I picked up my pedistal black buck mount from the taxi a few days ago and realized when I got home the horns are much closer together that what they were originally. The horns actually flare out at the ends and the tip to tip spread is only 7 1/2 inches, but they should be 10"-12". The only explanation I can come up with is after the horn caps were removed the cores were cut and possibly sanded and the horn caps fit loosely, so when he bondoed them back on he adjusted the spread too close together. I can't imagine him needing to split the skull for any reason.
My question for you taxidermists is, would this be something that is easily corrected or fixed, or what would it envolve.
Most people who have never seen a black buck wouldn't have a clue, but every time I look at it, it just doesn't look natural. Part of the beauty of the black buck horns it the \/ shape they have. Mine look more like this || .
I'll be seeing the taxidermist in a week or so because he did a Corsican for me that I looked at when I picked up my black buck and it looks good. He's in WI, but he has done plenty of African and exotic heads, so I'd be interested to hear what was done.
Thanks for any professional information you can provide.
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My guess would be that he broke the skull cap when he screwed the horns onto the form then just decided not to fix it.You would have to rehydrate the incision,top of the head and cut the stitches out and remove the skull cap to see what the damage is then repair.
I would ask him about it first and see if he is willing to make it right for you.
before and after photos? Could it be that your spread has gotten larger with your story. Im not insuating, I see it occasionally with some folks and their fish and deer necks. The story seems to get bigger with each time its told. LOL.
Talk with your taxidermist if there is a mistake most times it can be corrected, quickly and easily.
the narrow measurement of the spread would have come from overtorquing the screws when fastening the skull plate to the form. As the screws are tightened it compresses the center of the skull plate downward causing the horn tips to "close-in" towards one another. The problem is very common and correctable. When a skull plate has been soaked for some time it can become somewhat pliable, thus allowing it to flex without breaking. The cape incision will have to be soaked and opened enough to remove the skull plate and re-set it. By placing a block under the center of the skull plate and placing screws on the outside edges the skull plate can be reshaped and thus putting the horns back to their original spread.
Hope this helps.
How long the horns were, its hard to imagine "torque screwing " pulling the tips together 3to 5 inches.
l think you need to talk to the guy and see if he didnt switch scull caps off another black buck, or even use something else with the cores cut right down.
l can only speculate this if you had a full scull, and he didnt.
You should be able to correct this, although it might mean taking the horns and capoff, and giving them a light simmer to soften and twist back off.