So what did you spend on a deer mount this past season?

[First-light]

4 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Why did you boil AND power wash the scull mounts ?

I just skin the raw heads, and then power wash, with no boil.  The best thing about that is, it keeps all the mess and smell out of the house (makes for a happier wife).  I put on a rain suit and do it outside, on a concrete pad.  It hasn't been a problem during deer season, since "global warming" set in hard about 15 years ago.  

Within 24 hours, every last bit of scattered eyeball, brains, and lips is cleaned up by birds and vermin.   The only cleanup I do is rinsing off the rain suit.  The job takes about 45 minutes, start to finish, with a 3100 psi power washer.

Also, by not using any heat, the sculls retain a more natural white look, without applying any bleach.  Boiling tends to turn them an ugly yellow, requiring bleach or a camo dip, etc.  I prefer the "natural" look over any of that nonsense.  

Skulls did not yellow from the boil. My brother did it that way so I followed. The boil took a long time. If I can skip that I will give it a try. Thanks for the info!!!

 

[Gobbler Chaser]

I'm seeing 650 for a shoulder mount by our local taxidermy man. 

[doebuck1234]

$550 for shoulder mount thru local tax

[WNY Bowhunter]

19 hours ago, Jeremy K said:

When it's done the time they say it will be done.

That's a fair answer I suppose. At the end of bow/early gun season I told people I would have their mounts back this year by late summer. Towards the end of gun season I told them by next season so about a year. Most were pleasantly surprised when I got them back to them earlier than I said I would have. Still have a few to go though.

Most people have no concept of what it takes to produce a deer mount. If everything lined up perfectly, I could shoot a deer opening day of bow season, take the hide to be tanned (in early season my guy has had them returned to me in less than a week) and I could have your completed mount back to you by Halloween.  

[BizCT]

@wny bowhunter

Do you also do life size critters? Those are more expensive so that will help too if you do them. Some are 2-5X a deer head


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[Gencountyzeek]

Im paying 600 for my gun buck, pedestal shoulder mount.

[chrisw]

Not a great picture, but I paid $450 for this pedestal mount the year before last. I know the taxidermist really well and he generally gives me a break. I made the cabinet and took it to him. I made it large to accommodate another mount in the future also.

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[Red]

My last shoulder mount was in 2018 I paid $600.

2019. Full fox. $600 or $650

2020. Full coyote $900

[The_Real_TCIII]

That's a fair answer I suppose. At the end of bow/early gun season I told people I would have their mounts back this year by late summer. Towards the end of gun season I told them by next season so about a year. Most were pleasantly surprised when I got them back to them earlier than I said I would have. Still have a few to go though.
Most people have no concept of what it takes to produce a deer mount. If everything lined up perfectly, I could shoot a deer opening day of bow season, take the hide to be tanned (in early season my guy has had them returned to me in less than a week) and I could have your completed mount back to you by Halloween.  

My first buck was killed opening day of archery (10/15) and I got him back from Jim Block the Friday before the gun opener. Its almost 25 years old and still looks great! I know that's not normal, I just happened to be the first one in and he must have felt like working


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[WNY Bowhunter]

3 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

My first buck was killed opening day of archery (10/15) and I got him back from Jim Block the Friday before the gun opener. Its almost 25 years old and still looks great! I know that's not normal, I just happened to be the first one in and he must have felt like working


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He does really nice work and is someone that I'd consider using if I didn't do it myself. 

[dbHunterNY]

Most mounts around here are done by August so I'd expect that to be a fair time span. Also I'm thinking it takes 20 hours per mount factoring in phone calls, ordering forms, and other stuff for the mount. Need to at least get $25 per hour. Cost is about $250. That leaves you with $750 for a shoulder mount. Seems fair.

It'll suck if my road trip works out well and I tag a wall hanger in KY, Ohio, and then in WNY. Good news is I can drop off all 3 with WNYBowhunter. lol problem is I can't drop off deer. There work involved just to leave with them.

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[phade]

7 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

Most mounts around here are done by August so I'd expect that to be a fair time span. Also I'm thinking it takes 20 hours per mount factoring in phone calls, ordering forms, and other stuff for the mount. Need to at least get $25 per hour. Cost is about $250. That leaves you with $750 for a shoulder mount. Seems fair.

It'll suck if my road trip works out well and I tag a wall hanger in KY, Ohio, and then in WNY. Good news is I can drop off all 3 with WNYBowhunter. lol problem is I can't drop off deer. There work involved just to leave with them.

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Best make sure you follow the CWD rules and interstate transport. We see alot (relatively speaking) of checks along the 90 corridor and offshoots during November. Interestingly we saw a few instances of the DEC doing ridealongs with the troopers on 90 in NY. PA had "pull over" check ins.

No brain matter....

Edited August 16, 2021 by phade

[WNY Bowhunter]

4 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

Most mounts around here are done by August so I'd expect that to be a fair time span. Also I'm thinking it takes 20 hours per mount factoring in phone calls, ordering forms, and other stuff for the mount. Need to at least get $25 per hour. Cost is about $250. That leaves you with $750 for a shoulder mount. Seems fair.

It'll suck if my road trip works out well and I tag a wall hanger in KY, Ohio, and then in WNY. Good news is I can drop off all 3 with WNYBowhunter. lol problem is I can't drop off deer. There work involved just to leave with them.

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Your OH and KY deer will have to be caped in the state they are killed in with skull plates removed on site.

[WNY Bowhunter]

3 minutes ago, phade said:

Best make sure you follow the CWD rules and interstate transport. We see alot (relatively speaking) of checks along the 90 corridor and offshoots during November. Interestingly we saw a few instances of the DEC doing ridealongs with the troopers on 90 in NY. PA had "pull over" check ins.

No brain matter....

The DEC dropped in yesterday morning as I was getting ready to start a mount to check my log books for a specific Livingston County deer. I didn't have it apparently...lol

[BizCT]

8 minutes ago, phade said:

Best make sure you follow the CWD rules and interstate transport. We see alot (relatively speaking) of checks along the 90 corridor and offshoots during November. Interestingly we saw a few instances of the DEC doing ridealongs with the troopers on 90 in NY. PA had "pull over" check ins.

No brain matter....

yup. i dealt with that taking my 2019 NY buck to CT for the mount. He made me ensure I was not coming with the brain.

[phade]

26 minutes ago, WNY Bowhunter said:

The DEC dropped in yesterday morning as I was getting ready to start a mount to check my log books for a specific Livingston County deer. I didn't have it apparently...lol

For some reason I'd think that unusual, would imagine those types of investigations happen closer to the season than this far along. But a calendar prob doesn't stop an investigation too often.

I am going to have to learn how to cape the face at some point. I'm fine with slow and steady but man that looks hard lol.

[WNY Bowhunter]

4 minutes ago, phade said:

For some reason I'd think that unusual, would imagine those types of investigations happen closer to the season than this far along. But a calendar prob doesn't stop an investigation too often.

I am going to have to learn how to cape the face at some point. I'm fine with slow and steady but man that looks hard lol.

All it takes is a little practice...

[Swamp_bucks]

So quick question. I can't seem to get ahold of a DEC officer to get an answer.  If I take a good buck in PA this year and want a shoulder mount done by my guy in NY as long as someone down there capes it out skull and all and cuts skull plate off I can bring it back to NY correct?

[WNY Bowhunter]

15 minutes ago, Swamp_bucks said:

So quick question. I can't seem to get ahold of a DEC officer to get an answer.  If I take a good buck in PA this year and want a shoulder mount done by my guy in NY as long as someone down there capes it out skull and all and cuts skull plate off I can bring it back to NY correct?

Correct 

[phade]

18 minutes ago, Swamp_bucks said:

So quick question. I can't seem to get ahold of a DEC officer to get an answer.  If I take a good buck in PA this year and want a shoulder mount done by my guy in NY as long as someone down there capes it out skull and all and cuts skull plate off I can bring it back to NY correct?

I did that in Missouri. Cost me an arm and a leg. Was in a rush and it was the day before our last hunt and the guy had a skill I didn’t lol.

Definitely going to learn this skill. It ate up a lot of time too. Had to drive 35 min each way from our campground. 

[WNY Bowhunter]

6 minutes ago, phade said:

I did that in Missouri. Cost me an arm and a leg. Was in a rush and it was the day before our last hunt and the guy had a skill I didn’t lol.

Definitely going to learn this skill. It ate up a lot of time too. Had to drive 35 min each way from our campground. 

Luckily for you your partner in crime is an eagle scout and he says he's really good at sharpening knives! Lol

I prefer to do all of my caping with a regular old xacto knife.

[Swamp_bucks]

13 minutes ago, phade said:

I did that in Missouri. Cost me an arm and a leg. Was in a rush and it was the day before our last hunt and the guy had a skill I didn’t lol.

Definitely going to learn this skill. It ate up a lot of time too. Had to drive 35 min each way from our campground. 

I called a couple taxidermist down there and to take all measurements cape, take skull plate off they quoted me 50-75.

[First-light]

Brother in law is going back to Iowa this week to get his bow buck from last year. Can't wait to see it. He paid $550 for the mount. 

[9jNYstarkOH]

@WNY Bowhunter do you do euros? If you don’t that may be a good avenue to make some money and let it the beetles do the work if you go full time. For guys that don’t want to spend 650ish for a shoulder mount or one not quite big enough it 50-100 bucks which is manageable for most.

[WNY Bowhunter]

15 minutes ago, 9jNYstarkOH said:

@WNY Bowhunter do you do euros? If you don’t that may be a good avenue to make some money and let it the beetles do the work if you go full time. For guys that don’t want to spend 650ish for a shoulder mount or one not quite big enough it 50-100 bucks which is manageable for most.

I don't actually do them personally, but I do have a guy that I "wholesale" them out to. I only took in a handful last fall.