This is a set of sheds that my son in law and I found in Oklahoma. I decided to make this my first deer mount. I need some experienced eyes to let me know what I need to work on. Let me know what you think?
http://www.hunt101.com/showphoto.php?photo=420079&size=big&password=&sort=7&thecat=500
Thanks,
Hiram
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You can take this as as compliment, but I don't believe it's your first mount. Looks nice. To nice, good work if it is your first !
a Meder eyesrite?
I have to be honest with everyone, this is my first whitetail mount, but I did it at Central Texas School of Taxidermy, under the ever critical eye of Kelly Leifeste, I can tell you, if its not right, rip it out and redo it. Took the two week game head course offered there, it was great, learned a lot for a short course!
And no, it is not a Meder eyesrite form, it was done with a McKenzie form and a set of Joe Coombs eyes.
Looks real good, if this is your first mount then congrats! It looks like you got what you paid for from the schooling
There has been a rash of first mounts posted here lately, and they have been looking really good and not the typical quality of a home built deer, and now Hiram fes'es up and had a teacher. Hiram, your deer does look very nice for having a teacher standing over your shoulder. At least you are honest enough to tell us you had help building it.
I give credit to the go it alone guys that get brave to put up pictures of their first unassisted deer mounts that they have struggled through on their own. However, some should see a teacher for further training after they have cut their teeth at home. It's better to learn up front like Hiram did, than after doing a dozen mounts on your own with no improvement.
Even for having a teacher it looks good. Yeah that is A McKenzie Full Upright form. THe main thing that caught my eye was the antlers; that is a big buck, he has alot of appeal with those double drop tines. HAve you scored them looks like he would gross at least 160 (probaly more) with those drop tines. Good job keep it up.
There were also 18 people in the class. A lot of it was done using reference photos, and pure hands on. Upon inspection, you either got a looks good, or a rip it out and redo it again response. I am 51 years old and have been wanting to get into taxidermy for a long time now, and decided to learn it right the first time! And, Yes, it cost me too! I figure it saved me some years of aggrivation. I know some people have a natural ability for this, but I must admit,I am not one of these people.
I did score it a while back right after we found the sheds, if my memory is correct, it did score 163 and some change.
Thanks everyone for your comments!
Do you just want compliments, or do you want honest critiques?
It is a clean looking mount, but since you had an instructor over your shoulder, I will point out what needs addressed.. Let's start at the top and work our way down... The deer's left antler is much darker than it's right.. Ya need to even them up with some stain ( easy fix)... Next is just basic symmetry issues.. One eye is sligktly higher than the other.. One ear is set quite a bit higher than the other as well, but overall, it is way ahead of alot of other first deer out there.. Keep at it!
Artwildcreate,
That's exactly what I need, you pointed out what has bugged me since I got the carding off, and sitting back examining the mount. I do appreciate your input to my mistakes. After you get back away from it, it seems all of my mistakes jump out at me. Something I need to do while I'm in the mounting process, and will do from now on!
I'm in the middle of a bunch of projects around the house, next is finishing the shop, ordering my supplies and chemicals, and then I can take in some practice heads. I will post pics of the ones I do all by myself.
Thanks a bunch,
Hiram
Looks good for a first mount. I find it hard to believe that the instructor let you slide with the way the leg pits are lined up. The white pit hair does not belong over the front of the legs. That is typically the result of too large of a form or just bad possitioning. I also noticed that the eyes and the ears lack symetry. If it is a reproduction rack, then the staining was done bad with a lack of symetry. If it is real, then it's a judgment call. Even though it is not clear in the photo, the right side of the lipline looks ragged.
Hiram,
Here is some very important advice.. "Chase" your mounts! The second and third days are just as important, if not more, than the first day.. We psychologically invest into our work.. After several hours mounting, the symmetry differences are hard to see... You have to get away from the mount for awhile, and take a fresh look.. Get it mounted, mist it, then bag it overnight... Unbag it the next day, and take a good fresh look over everything... Even stand in front of it, close your eyes, and run your hands over it.. You can find flaws in symmetry this way as well.. Good Luck
It is not a reproduction antler set, this set of sheds was found in late march, early april this year, we nicknamed the buck "Heartattack". We found the sheds not 75 yards from a stand we have, and never saw him. We hope to see him this year, should he make it, hope he hasn't decined as he gets older.
Thank you everyone for pointing out my flaws, I will try to do better on the next one I do. And Thanks for all the advice given, your a great bunch!
Hiram