Skull Caps, What do you guys do with them?

[ApexerER]

I have 3 sets of Antlers on skull caps including this years rifle buck that I would like to do something with. 2 smaller 8 pts and a 6 pt. I have 3 smaller skull caps screwed too a piece of old barn wood and that looks OK and is just hanging in the garage. ( I wouldn't mind them looking nicer either) My plan was to purchase a couple of those plaques that come with the skull cap covers but the reviews on them sound terrible. I would like to hang them in my den and not be relegated to the garage. Anyone got any nice setups? Kinda wishing I tried Euro's but its too late for that....

[NockednLoaded]

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Mountain-Mikes-European-Deer-Skull-Mounting-Kit/742255.uts?productVariantId=1399784&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=02611065&rid=20&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246537&ds_rl=1246540&ds_rl=1247888&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjeXUs6665gIVDRgMCh1l6wKAEAQYASABEgJ_wvD_BwE

 

This is a compromise to what your looking for

[Nomad]

Mostly toss ‘Em in a pile , some I carefully display like this . 

You can also have this done, way better then the kits .

Edited December 16, 2019 by Nomad

[airedale]

[Steve D]

I came across this article a few months ago and saved it. I haven't used it but thought it was kind of neat as a  possible way to display skullcaps. I'm sure it could be modified to fit an individuals taste but it might give you something to think about.

 

 

 

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, Nomad said:

Mostly toss ‘Em in a pile , some I carefully display like this . 

You can also have this done, way better then the kits .

That bottom one on the brick wall is kinda what I had in mind....Did you make that or is a kit?

[ApexerER]

1 hour ago, NockednLoaded said:

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Mountain-Mikes-European-Deer-Skull-Mounting-Kit/742255.uts?productVariantId=1399784&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=02611065&rid=20&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246537&ds_rl=1246540&ds_rl=1247888&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjeXUs6665gIVDRgMCh1l6wKAEAQYASABEgJ_wvD_BwE

 

This is a compromise to what your looking for

I saw that while searching online. I would like to see one in person. I picture the antlers mounted too a piece of plastic with that...Reviews seem good....

[dbHunterNY]

1 hour ago, NockednLoaded said:

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Mountain-Mikes-European-Deer-Skull-Mounting-Kit/742255.uts?productVariantId=1399784&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=02611065&rid=20&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246537&ds_rl=1246540&ds_rl=1247888&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjeXUs6665gIVDRgMCh1l6wKAEAQYASABEgJ_wvD_BwE

 

This is a compromise to what your looking for

 

20 minutes ago, ApexerER said:

I saw that while searching online. I would like to see one in person. I picture the antlers mounted too a piece of plastic with that...Reviews seem good....

i did one once with a 2.5 yr old modest size buck. the skull size and width was big like a fully mature 4.5+ yr old skull. i had to be creative and taper the pedicles out to the edge of the skull at an angle. after 10 yrs of being kicked around where the cap meets the plastic is cracked. still secure and could easily be fixed though. it came out well. I'll try to dig up some pictures to post.

[ApexerER]

26 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

 

i did one once with a 2.5 yr old modest size buck. the skull size and width was big like a fully mature 4.5+ yr old skull. i had to be creative and taper the pedicles out to the edge of the skull at an angle. after 10 yrs of being kicked around where the cap meets the plastic is cracked. still secure and could easily be fixed though. it came out well. I'll try to dig up some pictures to post.

I hadn't thought about that...I am sure the three I would like to mount are 2 1/2 year olds…..

[BizCT]

 

Date and Location for each . No euros

 

 

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[crappyice]

 
Date and Location for each . No euros
 
 
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What’s the story with the bowling trophies?


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[The_Real_TCIII]

4 minutes ago, crappyice said:

What’s the story with the bowling trophies?


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Probably won them by bowling but lets wait and hear...

[NockednLoaded]

4 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Probably won them by bowling but lets wait and hear...

They belong to mookie betts 

[Nomad]

1 hour ago, ApexerER said:

That bottom one on the brick wall is kinda what I had in mind....Did you make that or is a kit?

Guy I used to work with does them, years ago he charged $35, when taxis were close to $90 . Go on a taxidermy web site, they sell pre formed “ leather “ ,  paper  mache  everything you need . My guy uses tanned buck skin , which is a plus as well .

[BizCT]

What’s the story with the bowling trophies?


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Probably won them by bowling but lets wait and hear...

Hmmm. That’s a great question. I’ll have to ask my dad. I thought most of the trophies in his laundry room were from Baseball and drag racing. I don’t recall him ever bowling. Must have been before my time


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[crappyice]

Hmmm. That’s a great question. I’ll have to ask my dad. I thought most of the trophies in his laundry room were from Baseball and drag racing. I don’t recall him ever bowling. Must have been before my time


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Hence it makes for an interesting question - any time you want to replace TCIII from that group chat let me know. He seems to struggle keeping up lately.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

13 minutes ago, crappyice said:

Hence it makes for an interesting question - any time you want to replace TCIII from that group chat let me know. He seems to struggle keeping up lately.


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I bet Im right though

[ApexerER]

47 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

Date and Location for each . No euros

 

 

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Those look nice Biz, I would be happy with that. I would have to angle the way I cut the skull differently to get it to sit flat like that. I don't think that would be a big deal. I cut mine more like the large one and think it look funny just screwed to the plaque like that. Do you have close up of just one of those...?

[Otto]

I like the barn wood look too.  To make the wood look really sharp, clean it gently with a pressure washer, let it dry good and hit it with two coats of satin polyurethane.  It really makes the wood pop out.  

[BizCT]

Those look nice Biz, I would be happy with that. I would have to angle the way I cut the skull differently to get it to sit flat like that. I don't think that would be a big deal. I cut mine more like the large one and think it look funny just screwed to the plaque like that. Do you have close up of just one of those...?

These are a few of mine. I think you mean like the 8pt on the left? That one used to be mounted. So it appears dirty but it’s not. It has 3 holes from taxidermy so I just used one of them to attach to wood.


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[Daveboone]

Fun easy winter project to mount them yourself. 

Find a nice piece of wood/ plaque. trim down the cap to a size to balance the plaque. epoxy/ construction glue a block of wood to the back of it, shaping the wood to roughly conform to the cap, at the angle you want to the antlers to come off the plaque at. For just a couple dollars buy some plaster at a hardware store. Wrap a cutting board/ plank, anything in saran wrap/foil, and position the antlers on the covered board at the angle you want it on the plaque, and form plaster roughly around and under the antlers. (wrap the antler bases first with saran wrap). The plaster sets up rather quickly, but you have about 5-10 minutes, and in this time you are very hands on building an "egg " around the cap. It will be hard enought to work in about 1/2 hr. 

Then you take a coarse file/rasp and sandpaper, shaping the plaster "egg" to the cap size and shape you want. 

For a few dollars you can buy some decent felt at any craft store. this is the trickies.t....roughly cut out the fabric with plenty of excess to wrap the cap, you cut out the antler holes, leaving them small...the fabric stretches. I use contact cement on the plast, pulling it snug around. The loose ends are held in place when you put screws through the plaque to the wood you glued in place.

With a little trial and error , you can easily do a better looking job than what alot of folks pay for. If you dont like it...good news. You take everything down and start again, nothing ruined. Certainly they get better the more you do, but your first job can look great. 

Plaque from Ebay: 5 bucks. Engraved plate for the plaque...about 4 bucks on Ebay....Plaster, 3 bucks for enough for about 8 mounts, felt, 3-4 dollars. I have done my moose and several deer. Total project time is about an hour.

[The_Real_TCIII]

45 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

These are a few of mine. I think you mean like the 8pt on the left? That one used to be mounted. So it appears dirty but it’s not. It has 3 holes from taxidermy so I just used one of them to attach to wood.


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Used to be mounted? I dont understand

[moog5050]

30 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Used to be mounted? I dont understand

Looking at the replacement cape (don't ask) which was slightly more gray than the original drove him so nuts, he dismounted it!

[BizCT]

Looking at the replacement cape (don't ask) which was slightly more gray than the original drove him so nuts, he dismounted it!

 

Had the cull the herd. Replaced the wall space with bigger buck.

 

 

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[moog5050]

1 minute ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

Had the cull the herd. Replaced the wall space with bigger buck.

 

 

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That's a good thing.  I would not ruin the old mount, but to each his own.