Here's what to look
for in a quality deer head mount
A deer head and shoulder mount should appear
"alive". I use reference photos to create the most
lifelike, realistic looking commercial mounts available. Many
other taxidermists make some common mistakes (or shortcuts)
that detract from the quality of their finished products. I
will not cut corners. Our mounts that will look good for the
rest of your life and beyond. Your prized trophy will be passed
down from generation to generation as a family heirloom. We
encourage our customers to look very closely at our work and
compare it to the competition's. Here are some things to scrutinize
in determining a quality mount:
Quality eye work is critical to a lifelike appearance
of a mount. Look for a relaxed looking eye with a hint of white
in the corners. The eyes should be symmetrical and the coloration
around the eyes should be a blending of brown and black colors
without appearing painted. The inside corners of the eye and
the edge of the lids should have a wet appearance. The tear
ducts can be either open or closed, but they should have a waxy
appearance with an off-white to light tan coloration. The eye
lashes should extend out over the eye at a slight downward angle.
A subtle brow indentation should be visible. Long whiskers around
the eyes and muzzle should be present and need to be positioned
in the correct hair pattern.
The nose and muzzle area are also critical as
it is one of the first things a viewer will be attracted too.
The nose pad should be a dark brown, dark gray or black color
with a wet look. The dimples on the nose pad should be visible
but not bulgy looking. The nostrils need to have depth to look
realistic. Shine a flashlight inside the nose and the nostril
should extend deep inside the muzzle. The coloration of the
nostrils should be a gray, brown, and fleshy pink blend with
a wet look. The lip line should be crisp and clean looking with
no gaps. The skin of the lower lip should be slightly showing
and appear wet. The corners of the mouth should be slightly
upturned so the deer appears to be grinning, but not laughing.
Whiskers placement should be natural looking.
The ears should have crisp edges without wrinkles
or hair sticking out at weird angles. The interior of the ear
should be detailed deep inside reveling the irregular features
of the cartilage. The exposed skin inside the ear should be
colored a neutral off-white to tan with some flesh tone deep
inside the ear canal. The ear bases need to be full detailing
the muscles and cartilage features of the ear butts. Positioning
for the ears needs to complement the mounting pose. The ears
should be positioned symmetrically.
Any gap between the antler base and the hide
looks horrible. The hair patterns around the antler base, forehead
and facial areas are critical for a natural looking mount.
One of the biggest mistakes most taxidermists
make is poor positioning of the brisket area. The leg pits should
be visible, but not stretched over the base of the shoulders.
The brisket should be groomed and formed so the hair patterns
appear attractive and natural.
The muscle detail should be defined, but smooth
and natural looking. Bulging, squared-off looking muscles are
not natural and detract from the beauty of the mount. Hair patterns
should lay flat with no cow-licks or fixable flaws showing.
The hair should be neatly tucked in behind the form for a professional
touch. The hanger should be invisible to the viewer and the
back of the mount should hang flush with the wall with no gap.
The seam along the back of the head and neck
should be invisible. Even when you feel for it, it should be
nearly smooth to the touch. Any repairs (bullet holes, cuts,
etc....) should also be invisible if possible.
