Opinions Please

Not sure why your tannery is cutting capes.
What about finish in either bark pattern or rock and maybe inlay your taxidermy co. name in it.

 

Very strange they cut your cape. Maybe they got capes mixed up? I like that pose. What form is that?

 

To this day no tannery will cut a cape unless instructed to do so. I capes in all the time from a client that’s like 12-24” to long for the form. The other issue is they pay me more for it.
It’s not my problem to cut as that’s what they want and pay for it. So if they cut it ( which I doubt but if you said cut it then it’s your issue as it’s not their job to measure for a form) then you have to take the issue with them as a refund or some other compensation.
As for your situation, just alter the form to something you like. Work with what you have.

 

Looks like a pedestal mount , that said there is so many options, of course you will have to carve and texture things , but you can make the extra form into a log , skeleton, drift wood, or build it up and make it look like the hide , texture and paint . Use your imagination to finish it off .

 

I totally understand that but without proof of a photo of where you cut and what was sent to the tannery there is no explanation on why they would cut it.
I would question them cutting it if you sent it with the tail on and it came back cut plus here’s another question. Is it your cape or was there a mix up? Was the cape properly marked and came back with the right markings? I’ve seen that happen as it’s happened to me .

 

I won't defend any tannery but it looks mounted in the picture, not just test fitted, why would you do so without a plan for the mishap?

 

I think it is going to be difficult to get any kind of compensation from the tannery now in that it is already mounted. I would have addressed that with them right away. Regardless, even already mounted there are a number of ways I can think of to address the issue.
*You could keep looking for a scrap piece of Axis hide to blend in, but that may prove difficult to match and hard to hide the seem completely - personally I wouldn't go that route.
*Cut the form at the cape line giving a little curve to it. Finish the back to your liking as you would do any pedestal.
*Shave off some of the form and make a rock backing (a la Michael P.) - this is the option I would probably pursue if it were mine.
*Leave the extra form and blend it into some other type of texture as 13 point suggested above.

Nice looking mount, by the way! It is going to look nice whichever way you choose to finish it out.