Anybody pedestal mount a Kudu with the head looking downward?

[migrabill]

I will be going on my first African Safari in June of 2024. I will be hunting in the Limpopo region of RSA and of course a Kudu tops my list of desired animals. You know how, in trophy shots, they have the Kudus snout in the dirt and those horns look HUGE? I love that shot. Then when they are taxidermied with their heads up, those horns never quite live up. If I am fortunate enough to harvest a Kudu, I will be getting some type of floor pedestal. My question is this - has anybody ever done one where the Kudu is looking downward to show off those horns a little more? If so, I'd love to see a pic to get a feel for what it would look like. Or... would that look dumb and I am overthinking this?

 

[fourfive8]

I’ve seen various animals mounted in seemingly odd poses. I’m afraid the novelty of the look would wear off pretty quickly. Also, people would be thinking or asking, “what is that kudu doing?”

 

[BRICKBURN]

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/chess-piece-sable-mount.73064/

Sable Mounts of that ilk...

 

[buck wild]

I have a slight downward tilt and actually prefer ALL kudu that I mount to have the same. The best angle to see the whole length of horn is a downward tilt.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I have a red deer and an elk that are looking at a slight downward angle. It works well for me because I have them mounted fairly high up on the wall. The taxidermist that mounted my red deer sort of moaned and groaned about the extra time and trouble it took to get that look. I had a couple whitetail mounted a few years ago and requested the taxidermist (not the same on who did the red deer) to give them a slight downward look, since the plan was to mount these up high too. Didn't happen. Got the straight looking forward. Won't be using that guy again, although he did do the work in about 3-4 months.

 

[fourfive8]

There is a difference between an animal looking at its toes and what is called the "semi-sneak" as posted by @buck wild. The semi-sneak is natural looking, IMO. Also, as @BRICKBURN provided, that arched neck pose became popular for whatever reason??? a few years ago- I just call it the "Prancing Pony" pose or "Knight Chess Piece" pose. Again IMO, someone looking at an animal with that pose or other funky/trendy pose will be thinking or asking, "I wonder what is wrong with that animal, does it have tetanus or something?" Or, "That's a very "interesting", very large chess piece you have in your living room." Personally I don't want something thinking my mounted animal looks like a very interesting, very large chess piece or anything else that really isn't normal for that animal in the wild. I always try to convey to the taxidermist that the animal needs to look like I would expect the animal to look in the wild. Odd, single frame cartoon poses ain't it. Extreme neck turns left or right ain't it, etc. But, in the end, have your taxidermist mount them in whatever pose you like.

 

[buck wild]

There is a difference between an animal looking at its toes and what is called the "semi-sneak" as posted by @buck wild. The semi-sneak is natural looking, IMO. Also, as @BRICKBURN provided, that arched neck pose became popular for whatever reason??? a few years ago- I just call it the "Prancing Pony" pose or "Knight Chess Piece" pose. Again IMO, someone looking at an animal with that pose or other funky/trendy pose will be thinking or asking, "I wonder what is wrong with that animal, does it have tetanus or something?" Or, "That's a very "interesting", very large chess piece you have in your living room." Personally I don't want something thinking my mounted animal looks like a very interesting, very large chess piece or anything else that really isn't normal for that animal in the wild. I always try to convey to the taxidermist that the animal needs to look like I would expect the animal to look in the wild. Odd, single frame cartoon poses ain't it. Extreme neck turns left or right ain't it, etc. But, in the end, have your taxidermist mount them in whatever pose you like.

Mine is a semi sneak but also had head altered in a downward tilt vs horns laid back

 

[fourfive8]

Mine is a semi sneak but also had head altered in a downward tilt vs horns laid back

Yes, I would call it a sneak or semi-sneak with a slight turn right and eyes looking where they should be looking. But the camera angle makes it a little hard to determine exactly. The main thing is it looks like a natural pose for a real kudu not unlike any similar animal that lives in those environs. If in thick brush, and watching something in their area and trying to decide whether to stay or flee... that is the look they have and their eyes are looking in the correct direction. If in the open and not behind or in brush, they would naturally have a more upright pose, with eyes looking in the correct direction at a little more distance perhaps and in a slight left or right turn pose. Additionally, I don't think you want your mount looking like you just shot it and were preparing to take some "hi mom" pics

The only time that kind of works in some taxidermy I've seen is where three or four freshly killed game birds, like ducks or pheasants, are hanging on a lanyard or maybe two or three fish are hanging on a stringer.

 

[skydiver386]

This is what I'm having done with mine. I think a lot depends on how wide the horns are and how tight the curl is.

 

[fourfive8]

Here's the Prancing Pony sign which appears outside the eatery/saloon in the town of Bree just outside the Shire. Lord of the Rings story. Then there is the 3000 year old Uffington chalk geoglyph in England.

 

[Antanas]

 

[Hunt anything]

To me adding a turn to the trophy will allow the horns to show their full glory. I for one do not like the chess piece pose as it looks unnatural.

 

[ACE (in CT)]

I'm still waiting for my Kudu to be be shipped back home, and haven't quite decided if I'll have a wall or pedestal mount done. My Taxidermist is a good friend, and I pretty much have always relied on his advice, so ... I'll likely do the same this time. It seems like with a Kudu, the horns are usually impressively long enough that you couldn't make them look short no matter how you mount it.

 

[buck wild]

I'm still waiting for my Kudu to be be shipped back home, and haven't quite decided if I'll have a wall or pedestal mount done. My Taxidermist is a good friend, and I pretty much have always relied on his advice, so ... I'll likely do the same this time. It seems like with a Kudu, the horns are usually impressively long enough that you couldn't make them look short no matter how you mount it.View attachment 572673

It's easier than you think. As an example, look at the extreme downward angle used to take pictures of them. Naturally, Kudu hold their horns at about a 45 degree backward angle. If you start to get to that angle or more, they will begin to fall away from the eye.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Mine is a semi sneak but also had head altered in a downward tilt vs horns laid back

@buck wild your comment is spot on! The sneak and semi-sneak pose brings the head lower, relative to the shoulder, and is frequently used for fitting a mount into a room with limited ceiling clearance. Adjusting the head into a downward tilt is usually an additional step.

 

[Phil Giordano]

Found this one just opening AH, right now! Pure serendipity!