I just mounted a whitetail with an open mouth and the cape ended up being about 5" to short at the bottom of the leg brisket area. I would have taken the cape off but with all the open mouth work it is to late. The form is positioned so that the neck is almost straight up so if cut the form to shorten it it will look really bad. I was thinking of cutting it like a pedistal mount but with more of a drastic curve. Opinions?
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Don:after all of that work get another cape and start over ,if not then try using grass and trees and make it look like it is coming out of the bush. But I would start it all over.
Don, Many of the lessons in life I have learned in this way---the hard way. Next time I know you will test fit before investing the work to avoid this happening again. 5" too short is a lot. After you mount more deer a shortage that great will be obvious to you way before test fitting time comes. For future-a too short cape can sometimes be mounted fine using a form with a bit smaller neck. Since the cape doesn't have to "open up" as much to go around the neck it can stretch in length a little more. Still, 5" is a lot and the best thing for that kind of shortage is another cape. Look at it this way, see how much you learned from this experience and sharing it here on the T-net might just have saved someone else from doing the same thing. Enjoy, Aaron H.
But I knew I did it the minute I got done prepping it for the tannery. I found a form from Van Dykes that was for deer of less swell and I ended up with a 1/2 inch in one armpit to bring around and staple. The rest was good. Close one but the customer loved it! 5" is quite a bit to be off but I always adjust and pin my cape before any detailing begins. Hope you find the solution that will work for you. I like the pedestal grass idea. Good Luck! Jeff F.
To all that posted, thanks. Aaron, you hit the nail right on the head. It was some what because the neck was two big but it would have stretched if the butcher who processed the deer didn't cut it all the way down the neck/back. I tried to get the customer who happens to be a friend to purchase a different cape from the get go because when I first got the cape to skin out it smelled like hamburger that went bad. It was a brusier with all kinds of scars on the neck and missing half an ear. But he wanted it mounted because the deer came with a funny opening day story (sentimental value I guess).