Going to do my first bobcat lifesize soon. I realize there is no best form to use but would like some opinions on the easiest form to use with a dorsal cut. I would guess it's the form with the straightest legs or just standing straight up. Am I right?
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Standing up walking is perhaps the easiest (if there is such a thing as "easy" on a bobcat..lol)
Sheila
Brandon Wildlife Studio
The walking or standing pose is your best option for easy mounting. I love to mount Bob cats. I have one in the freezer that was pushing 30lbs. Its a customers but I will doing that cat for the NY show this year. It will be my first time at competeing. Take a good look at the Bob cat forms from Research they carry Bill Lancaster's forms they are very nice. Jack F
The forms from ozark woods (divide and conquer series) are the easiest to mount on. they come in peices that you mount and then assemble after the skin is on. i have used them and they are very easy.
Yes the walking pose would be your easiest pose, but another thing to consider is what suplier your going to purchase it from...I`ve worked with just about every bobcat manikin out there except for a handfull. I`ve mounted over 200 cats in the last 4 to 5 years and,here is my take on the best manikins avaliable...
Research has some great poses but there are few problems with their manikins...the junction between the lower point of the nose and the lipline is to long...basically the nose is to high...several of their manikins have the eye sockets way too deep...Now a experience taxidermists can fix these things without much trouble but for the beginner like in this case it could be a real chore...so I`m not dogging these companies, I`m just telling him what to watch out for...
McKenzies has the most accurate manikins on the market as far as the head go..You might want to consider a research manikin with a McKenzie "change out head" if your really stuck on a Research pose..
WASCO--I haven`t mounted any of Tab Hintons manikins but Have done several of Jan`s...Jan`s manikins aren`t for the beginner in my opinion...You`ll have to do alot of work on the eye sockets and nose area...as stated above I`m not dogging her---I`m just saying this for a beginners sake...Jan`s manikins give me what I need as far as the pose is concerned but alot of work has to be done on the facial details...once again for a seasoned taxidermists this isn`t no big deal but for the beginner it could create a bad experience real quick...
Wiz---feel free to e-mail if you have a question about a certain manikin...I`ve handled alot of them and can tell ya things to watch out for and fix on several of the poses that are out there...Good luck