When setting antlers I take 3 measurements, front corner to burr, front corner to antler tip and nose to antler tip. A lot of times I have to use mannikins with 1\2 shorter eye to nose because of post rut necks, will that throw off any of these measurements?
Return to Deer Taxidermy Category Menu
Jamie, simple answer, yes. The measurements you describe should be used as reference measurements to help get the antlers very close to the exact position they held in life but when you apply skin over a form and that skin dries down a bit the measurements won't be exact. I would not get too hung up on presice placement. One form will be a little shorter than the catalog may state and the next may be a bit longer. I think you would do better to concentrate on getting the antler burrs close enough to the rear corner of the eye and set the angle of the antlers using the skull cap as a guide. Good reference pictures can help too. Remember to test fit each cape for proper fit and if things feel tight in the area of the antler bases reposition the skull cap. Enjoy, Aaron H.