Any Advice (whitetail)

I know your pain - made a similar mistake once and was able to smooth it out. I don’t think Changing antlers will work with the poses so different. It is possible to change the cape, (as long as it was tanned and not DP). It is and even then the cape tends to retain a memory and is a little difficult to put on a different form. If it were me, I would offer a mount in the future at cost. If you do attempt to change the capes, swap the smaller antlers to the correct cape on the 6900 form, then at least you’ll only have to try to rehydrate one mount. Put it on a new 6900 form. You may consider trying to find a new cape that looks like the cape of the larger deer. Good luck!

 

if it has"nt been mounted that long you should be able to soak them off , pain in the butt but thats what I would do lot of work, but you will sleep at night just jump in and get it over

 

Trash can ( A clean one).

 

the mounts will never be right and customer will never be happy - offer a two for one price as is ( your mistake ) and leave it at that.

 

You have to take the antlers off first by rehydrating the incision. Wet towel on the incision covered in plastic or Saran wrap till the the incision is pliable enough to remove the horns. Then it fits in a 44 or 55 gallon.

 

I agree with the 2 for 1 deal. It would probably be cheaper in the long run. As long as your customer is happy with that.

 

What did you use for skin paste , not the seam paste?

 

Mike, actually a DP hide is much easier to remove than a tanned one. DP is a dessicant and it's always thirsty. It will absorb warm water very quickly and if you use a good clothes softener, it will be just as pliable as when you mounted it.

The tanned hide will take a bit longer and since it's been a recent mount, I doubt the form forming appearance will be permanent yet.

The way that I rehydrate a hide on a form is LOTS of towels soaked in warm water and softener. Wrap the entire head and shoulders in towels. Once in place pour some more warm water over them. I then use plastic freezer wrap and wrap the towels until every inch of them is covered. Then cover the mount in a bag and let it set for a day. Just as soon as you can open the seam and remove the antlers, do it. Unwrap the plastic and pour more warm water over the towels. Now you can also pour warm water underneath the hair through the antler opening. Rewrap in plastic overnight. This may take you up to 3 days to get the hide pliable again. (If the hide has been tanned, MAKE SURE you add a handful or two of salt into your warm water.)

I see your biggest problem is getting that hide you have cut to fit the smaller form on to that larger form. I would suggest if you have doubts, you cut the form parallel with the backboard on the larger form about 2 inches in. You'll lose just a tad of shoulder but maintain the look while the face and neck should work well.

 

I stand corrected! I could have used that info a couple of months ago ! George, I had always been under the impression re-hydrating a DP hide would ruin it. I’ve never tried it because that is what I had been told (actually I think I read here on taxinet somewhere). So a DP hide could conceivably be re-hydrated and re-mounted???

 

Agree with George, that's how to go about it, it will work,just do it and get it over ,Take the advice of people that have been at this a long time, hide will relax and staples can be pulled , having someone bad-mouthing you is never good for your business , I took a polar bear rug that was mounted for years and turned it into a lifesize mount, guys come home from competitions and resoak up there mounts and change things all the time have seen guys take leopards resoak and remount , mountain lions, and too many things to mention its just work.