Which animal makes the most impressive taxidermy mount?

[MPN]

The recently revived post requesting euro mount pics got me thinking. Most of my mounts are euros, but one animal I would open the wallet to have hide on form taxi. completed on would be a big bull Elk.
I have often thought a big Bull Elk, more than any other animal when well taxidermied, makes the most impressive mount. The contrast between the shaggy dark brown neck and more sleek tan colored hide of the body coat, the swords, hooks and daggers of the royal head gear and the sounds of bugling bulls of autumns past that can be heard when gazing upon a well constructed mount. For me there is nothing more impressive than a well taxidermied big bull Elk. What say you??

 

[Royal27]

Full mount BONGO.

 

[cpr0312]

Well I suspect this question will garner lots of different answers. All up to the individuals preference or what animal has always struck him/her. There are lots of mounts I really like and enjoy.

The word impressive to me means size and/or beauty. In my book something impressive is a full sized brown bear or polar bear. A full size Lord Derby Eland, a full size male lion, or as mentioned above a full size bongo.

Some of these are based on size alone, while others size and certain characteristics, and the bongo is pure beauty.

 

[Red Leg]

The recently revived post requesting euro mount pics got me thinking. Most of my mounts are euros, but one animal I would open the wallet to have hide on form taxi. completed on would be a big bull Elk.
I have often thought a big Bull Elk, more than any other animal when well taxidermied, makes the most impressive mount. The contrast between the shaggy dark brown neck and more sleek tan colored hide of the body coat, the swords, hooks and daggers of the royal head gear and the sounds of bugling bulls of autumns past that can be heard when gazing upon a well constructed mount. For me there is nothing more impressive than a well taxidermied big bull Elk. What say you??

I have always thought that both the American Wapiti and European Red Stag make the most impressive Euro mounts of all. If you visit some of the post-Renaissance European country estates and palaces they can be very spectacular indeed.

One of the animals that is most dramatically different (and improved) as a shoulder or pedestal mount is the sable. Both of mine received wall pedestal treatment.

As others have noted, a full size Bongo is spectacular.

 

[slam8031]

I have a sable being completed by Dennis on a pedestal--I think it will be the center of attention in my home even with a near 60 inch kudu and some other African mounts and white tails. But the elk is on the list!! A well done giraffe is hard to beat as well...

 

[Nyati]

One mount which impressed me was that of a wolf, sitting, head straight up, howling.

Spectacular, pity I didn´t have a camera at the time.

 

[chashardy]

Another vote for Sable. The king of the antelope.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

A bull elk

 

[Hogpatrol]

Hippo shoulder mount with mouth open.

 

[edward]

I have a sable being completed by Dennis on a pedestal--I think it will be the center of attention in my home even with a near 60 inch kudu and some other African mounts and white tails. But the elk is on the list!! A well done giraffe is hard to beat as well...

our floor shoulder mount of our giraffe seems to be the star of the show,we like them all.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

for me personally the best mount I have ever seen was a pair of lynx kittens that had just come into the winter coats made into book ends. Each sitting with on paw up to hold a line of books.

Followed closely by a jackalope on top of a rabbit doing what rabbits do best. There was a sign hanging above them titled "passing the buck".

 

[ActionBob]

Full size giraffe, front legs spread apart, head down drinking water. Surrounded by springbok. That was at SCI a couple years ago

If I could, I'd do almost everything full mount. A big elk, LDE, big kudu.... all impressive.

 

[cmk]

A red stag would certainly look great as a shoulder mount hanging over the fire place in my medieval castle/evil villain lair.

More so than a large moose or eland or roan or...

There is something very proud and dignified about the red stag (and its American cousin). I guess kudu fall into that category as well.

Having this at home would be like being in the presence of an emperor.

http://cg.barefoot-hosting.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Red-deer-stag-on-Big-Moor-1.jpg

 

[edward]

would of loved to had my elephant shoulder mounted,BUT,all my door ways were to small,such is life.

 

[mikecatt13]

Im possibly a taxidermy addict, I like pretty much all of it, but my two current dreams when I make it to Africa are leopard and Nyala, both will be full body mounts if I'm blessed with the opportunity to harvest them.

 

[sambarhunter]

Imo a full blown large Bengal Tiger male.

 

[meigsbucks]

Bull elk, bull moose, kudu brown bear, lion, bongo all make impressive mounts. However, do you want the mount to be impressive to everyone? To other hunters? To you? Everyone is different. I think a bull elk, a big bull moose, a kudu or Cape buffalo are the most impressive but although I can appreciate a big maned lion, it doesn’t trip my trigger as “impressive”.
To each his own.

 

[wesheltonj]

I would love to have a 380+ American Elk on my wall and would without any hesitation spend the money for the best taxidermy. That said IMO the best African on the wall mounts are Gemsbok and Waterbuck, pedestal would be Zebra and Sable. The last two are missing from my collection, which soon to be filled in 2021.

 

[Royal27]

Full size giraffe, front legs spread apart, head down drinking water. Surrounded by springbok. That was at SCI a couple years ago

If I could, I'd do almost everything full mount. A big elk, LDE, big kudu.... all impressive.

That giraffe was amazing.

 

[mark-hunter]

For me the most impressive mounts are those that try do show true 3d movement of animals, full muinted, like predators catching prey, animals running, jumping, or stalking, birds in full swing of the wings, flying, etc...
It gives a life to a mount.
There has been some extraordinary examples from taxidermists, forum members here.