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How to fix this

Discussion in 'Beginners' started by DocCole, Dec 4, 2017.

  1. Dec 4, 2017 #1
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    So this mount was done by a local “taxidermist”. I picked it up a couple months ago. This is one of the reasons that I have decided to learn taxidermy. Any suggestions on how to fix these issues. I am sure I could take it back to him to be finished but I figure I will just use this as a training experience.

    I was going to post photos but my phone takes too large of photos and I can’t figure out how to shrink them.

    Issues are:
    1. Hair looks like the deer has been electrocuted! It’s standing up all over the place.
    2. The inside of the ears are almost black. Pretty sure they are supposed to be white?
    3. There is a line in the hair that looks like he cut the cape about 10” and did a bad job sewing it. I skinned the deer so I know there were no cuts prior.
    These are the 3 main issues

    Thanks in advance
     
  3. Dec 4, 2017 #2
    3bears

    3bears Well-Known Member

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    Pictures would sure help.
    1- groom the hair paying attention to hair patterns and their direction, look at reference
    2- The inside of a deer's ear isn't black or white, check references again, repaint to match
    3-do you feel a seam? if so hammer it down and groom it, as I said in #1 If not just groom it out. Many times deer have broken hair from fighting or life in general. 99% of the time people don't notice them after they kill it until they go to pick it up from their taxidermist and he didn't fix it at all or did a bad job.
     

  5. Dec 4, 2017 #3
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    Thank you! When you say groom the hair. Is there any sort of product you suggest to use such as hair gel or anything along those lines?

    And I would LOVE to post photos if anyone has any help with that part? I tried a couple IPhone apps that resize but they save in a format that is not compatible with this forum.
     
  6. Dec 4, 2017 #4
    3bears

    3bears Well-Known Member

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    After seeing the pictures, I would take it back, but if you want to attempt to make it better, I would start by wiping any paint on the face and ears off with a rag and thinner and than I would shampoo that thing and blow the hair with air or a leaf blower, don't get the skin too wet, or leave it wet very long. While the hair is still damp a tad, groom- brush it, paying attention to direction of natural hair flow, don't flatten it too much. Then do any repairs, that are needed on the face such as apoxy work around the eyes and nose and lower lip. Re-texture the nose and repaint all of those areas matching reference for colors and textures, the best you can. Sorry I couldn't get the pictures to forward from my phone but if you use imgur you should be able to.
     
  7. Dec 4, 2017 #5
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    https://imgur.com/a/PMA5a
     
  8. Dec 4, 2017 #6
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    Thank you. 3 bears. Most of the mounts I see come out of this area are similar in quality to this one. That is the reason I have decided to learn to do taxidermy work. Our area can support another person doing taxidermy. Especially if the work is high quality.

    I tried to post a link to photos. Not sure if I’m doing it correctly.
     
  9. Dec 4, 2017 #7
    3bears

    3bears Well-Known Member

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    You are welcome, if all or most of the deer mounts look like that, I venture to say that they all are in need of some help. The first deer I ever mounted many moons ago, before videos and such still looks better than that.
     
  10. Dec 4, 2017 #8
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    I think it comes down to having pride in what you do. I could never send something out that looks like that and I’m not even a taxidermist. I feel like with even a little knowledge I could do better then that! Let alone doing it for a living.
     
  11. Dec 4, 2017 #9
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    https://imgur.com/a/Es4W1
     
  12. Dec 4, 2017 #10
    George

    George The older I get, the better I was.

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    OMG
     
  13. Dec 4, 2017 #11
    rogerswildlife

    rogerswildlife Rogers Wildlife Taxidermy Tommy Rogers

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    Dang hope you didn't pay money for that ! What's the rest of his work look like ?
     
  14. Dec 4, 2017 #12
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    I did pay money. I am not sure the quality of the rest of his work but I would have to assume it’s not very good. But that’s ok. It will be a good experience for me to try to fix it. 3 bears gave me some ideas to fix it and I’m open to other views as well.
     
  15. Dec 5, 2017 #13
    killin time

    killin time New Member

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    WTF... I would set it on fire. Forget u even saw that stuffed animal toy. Watch a few youtube taxidermy videos and start with a new specimen.
     
  16. Dec 5, 2017 #14
    DocCole

    DocCole New Member

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    No kidding. I was tempted to use it to start my burn pile on fire. But I figure doing something leads to something and doing nothing leads to nothing. If I at least use it as a training experience then I can at least feel like I accomplished something. I seriously thought about leaving it as it is and put it in my shop with a sign explaining that someone else in the area did it and then having one of my deer next to it. But I figured that would be classless and I really don’t want to do something like that.

    I am ordering Rick Kranes bass video, a passche VL kit, a couple of bass blanks and water based fish paint, and the bass schedule. Going to start with the fish painting practice and then move on. I figure if I can learn to airbrush fish then shoulder mount painting should come pretty easy. Also going to work on fixing this deer at the same time.
     
  17. Dec 5, 2017 #15
    Grizz208

    Grizz208 New Member

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    Yikes!! Yeah. I'd just take the antlers off scrap the rest buy a new cape and try mounting it by yourself. Just take your time watch videos and ask lots questions on here.
     
  18. Dec 5, 2017 #16
    Paul B

    Paul B Active Member

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    No that is not the kind of work one should expect from any taxidermist, terrible, there's no concept what so ever on that is a reasonable end product.