A few years ago I was down in Texas collecting whitetail reference and we came across a very interesting deer. He had a decent sized body, big neck, big head and a very nice set of antlers. They figured him to be in the 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 year range. For overall fit, I would have guessed a 7 1/4 x 23 inch form, or maybe even larger. On today’s mannikin choices I might have picked a 69-7123 size form. There was only one problem–this deer’s eye to nose only measured 6 1/2 inches! The head on the form would have been a full 3/4 of an inch too long, even though everything else would work great. A 6 1/2 inch form would be WAY too small, and a 6 1/2 inch changeout head would be too small as well, particularly in the width between the eyes. This guy was a big, mature deer; all we would really need here would be a shorter face on the 7 1/4″ form.
How To: Lengthen a Deer Head
Of the six head alterations that I have claimed taxidermists can’t live without, perhaps lengthening a head, number five in our series, is the most valuable. At least it’s the one you are apt to use most often. As I have mentioned, there are many combinations of form sizes in the world of whitetail taxidermy, but even at that, lengthening a head and alteration number six, shortening a head, can come in handy when trying to match the innumerable size variations in nature. And when you consider all the other species of game that don’t have all the commercial size options, this alteration can be gold. And like all the other alterations that I have shown so far, they don’t take a lot of time but can make a HUGE difference in the fit of the skin.
How To: Narrow a Deer Head
Let’s say you try on a skin and it fits fine, but you realize the skin is very snug on the head and getting the tear ducts and eyes into place will be a real challenge. And drumming seems inevitable. What to do…
Well, you can help the fit dramatically in this situation by simply narrowing the head; it’s amazing how well a skin can fit with just the removal of 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch of material from between the eyes. If you’ve been keeping track, this is number four in my series of six head alterations that I said I was convinced you couldn’t live without (if you missed the first three, check them out under the “Taxidermy” category).
Photography- Yellowstone in the Spring, Close up and Personal
Yellowstone is a great spot for photography in either the spring or the fall. Since there is not much going on for antlers in the spring, it’s a great time for bears or wolves. Now I must admit I have not had much luck on close-up bears or wolves. I have seen both, just not within good photo range. Little did I know what lay in store for us as we headed for the Park this last month, the close-up grizzly category… was about to change!
How to: Widen a Deer Head
This is number three in a series of six head alterations that I said I felt no taxidermist can live without. I say this merely because in the world of everyday taxidermy you will, at some time, benefit dramatically by knowing how to accomplish these alterations. It may not be an everyday thing, but there will come a time. So this one is all about making a head wider than the original.
The Method To My Madness
Today’s skilled taxidermists have a slightly different mounting process than in days of old. Modern foam forms with their pre-sculpted details have somewhat negated the need for the average taxidermist to know anatomy in the same way as when paper forms were prevalent. I made some effort to show this in an earlier post called “From Old to New” (see the Taxidermy category on this blog).
But let me say this. The process today is just different, it does not take any less skill or ability, only slightly different skill and ability.
You Have To Be There
I was dying to get over to a nearby lake to see if any new birds had moved in. It was a bit early for any serious migration, but you never know. Days passed, but I just couldn’t seem to get there. Then we got a big spring snowstorm. Regardless, I made the decision to head that way after an early Saturday meeting at my church. It was pretty late in the morning by the time I arrived at the lake, and a mere 22 degrees. But what really kept me going was the nicely overcast sky. Great light for photography even at midday.
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