Red Hartebeest help/advice

[nomspc]

I favor Euro mounts. During my career as an oral & maxillofacial surgeon, I treated deformities of the facial skeleton, and love the clean, sculptural look of the skulls.

 

[Spearhead]

My brother-in-law and I each took a red hartebeest bull within a minute or two of one another earlier this month. He got his and then another bull appeared. The PH asked if I wanted it and I said yes. I had just been walking along with the party so I used his rifle.

We both are having skull mounts done along with a flatskin for a rug.

His is on the left and mine is on the right.

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They look like twins. Great photo.

 

[Spearhead]

I too fell in love with the red hartebeest. Took mine with a quartering away shot that ended in the offside shoulder.
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We chose a more simple European mount for space considerations. If I had a true trophy room, it would have been a shoulder mount.
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I find this is the dilemma with the red Hartebeest. They look outstanding as a shoulder mount, but equally attractive as a euro due to the uniqueness of the skull. Maybe need one of each.

 

[Firebird]

I would not pay for the back skin to be dipped,packed and shipped-Unless you have a specific plan for them. Pillows for example. You can see I used some zebra backskin on my waterbuck floor pedestal mount, although plain tanned leather might be just as nice. It’s something to consider

 

[Zinz]

I have both a shoulder mount and a skull mount. Like others have said, I’m leaning more towards Euro mounts anymore simply because I’m running out of wall space. The Red Hartebeest is a big mount, but if it is one of your favorites, then it should be front and center as a shoulder mount, showing off that red coat.

I like the back skins… but you could opt to have a fly swish made from the tail.

You can’t go wrong, either way. …or, shoot two

Ed Z

 

[Firebird]

I have saved some-but only specific tails. And that can be a cool idea if it’s something you particularly like.

 

[Edster]

When I first saw a Hartebeest my first thought was a face only a mother could love!!! I wanted one. second trip it was in the list. Had a nice walk and stalk on this guy Not sure if it will land up as a shoulder or pedestal yet, I’ve got plenty of time to make up my mind. I had all of my buckskins sent along. Will eventually become throw pillows Eland buckskin is going to be tanned as leather.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Either looks fine (their horn configuration is so different!) Then you can get caught up in the HBeeste Slam (there are several subspecies.) In my first 2 trips to Africa I had ZERO interest in taking one. Then, in NW Namibia I saw a dark-colored whopper of a herd bull (several times-hunting other stuff.) A bushman PH trainee took me out on several stalks...we got winded, busted by giraffe...then we made the most incredible stalk up a hill to circumvent the giraffe, then down the hill to a dry creekbed, and then a tiny culvert which we slowly crawled through thorny dry grass for a long ways until we got within 225 yds. It was one of the most memorable PG hunts, ever! (It was also the WRONG day to wear shorts, as blood was shed by the hunted and hunter.) Some may argue that unless perfectly (shoulder) mounted (at the correct angle/height, etc.) the Euro mount may look better in this particular case, BUT some of them have the most beautiful coloration, and if I were to take the Coke's, Lichtenstein's, etc. I'd do shoulders on all of 'em (as the colors are different.)

 

[Lee M]

I did a euro mount and had a bow case and pistol cases made with the skin

 

[Ryan]

For me the skull looked so distinct I preferred it for my first and a shoulder mount if I went again. So, I got mine done in a skull mount and had the whole hide tanned, no regrets. It's one of my favorite reminders of my first hunt. The skull is at the top of my stairs and the rug was on the floor for a couple years but I've since changed it up.

 

[flying sailor]

Congrats on such a fine bull.

My first of species, and a quaility old bull, he got shoulder mounted and I had the back skin tanned.

Now for what I plan to do with the back skin other than as a wall cover; that's a very good question. It's been nearly 7 years and 2 safaris later and I still haven't committed to any single special specific project for any of my various species (18?) back skins.

Please post what you used your back skin for as maybe I might consider do something similar to it.

I have a backskin coming soon for my second Impala. probably will make some throw pillows. My mother had a commercial sewing business, and made some fine things from skins that a local taxidermist had collected on his African hunts. My next trip I plan to get more Zebra's so I can make some safari wood chairs and use the skins for backs and seats.

 

[Nyati]

Shot one on my first Safari,

Did a Euro-mount, for space reasons.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I favor Euro mounts. During my career as an oral & maxillofacial surgeon, I treated deformities of the facial skeleton, and love the clean, sculptural look of the skulls.

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Endodontist Son shares your exact same sentiments! And, he worked w/ a taxidermist as a kid, so that may have inspired him somewhat...

 

[Edge]

Also think the Hartebeest is a cool animal, even more so once you have one on the ground and take in all the features and colors. I’ve taken a Red Hartebeest in South Africa in Sept 2022:

And a Western Hartebeest in Cameroon in February of this year:

They are different enough I’m not sure how I’m going to mount them! I have some time to figure it out as the Red just arrived at the tannery and the Western is still somewhere between Cameroon and the USA.

Keep the euro and mount pictures coming!