Couple Concerns With Recent Elk Shoulder Mount, Looking For Advice

I’ll say this , I have taken pretty big elk and moose thru a standard 36” door , as you just have to pivot it thru but they do go thru . Not saying yours will but I’ve done it with 380 class critters. If he is telling you that a doweling system won’t work then he has no clue on how to do it in the first place . You should never have to cut points off your rack . That’s BS . But doweling will cost extra. As far as your cape , the only thing I can say is to find a special mark on the one you shot , maybe a entree or exit hole that would have to be sewn up and look for it on your mount . If there not there then ask how the hell it just disappeared. Color could possibly change a bit after the tanning as it’s been cleaned up a bit . That said it won’t be extreme. From what your describing , I’d be concerned.

 

Telling you that the antlers could not be pinned is BS. I have a 60+ inch moose right next to me with pinned antlers. I'm betting more that he doesn't know how to do them. You asked for it to be done and he argued no. NEVER cut off points!! Can't imagine that he even said to do that. He needs to finish the job as you specified. You do a V cut under the burr and inset a 3/4 inch piece of square stock into the bottom of the antler that now will fit into a corresponding hole/slot in the skull.

 

I think I'm reading that the hall way is the problem. I agree wIth the others on this. Feild pictures usually don't do the cape justice. I would like to see a pic of more of the mount all the way to the backboard. I would also like to see a better field pic that shows the whole head from nose to back of shoulders. The mount looks like it has a mane standing up on the seam like a pronghorn does.

 

It could be that the taxidermist has the neck hair slicked down causing it to look less dark. The forehead hair patterns look similar from the field pic and the mount pic. That seam just seems weird to me.

 

I agree with Tangle. The forehead patterns, as well as shape of light colour around eyes matches up, the difference in overall colour may be attributed to light source being completely different in each situation.
Plus the hair on the neck in field pictures is still fluffed up, where on the mount it's very slick. It looks like an early season animal that doesn't have a big thick hair coat on his neck yet.

It could be possible that someone along the way decided to split the cape because they thought it was easier to flesh, thin or mount on form.
Maybe he fixed the antlers permanently to form, then realized it was a tubed cape. So rather than remove the antlers, he decided to cut the cape.
Maybe the form was too small and instead of modifying it he cut a narrow strip of hide of the back of ths neck, who knows?

I don't have experience with mounting elk, but if this taxidermist can't pin the antlers, maybe he didn't either.

 

i think that ridge down the back of the neck is from the stitching. hair got caught in the thread and bunched up.

 

The pedicles look short and the hide looks like it’s pulling away from the burr already. Ear butts and ear has issues.
Not a high end mount !

 

Tanning cost is 20% more for tubed capes. I cut all of them open when sending to a commercial tannery.

 

That and a bad job doing the seam at the back of the neck.

 

It is better tubed out and makes a better mount. My tannery doesn’t charge that and even if it did you would safe that in time not seeing it back up . We all do things differently. Ask him why he was happy about the short cut like you don’t know about the long cut it is now and see if he stumbles on his words . By the looks of that mount it isn’t very good . Don’t let him cut your points off to get inside, remember this also if it does make a record book of some kind if you cut anything before your score is locked in to include doweling it , it won’t qualify. So get it scored first . I’ll say this , by the looks of it , there is nothing he can do with his lack of knowledge that is going to make you happy . I know your saying he is supposed to come over to see about getting it inside your trophy room but I’d really be surprised he he shows up be be honest.

 

2) He has told me more than once that a base pin and full antler removal is not possible especially at this stage. Is this true? I would really prefer that option vs cutting a point or two off and the base pin/full side

This is absolutely false. It's a pain in the ass- he'd have to rehydrate, undo the stitching and pull the face down. I've helped do this to fully mounted deer that have fallen off the wall and busted the skull cap/ripped antlers out. There is no stage that's too far for this unless something is bad about the cape (took too long to mount and is now delicate)

 

A taxidermist friend of mine does many 60 plus inch Moose with detachable antlers. It’s just a lot more work but he does charge for it.

 

Cutting points off is the stupidist thing I have ever heard.
I had a customer take out a window and the window frame to get it in the house.

If a customer wants removeable antlers I'll give them what they want. It would cost $200 extra when brought in to mount.
If brought in after it was already mounted to have the horns made removeable. $350.00