I've done about 7 elk heads over the past several years, all taken from around Rifle, Colorado, using McKenzie forms, and have often found that the chin skin at the front of the lower jaw was loose and required substantial build up of the form or fill when the lips were properly tucked in place and when the form otherwise appears to be sized correctly. I've just started another elk, and got to wondering if those who do lots of elk commonly encounter this situation. I was just wondering if it may be function of the McKenzie forms or maybe elk from that area just have big chins! It's not a problem to build up the form, and the chins don't look out of proportion on the finished mount. So I'm just curious about others' experience on this topic.
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I would be very careful about changing features on a form unless I had good reference to back it up.Skins don't always reflect the exact shape of an animal.I trust Denny Behn's measrements and sculptng.He's from Colorado and I suspect those forms are sculpted largely from colorado elk measurements.The chins on many ungulates "let out" after shaving,as some other parts of skins do,leaving you with more skin than you need.This happens on a smaller scale with goats,sheep etc..The elk is just bigger and it's more apparent.The trick is to taxi the skin to fit the form's chin.It's not that hard to do.You just can't take everything a skin tells you literally.You have to also use reference to verify things.If the reference clearly shows that a form has too small a chin,I say go for it.Taxidermy sculptos aren't infallible either,but I know Denny and his background and don't often change anything on his forms.
I see it here every day and I just want to shout it out. TAXIdermy means what it says. Too often people tell me that so-and-so doesn't have correct forms and I have to laugh. At one time this skin of mine covered a 155 pound 21 year old. Now it covers a 260 pound old fat man. I know the analogy is flawed but again, if you trust the sculptor and the form looks clean, the measurements are correct, then why not TAXI the skin. The mental picture of adding to one of Denny's form chins paints an elk with a wad of snuff in its lip. LOL
When you cape out an elk or deer try putting the skin back over the skinned out head. You have loose skin! Listen to the advise and just taxi the skin to where it needs to be. I have mounted a lot of elk on Dennis Behn's forms and they always mount up great.
You have to look at every one before you skin it.
You will notice that several have what looks like a crease in the middle of the chin starting just below the mouth & going straight back through the chin.
alot of times even the hair patterns will show this also.
You can make this crease using clay or Thick hide past.
Use your lip tool & push the skin in the crease & gently push the two sides together & you will notice that the hair patterns around the mouth will be easier to align.
Every time I get one of these in my guy that works for me puts it down on the work sheet as a Butt Chin.
Look at the animal before you skin it & a whole world of knowledge will come to you.
Thanks for all the excellent input. I think RJ's input may best fit the individual elk on which I've encountered this problem most significantly, but I'll definately take to heart trusting the McKenzie forms (which have been my favorites for just about all the mammals for many years). As many have said before me, the individuals that participate on this site are really incredibly helpful; what a fantastic resource. Thanks again.