Deer Mount Question

[JXB0805]

First off, I have 8 shoulder mounts that look perfectly fine and in tack.

However, this past fall I carried the buck I would have mounted to a different taxidermist only to be disappointed a couple days ago after picking it up.

Both of the buck's ears are separated, with the right ear having two large gaps in them.

I'm just curious if anyone else has ever experienced this before? This is definitely a first for me. You can see the pics I've attached of right after the deer was harvested to what it looks like mounted.

 

[GRIT]

Did you ask him about the ears before you left with it?

 

[deerhunter10]

Call the taxidermist they should fix that. Personally never seen it.

 

[JXB0805]

Did you ask him about the ears before you left with it?

Yeah, I was informed that during the drying process it separated. I've never seen this before in a mount, and it's quite difficult to swallow.

 

[Tru2Life]

JMO
That's not your cape
That looks like torn ears from fighting
See it often,
That doesn't happen to an ear during the drying process

 

[JXB0805]

JMO
That's not your cape
That looks like torn ears from fighting
See it often,
That doesn't happen to an ear during the drying process

That's been my thought from day one.

 

[DoubleRidge]

JMO
That's not your cape
That looks like torn ears from fighting
See it often,
That doesn't happen to an ear during the drying process

Agree...thats not your cape and there can be reasons why a different cape is needed but if so, that should have been communicated to you....but the color around the nose area, the darker face, the size of neck and the split ear...different cape.

 

[JXB0805]

Agree...thats not your cape and there can be reasons why a different cape is needed but if so, that should have been communicated to you....but the color around the nose area, the darker face, the size of neck and the split ear...different cape.

Agreed!

 

[Popcorn]

JMO
That's not your cape
That looks like torn ears from fighting
See it often,
That doesn't happen to an ear during the drying process

This^^

 

[CliffordN]

Cape swap, for sure!

 

[RUGER]

Yep, not the same cape.

 

[mike243]

I have a 6pt with a split ear, it was there when I shot him, your horns somebody else's cape.

 

[rem270]

Like others said not the same cape. Sometimes capes are no good but he should have contacted you and told you. Sometimes people shoot them up so bad or don't leave enough of the cape on to be used. The worst is when a slaughter house capes it and let's it sit out and it ruins. But a good taxidermist would let you know when they flesh it if it needs to be replaced.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Seen torn ears like that, definitely not the same cape, not your cape.

 

[JXB0805]

Like others said not the same cape. Sometimes capes are no good but he should have contacted you and told you. Sometimes people shoot them up so bad or don't leave enough of the cape on to be used. The worst is when a slaughter house capes it and lets it sit out and it ruins. But a good taxidermist would let you know when they flesh it if it needs to be replaced.

 

[JXB0805]

Agreed

 

[Tn_Va_Hunter]

I'd be Calling him. Ears don't split during drying. He changed out capes on you for some reason

 

[Snake]

JMO
That's not your cape
That looks like torn ears from fighting
See it often,
That doesn't happen to an ear during the drying process

Exactly. The taxidermist I used once put my antlers on another cape . Soon as I went to get it I told him that's not mine . Fortunately I had pictures of it so he swapped them out , ge said people come on pick up the antlers and the tag must have fell off . He fixed it and have me a discount.

 

[Ski]

Yeah, I was informed that during the drying process it separated. I've never seen this before in a mount, and it's quite difficult to swallow.

More plausible than swapping your cape, I'd guess the hide got cut while skinning or fleshing. A cut on wet hide isn't easy to see so he very well may not have known it happened. But as it dries that cut could would absolutely draw apart to look just like the gash in your buck's ear. Hide doesn't just split apart on its own. So while he didn't exactly lie to you with his explanation, he didn't accept responsibility, either.

 

[Antler Daddy]

That is probably a cape from a New Zealand venison farm. They pulled the tag out of both ears.