Is the Neck too Small on this Mount?

[Cfriend]

I got a mount back today of a buck I killed around October 20 (he was chasing a doe and had a decent size neck). While it seems like the taxidermist did nice work, the neck on the mount looks way too small to me. I included a couple pictures below. I would expect the neck to be a little bit smaller than the picture because of the semi sneak pose, but to me it seems to be excessively small. What do you all think?

The next question is: if it is too small, is there anything that can be done about it (using the same cape)?

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don’t think it’s the same cape. The ear looks small on the mount.

 

[Cfriend]

I have been questioning whether it's the same cape as well. The mount seems significantly darker, but wasn't sure if that was just lighting.

 

[MattB]

I usually try not to be that guy, but I tend to agree that it doesn’t look like you got the cape from your buck - and the neck measurement aspect may explain why the neck looks small. Just look at how the shite around the nose and corner of the mouth cuts from cape to cape.

Edit: the brown toward the nose of the cape of the buck you killed looks like it clearly extends more forward (to a point) than the cape you got back (which has a very vertical separation between the white and brown).

 

[manitou1]

You can also mount a larger cape on an (inappropriate sized) smaller form. They literrally glue on... and will shrink to fit to a point.

I used to have a taxidermy business. It looks like a smaller cape or he had a smaller form on hand and just used it.

 

[Bubblehide]

It clearly is not the same cape. If you want your cape used, your cape needs to be marked. Your taxidermist needs to mark it, or know you marked it, where and how. Typically a good taxidermist will mark capes and use the correct cape for the customers mount. If the taxidermist is sending capes out, getting the correct capes back can be problematic, depending on who the taxi is sending them to. With that said, the mount does not look bad. I prefer a bit more body than yours has.

 

[Scottf270]

One area that separates a quality taxidermist from another is the skill in using clay to add definition and bulk. Every form used needs clay around the eyes and other areas. The addition of clay or the removal of form material is what helps a taxi "size" the form to the skin. I have never heard of any form that did not need some type of alteration

If too small a form is used, some taxi's just cut the extra skin off when they see up the back. Also some forms are hard to get and people use what they can.

My guy has started doing all capes in house. He's added a guy who tans, shaves, etc. Finding a good tannery is becoming a problem.

I know all this doesn't help you but it points to the need to really be careful about picking a taxidermist. A lot of guys "mount" deer. Very few are artists.

 

[WCB]

I'm going against the grain. I think it is the same cape. Look at the thin black line coming from the nose to the mouth at an angle. Kind of unique as looking at my deer mounts they all have different amounts of black/brown in this area. Cape color is hard to judge because they get washed and tanned etc. I will go with he did not use the appropriate size form.

The picture you have of your deer on the ground looks a little fuller but you have to remember on the mount the hair is also laying essentially flat where in you picture or an an alive it is not. Also, the lighting and shadows I think make it look thicker than it is. Telling color is almost impossible unless lighting and camera or camera settings are the same. Ear size is non issue as they are in two different positions.

 

[HunterHawk]

Looks like an early season cape.. your deer looks like it was taken later in season to me. I shot one in early October in 2022 and the one mid November and you could definitely tell a big difference in capes..

 

[98XJRC]

Not wanting to add more one, but I would agree that it appears as though too small of a form was used. I was thoroughly impressed with my taxidermist the last time I dropped something off for him. He took the time while I was in the shop to take all the measurements and discuss form options with me. He explained to me the benefit of using a larger form then what I had picked due to the dimensions. I honestly couldn't be happier with the results that I got back.

 

[Bryan B]

You could back brush it to try to give the hair more loft to make the neck and shoulders look bigger.

 

[elkguide]

Definitely to small of a form or work done by a taxidermist that just didn't know how or put the effort in to make it look like it did. The wrinkles by your deer's ear in the picture show size and weight whereas the mount doesn't, along with the neck definitely being thinner.

 

[Cfriend]

I appreciate everyone's input. I spent some more time comparing with other pictures with different lighting and am pretty confident that the cape is the same.

As for the neck size, I still think it's too small. I called the taxidermist and he says he measured my deer's neck and the form is correct. Said that often that the neck can look bigger on a just killed deer due to position, hair being ruffled, etc. Not sure if that's a legitimate explanation or not. I still think the neck should be bigger, but I guess I'll have to live with it.

Definitely learned an important lesson about selecting and working with a taxidermist.

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