Do I Need a New Taxidermist?

[NEWHunter]

Looking for your opinions. Near as I can tell, the mount is hung with top of the head close to level. The buck’s left side might be a shade higher than the right. I know what I think I’m seeing. What do you guys see. Let me know if you want more photos taken during the day time.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I see it but maybe he was born that way? Any game cam or harvest pics?

 

[Nick87]

Yah his left eye sure looks low in the pics.

 

[redwoood]

Coombs form?

 

[EYJONAS!]

I think it's hard to judge any taxidermy unless it's staged and photographed in the right light. Left eye could be off a bit but the mount placement and the lighting make it tough to really see.

If your unhappy with it initially, then now is the time to have him or her fix it. Rehydration is a hell of a lot easier now than down the road.

 

[NEWHunter]

 

[NEWHunter]

It’s my son’s first buck. It seemed a bit off when I first hung it but I just figured it was because I had it aligned wrong on the wall. He noticed something tonight and asked what was going on? I said one side of his antlers has longer tines than the other. He says no, his eyes.

I measured it up and near as I can tell, that left eye sits 1/4 inch lower than the right.

Am I being too picky?

 

[NEWHunter]

Coombs form?

I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure it was through McKenzie.

 

[Art Vandeley]

Looks fine to me

 

[KipCarson]

I personally think you’re being too picky. Compared to many many mounts I see that people post around the web that one looks good. But at the end of the day if you’re not happy that’s really what matters I guess. As someone who has done taxidermy part time for 20+ years I would say the eyes are level and for some reason the antler base is raised a hair too much on left side, but based on a couple pics that’s hard to tell exactly. Unless it’s a really crappy form the eye sockets are pretty spot on, but you can set the antlers wonky pretty easily.

 

[KipCarson]

In the kill picture, it looks like the deers left side sits significantly shorter than the right side, I think he probably cheated it a tad when he was setting the antlers on the form so it did not look so far off balance, but it had the opposite effect of making you think one eye was sitting too low.

 

[Nick87]

In the kill picture, it looks like the deers left side sits significantly shorter than the right side, I think he probably cheated it a tad when he was setting the antlers on the form so it did not look so far off balance, but it had the opposite effect of making you think one eye was sitting too low.

I'd have to agree.

 

[Hunter4Life78]

I'd have to agree.

I'm right there too. Kill pic looks to be low on left side.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Man, seeing the kill pic I have to agree… looks low there too. So after seeing that, the mount looks very accurate to me.

But honestly, my first thought on your original post was that it was a great looking mount, fwiw.

Deer are a lot like people…we think we’re all perfectly symmetrical but in reality, that’s just not true.

 

[BackofBeyond]

I think what your eye is catching is that the eyes and antler bases aren’t parallel.

Draw a line through the center of the eyes, and another line through the antler bases - they’re skewed.

Like said above, I’m guessing your guy Cheated that left side up a bit to keep the antler tips even, but it throws everything else off just a bit.

 

[NEWHunter]

I think what your eye is catching is that the eyes and antler bases aren’t parallel.

Draw a line through the center of the eyes, and another line through the antler bases - they’re skewed.

Like said above, I’m guessing your guy Cheated that left side up a bit to keep the antler tips even, but it throws everything else off just a bit.

Yeah, here’s a daylight photo with my best attempt to level the eyes. Certainly looks like the left side of the rack was cheated up

 

[mevertsen]

Looks good to me.

The deer has a lopsided head in the after shot pic.

 

[Oak]

It looks to me like the skull cap wasn't attached level, as suggested above. Could just be the angle of the photo.
The vast majority of people who look at it will never notice. Unfortunately, now that you have, you will never unnotice it.

 

[redwoood]

I only asked about coombs because they are notorious for being off symmetry wise.

Pedicles/burrs aren't always symmetrical.

 

[NEWHunter]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I’m asking because my daughter’s first buck is in the freezer right now and I was wondering if I should go back. The guy is also trying to ease in to retirement and at some point in the near future I’ll need somebody new - I hope.