for those who have been taxidermists for a while

Yep, sure do. Eyes, nose, ear butts, ear placement, Can NEVER totally satisfy a judge. After 15 years of trying, one would think a smart guy would just give up. But I ain't never been accused of being smart! So, I just keep going back for more abuse! LOL

 

Ear butts drive me nuts, and I refuse to use that snap on Eppley stuff (not to knock Brad Eppley's stuff)

 

Sewing. I have mounted countless deer and my hardest part still is sewing. End product looks good, but the mental anguish is hell.

 

Pretty much anything from the neck up... and my briskets suck too.

The more I learn, the worse my work looks to me.

 

I think we all tend to be our own worst critics. Lips and sewing drive me nuts.

 

I agree

 

ear butts and tear ducts

 

That's funny I've been thinking somewhat the same. It seems no matter how many I do, I always think, I can do better. People tell me: that my mounts look great. For the most part I agree. I'm tring to put together comp pieces right now and looking at references and some award winning poses and studying the eyes and glands and such. I have came to the conclusion that it can drive you nuts! I say go with what feels and looks good to you and hope the judge agrees. By the way your work looks great.

 

Thats really a good quality. When you don't think you need improving is when you don't care how they look. I am never satisfied with my ear placement.

 

I've found that I always take more time than I'd like getting the eye shape right. I could just let it go when it's 90% there but I just keep working on it until it looks right. I'd say spend more time on the trouble areas. Don't get frustrated, just work it out and don't worry about how long it takes.

 

too make the mounting easier we do a lot of altering to the head and the shoulders, and sometimes the length of the neck.
The number , style and sizes of whitetail is staggering to try and keep up with.

When we modeled and made plaster molds for paper manekins we had 71 molds and 98% of all the mounts we did were on just 5 of those.

I honestly think I have been cussing more the last few years. We now have the attitude that we just measure the skin in the problem areas and alter the form to those measurments. No problem with eyes and ears,

 

I swear through every job. Forward earbutts are my problem area.

 

The same for me T
I try to talk the customer out of both forward ears. I like to mix it up and decide what looks best on the mount.

 

THAT is exactly the quality of dedermination that will make you a good taxidermist!I always knew i was stubborn,but i did a seminar with Bill Yox, and havnt been the same since.LOL.Knowing whats wrong w/ your technique and learning to correct it are two different things.Reference is great, but, standing with a master(or two) and watching some of the subtelies that make the difference between an ok mount and one that is fantastic is priceless.And YES Bobby, my eyes still suck.lol.But i'm workin on em.

 

It appears that MANY should consider attending the YOX a thon........

 

Trying to get two ears forward with symetry sucks big time, drives me crazy! Tear ducts, like the one fellow said, the more you learn the more you think you suck.

 

Ear butts I think are the toughest for me.

 

Ear butts