is probably taken incorrectly for a neck. This measurement is taken from the apex of the jawbone and the neck right up under the ears for one and then from the apex down from the skull protrusion 3 inches. Bet that neck suddenly becomes a 21 or 22.
Thanks for the replies. George is correct that the measurement was in the wrong location and I do like his way of thinking as far as the lost dimensions do to shaving are concerned.
got a Canadian whitetail in with an 28 inch neck. Now I know how to measure and I measured it three times. Dang it if I can't find a form that isn't bigger then 26 inches for the B measurement (1 inch down). That deer was 28 behind the ears. Can't even find a muley form big enough. Now what? LOL
Looks like its time for a saw and some foam. Thats how I do all my big necked brutes. Its easy, youll enjoy it. Wedge them, build them up, just customizing them is a blast. The end result is a great looking trophy.
I still dont get why guys dont just measure the meat, and just figure a bit extra for whats lost, as in DEAD. I know the original post was from someone not a taxidermist. Measuring OVER the hair is the same as just eyeing them, youll be close enough, but why guess? I suppose some will view my meat measurement plus a little as guessing too, though. Hey, happy foaming and altering on the bruisers!
So the way I measure is just "guessing", but your way is "adding to" something and you're not quite sure how much? Hmmmm. Now if I measure the skinned neck and I get 19 inches, how much do I add to get it to be the 20 inch deer I measured over the hair? But wait, I didn't KNOW it was 20 inches, did I? LMAO. Who's on first?
"I guess some will view my meat measurement plus a little as guessing too, though."
I guess we agree, then?
You guys will be on me for being you know what again, but one season I started checking the over-the-hair measurements against my normal carcass measurements. Without exception, over-the-hair numbers where high by three inches at the juncture, and by two inches on the measurement three inches down. (probably due to gathering on the first number where its tight) So, a hair measured buck of 21 x 24 was an 18 x 22 on the carcass. I know, I know, why would I do it? Well, guys wanna know, and students were doing both, so I needed answers...