antler plaque mount..how to?

[870 expressmag]

i have 2 sets of antlers that were my grandfathers from U.P. Michigan...a 9 pointer and an 8 pointer.....which wood plaques that he cut out for them but never got mounted before he died.....plus i have 3 racks from this year of my brothers, dads and mine that all need to be mounted..a 8 point..7 point..and a 3 point...i don;t like those cheap kits you get with the plastic skull caps.....all the antlers are clean of skin and hair....and the wood plaques are ready to go...what do i do now to make them look like something to be proud of???

[pastor steve]

One of the ways I do for me and some customers in that same situation is find some nice tanned leather and strech it around the skull cap. You can either sew or much easier staple it in the back. And it looks great. I dont like the wlamart cheap easy skull mounts myself. Also taxidermry catologs have some different kits that do work pretty well.

[870 expressmag]

well there is minimal skull there...our butcher cuts em off and some of them have small skull caps....if i get a chance i will take a picture or two and see what ya think

[Buckskin]

Since you have a few of them, I would get yourself a couple lengths of old barn boards with some nice weathering on them, put 2 or 3 together  and cut to whatever length you want then mount all of them together on it.  Put the tanned leather on it as the Reverend suggested.  Then you will have a very nice display that shows off all of your antlers together.  You may need to put some type of filling under the leather to make it look uniform.  A Buddy of mine did this with 3 racks that he, his Dad and Bother shot.  It looks very cool.

[870 expressmag]

that would be a very cool idea...except dad wants his with his others on his office wall...brother wants his at his house and i want mine at my house

[Buckskin]

That would be an awful big board then

[Walk]

What you want is a horn mount plaque or kit from a taxidermy supply house.  They make a plastic cover or a foam piece you mount the horns to and put something over(red velvet ).  I’ve done a bunch of them.  PM me if you would web addresses of what I am talking about.  Very easy to do if your handy at all

[Buckskin]

There are several kits that you can buy.  But a lot of them look pretty cheap.  I have bought several over the years.  Some with the felt covered plastic cap cover, which look terrible.  One that I really like is a plaster mix that goes over the skull cap then covered with felt.  And one that has a brass skull  cap cover that is nailed onto the board.

[Buddy in AK]

870,
I've been working on an idea for mounting racks and they are turning out nice.  I'll try to post a pic soon.  These are an upright mount on a small wood base that can sit on a desk or bookshelf.  I start with an old dry skull/antlers (from Dad's shed with just a small chunck of skull like you mentioned), and clean off any old dry tissue/hair/skin.  I use a dremel type tool with a small sanding drum with fine paper and to go over the skull and make it clean and white.  I figure out what angle to cut the skull base (the part that will sit on the board) so that the main beams will have a slightly upward tilt.  Then apply clear varnish to seal it and give it a low shine and a coat of Old English furnature pollish to the rack if it needs refreshed.  I just happen to have a bunch of old walnut plaques that are about 4 x 6 inches that work well for smaller racks.

Shoot me an Email and I can get you a pic quicker.

Good Luck, Buddy in AK

[Buddy in AK]

Here is a webshot link to the first one I did.

Buddy

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2369083770060997113vzeNVG

[DaveP]

I use the natural hair and hide.
I cut the hide across between the ear butts,forwards to the back of the eyes,along top of eye,then forward another inch or so.Cross cut snout to connect.Skin back to antlers,hold hide out of the way,and saw out skull cap.Drill 3/16" hole thru skull plate bewtween antlers.
Trim bone to size,flesh hide and skull,pry hide from between antler,BUT don't pop it loose at the pedicals.
I punch small holes around perimeter of hide,rub well with Dry Tan (or salt/borax) and work in well.
Sew it up and your done.CAREFULLY punch hide thruogh hole you drilled in skull and insert 3" drywall screw.
PArt hair and tighten BY HAND.It'll never show.
Looks great and takes little time.I did 7 the other night in a couple hours.