I finally took the leap and thought I would try my hand at an African critter to see what it would be like. The selection: Mountain Reedbuck. For a first time, I think the mount came out alright, but I know its probably got a lot of flaws in it. The hide was NOT friendly to work with, despite being tanned here in the states, and his bald spots don't really do much for him. However, I would like a few opinions on how it looks for a first mount of an African species from those of you who have many animals from the dark continent under your belts. Also any tips for finishing it after its dried:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/AMCTaxidermy/Taxidermy%20In-Progress/reedbuck1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/AMCTaxidermy/Taxidermy%20In-Progress/reedbuck2.jpg
Thanks!
-Adam
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I don't know any thing about doing african animals but I think it looks pretty good for a first time! The onlly thing that really stuck out to me was it looked like the top line of your ears wasn't symetrical. One ear looks open on the top more than the other. Could just be the angle of the pic. though. Good job in my opinion!
The right ear looks to be a bit out of line but over all looks fine. I would suggest using a good apoxie based hide paste and forget about all the pinning! :)
Looking at all that pinning impressed me as much as anything. African game hides have NO, zero, zilch for stretch and even with a good epoxie hide paste, I'd try to card that sucker down. I don't USE epoxy on African just because of that, however. The hide needs time to relax on the form. I mount them and card them overnight. I remove the cards, roll the hides with a small wallpaper roller, and recard for a day or two. This can be repeated more often to eliminate many of the wrinkles that DON'T appear naturally in African game. Many times African work has wrinkles only because the taxidermist was in too big a hurry to do it right rather than occurring naturally. It's also unabashedly self serving, but I'd suggest you buy a Taxi-Tuk tool from WASCO. On African work, this tool is a virtual must in forming eyepleasing wrinkles and folds in the skin of the bigger game animals.
i find that if you card with screen wire you will get much faster drying - looks very good
you know it's funny , because we do alot of African game very big african game , we do all our own tanning, and we get the stretch in the skin, but as George said , you havee to babysite the mount more, many , many tins, and use lock stiches all the time,and a good hide paste ,not dextrime.
From the photos you posted it is difficult to tell if ear positions are natural.The head looks disproportionatly large in relation to the neck and soulders.(refer to George).Probably camera angle.Overall you have done a very fine job. Don't fear dextrine, you can make a latex/dextrine based glue that "sticks like puke to a wool blanket" and will cure flexible.
I have never had a strech problem with African capes... well, except the one that was a replacement and I had nothing to do with it and it was like a piece of cardboard? :)
As far as using a roller, that always seem to sqeeze the hide paste away from where the roller was used! No wonder you had to card it!
With the use of epoxy hide paste, I "baby sit" the mount for an hour or two by pressing lightly... NEVER rolling... and things stay put when the paste kicks. No pins or card required.
To each his own and do what you have your best results with.
Thanks for all the tips and kind words everyone! I appreciate it. I used Epo-Grip waterbase as a hidepaste for the mount. I have a Blue Wildebeest to do next, so it shall be interesting. once again, thanks!
-A