Euro mounts- Am I smoking the devils lettuce?

[CBH Australia]

Do what you like with your trophies, I took a nice Fallow buck that could have made a nice mount but I stumbled across it s it did not seem like a sport hunted trophy either.
I did Euro it and later gave it a lady who does decorative stuff with various things including animal parts. It was rehomed and I was happy
A Lion or Bear would make a great rug, skull intact/head stuffed would be fine.
As my outfitter deemed in SA, I’m not a collector. I enjoy the rifle, the hunt , the experience.
If you have the space and appreciate the taxidermy have it , if you like Euro’s then they can look good in the right place too.
It’s not one size fits all and it would be a boring world if we were all the same.

 

[Randy F]

It’s no different than the vehicle you drive, the beer you drink, the gun(s) you shoot, the ammo you use, etc. It’s all personal preference. I have a few of both shoulder mounts and euros. It’s the story that gets the shoulder mount for me. I have some euros that are much bigger than a couple shoulder mounts...they got a shoulder because one was the first and only buck taken with all three of my uncles hunting with me. Now they’ve passed on the the mount is here. The other was just a great long stalk and a really great one-on-one challenge.
Sure, some people think I’m nuts, the rest know I am.
But there’s no right or wrong, just what you enjoy.

 

[CBH Australia]

@Randy F There are cars, beers and cartridges that are Preferable, we can only try educate people on the finer things.
For trophies it may be the memories they reflect or the size and quality of the species the represent.
Taxidermy Mounted , Rugs, Skins or Euro Mounted it still shows a respect of the animal and preserves a sample of its species and importantly preserves the hunters trophy, experience and memories.

 

[Randy F]

@Randy F There are cars, beers and cartridges that are Preferable, we can only try educate people on the finer things.
For trophies it may be the memories they reflect or the size and quality of the species the represent.
Taxidermy Mounted , Rugs, Skins or Euro Mounted it still shows a respect of the animal and preserves a sample of its species and importantly preserves the hunters trophy, experience and memories.

That’s exactly what I meant. You said it better than I did.

 

[Randy F]

That’s exactly what I meant. You said it better than I did.

@CBH Australia
Meant that in a good way.

 

[CBH Australia]

That’s a wow like. Wow, I was impressed by your comment!

 

[Brent in Az]

Euro mounts are nice. I saw a photo of one recently thst was paint dipped in some crazy faux pattern. Actually, kind of cool looking

 

[UKHunter]

Youve got to have the right kind of house for taxidermy to look good in my opinion - no matter how good a mount is, im afraid 99% of the mount pictures i see look out of place. I agree - Euros look a lot better.

 

[Rum Runner]

Both! What ever fits and works for you. My only regret on the European mounts was my Reedbuck. My PH said I should mount him, I declined. The PH was right, the Reedbuck was a monster AND my first African harvest (silly me, always follow the advice of your PH). I did get my Cape Buff shoulder mounted (he's fantastic!) and my Oribi. The rest were DYI European mounts; they turned out nice, fit in the garage, and fit the budget!

 

[Philip Glass]

I like euros — I like the simplicity of it - I like that I dont need to deal with their hide or hair getting dust and cobwebs in it. But this’d past weekend— my neighbors came over and we’d were looking at the whitetail I have taken on this ranch (all euros) and all four of them said— a 161 needs to be shoulder mounted on a low fence ranch in the hill country- thats a trophy— kill another buck with a good cape and make it happen. ‘’I was floored” I love my euros— I dont like waiting 1-2 years for a mount to come home —and I guess I am probabaly leery of when my Dad passed — he had many mounts and they were a PITA to deal with in fact— I didnt deal with them— I had no money and no space to deal with them then and he didnt leave me any to help with CHORE.
Euros mounts in my oppinion as much easier to deal with , smaller, take less space, still offer the memories of the hunt. I dont care about scores— I hunt what I like. Am I alone ? Do I do an animal a disservice if I dont shoulder or pedestal mount it? On the upcoming hunt— I will shoulder the kudus, the buff may be shoulder maybe pedestal and the the sable will def be a pedestal — the eland will be euro, warthog - euro, zebra-skin and others will be euro— nyala— undecided — bush buck as well — impala— euro — gemsbok euro — i will have the skins tanned and the meat will be used— Am I missing something — do you feel like one animal is deserving of a shoulder over another? Plains game mostly — I guess I hold the big 5/6 in different regard. But that being said — I’d euro a buffalo if I liked the plaque or the buff was a second or other reasons ... — I surely would— others outside of Leopard— I have no interest in— I think cats deserve a full body — they are special— but I dont want any of them currently . Am I out of my mind? Sorry about run on sentences and punctuation — I are an Aggie.

I agree with what you are saying. I would agree it depends on the animal. I never understand the guy with a dozen whitetail mounts. I do some of both. For most folks it is an added expense to shoulder mount everything and that cuts into hunting budgets. I am doing some mounts in Africa now to cut time and expense. To each his own.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

And I’m a hunter so I’ve got my “Guns Up” not my thumbs up
Out of staters won’t get this!

 

[mikecatt13]

I agree with what you are saying. I would agree it depends on the animal. I never understand the guy with a dozen whitetail mounts. I do some of both. For most folks it is an added expense to shoulder mount everything and that cuts into hunting budgets. I am doing some mounts in Africa now to cut time and expense. To each his own.
Philip

That's me lol. Have a couple Europeans but probably 15 whitetail shoulders. Started doing wall habitats, couple deer on a fence post, unique poses etc. Every deer has a story and meaning to me and I have a taxidermy addiction. Figure out the wall space later, it's fine haha. I can see myself maybe doing some Europeans on african animals over the years but every first and biggest of each species will be at least a shoulder, especially with all the bew threats on hunting trophy imports. Comes down to I'm a sentimental guy and I know IM more likely to regret not having the mount than not having a few hundred bucks, I dont work for the fun of it right?!

 

[Philip Glass]

That's me lol. Have a couple Europeans but probably 15 whitetail shoulders. Started doing wall habitats, couple deer on a fence post, unique poses etc. Every deer has a story and meaning to me and I have a taxidermy addiction. Figure out the wall space later, it's fine haha. I can see myself maybe doing some Europeans on african animals over the years but every first and biggest of each species will be at least a shoulder, especially with all the bew threats on hunting trophy imports. Comes down to I'm a sentimental guy and I know IM more likely to regret not having the mount than not having a few hundred bucks, I dont work for the fun of it right?!

Go on safari with me and we will stack up some big ones

 

[mikecatt13]

Go on safari with me and we will stack up some big ones

Let's make it happen! Got two booked right now, hopefully they start happening instead of getting rescheduled, but that sounds like a good time and I wont be a complete Africa greenhorn after those 2 haha

 

[500 grains]

There is definitely no right or wrong answer. I used to taxidermy everything, and as I've aged I have changed my attitude. I won't say I'll never shoulder mount anything again, but I'm just not interested in it any longer. After my uncle passed and I saw what a burden his large collection became, I started re-examining my desire to own a large amount of taxidermied items. I also have a desire to streamline my lifestyle and large amounts of animals don't help in the regard!

 

[mikecatt13]

There is definitely no right or wrong answer. I used to taxidermy everything, and as I've aged I have changed my attitude. I won't say I'll never shoulder mount anything again, but I'm just not interested in it any longer. After my uncle passed and I saw what a burden his large collection became, I started re-examining my desire to own a large amount of taxidermied items. I also have a desire to streamline my lifestyle and large amounts of animals don't help in the regard!

Sounds like someone elses problem haha. With no kids, I've thought a couple times what will come of my collection but is suppose a museum somewhere would appreciate it

 

[expresshunt]

We all have diferent situations. From a few antlers on the side fence... to full on games rooms, or houses..!!! I have seen a indoor Belgium dressage arena turned into a trophy room... many hundreds. I have had times when I could afford shoulder mounts, and times when funds were low and skulls and horns came home. Plus a pile of mounts isnt really going to work in most Aussies house holds. We just moved rental home and a nice couple of garage walls meant that finally all my trophies could go up, I did a mix of the mounted and euro. Each one has a huge story, and fantastic memories.

Pic - Shows about 1/3 of my trophies on a garage wall.

Nowadays where possible I insist on trophies cleaned and treated, and into my luggage, with some paperwork... Most hunters do this coming home from Kyrgyszstan with Marco polo and Ibex (Ive done it twice). Saves heaps on freight, and is the only option with lots of those countries. Euro can be just hung as is, or probably better looking on a small shield. A local taxidermist can do that too.

Pic - Our back patio, some skulls under lights.

Yes special ones do deserve a mount if you can... Wish I had $$s to do my Nyala at the time.. My 2 cape Buffalo from Mozambique one is 38" and a huge boss, looks best flat on the wall with the boss facing you.. (or on a desk wood pedestal is very nice, so you can see the boss). Many wall mounted taxidermy Buffalo mounts you cant see the boss at all. The other Cape Buffalo was a 42" which is amongst rocks and brush next to our natural featured swimming pool, its sitting front on and looks wide and deep curls. These cost Aud$3200 to get 2 skulls home... I almost flew over to Maputo and put them in a big bag and flew home again for Aud$1250... next time they WILL be in my luggage.

I did some fast negotiating, and secured one room in this house as a mancave, and I have shoulder mounts of a Sambar and Moluccan Rusa in there, plus various small Sambar antlers, and whitetail. Most of our guests shiver at this room, not used to seeing mounts like in USA, EU and Africa. But its all part of me then telling them our story, how we support local people and give wild animals value.

 

[archer36]

I like them too.

 

[Dudders]

I have mainly euro's i've almost filled the african wall.

 

[expresshunt]

Beautiful African wall...!!! and each one a great story.

I once saw a deserted locked up house on an old farm near Mooi River (approx), South Africa, with 4 tall walls covered in Bushbuck horns, well over 200.. amazing.