If you only wanted one animal mounted, what would you choose?

[JLS]

Brazilian or North American?

Vegetable eaters.

 

[manitou1]

Bighorn Ram!
I used to have a taxidermy business also, but it took away from my hunting and fishing so something had to give. I usually just do euros on my nice animals but I sure would mount an Argali, Marco Polo, Dall or Stone in addition to a Bighorn ram. Sheep are just beautiful!

 

[sneakypete]

If I could, a shoulder mount Stone ram! Simply beautiful!

 

[blueridge]

Caribou.
The only one I'd get away with in our house would be an oryx. Would go above the stairwell. Such beautiful color variations that a euro wouldn't do it justice.

 

[MarvB]

Goat if I ever got drawn.

Prolly do it in some kind of mount featuring a Stryker Triathlon Tritanium as I’d likely (k)need a new one after.

If not goat then maybe?

 

[bowhuntmontana]

I have two nice whitetail shoulder mounted and don't think I will do more. I like them, but space and fitting the decor is tough, and a euro works just as well for me.

I am thinking about a drake pintail. I know, it is a bird, not a mammal. But dang, those things are gorgeous.

 

[Treeshark]

Drake pintail is a good call- tough to choose between that, drake wood duck and drake harlequin.

If I had to choose above all, it would be a bighorn.

 

[belshawelk]

my favorite mont is my lion with a mule deer. To me it just symbolizes hunter/predator and how life works

 

[OntarioHunter]

When we went to Africa in 2012, I got a really nice zebra stallion. I had them cape it so I could do a pedestal mount and kept the back skin of the cape to get tanned. I realized when we got home that I really don’t have room for a zebra pedestal and never got it mounted. The tanned back skin looks great draped over the electric fireplace. I always regret not getting the whole thing tanned or a flat skin like you mentioned.

Yes. If it was caped for a pedestal that didn't leave much for backskin. I won't shoot a zebra but if I ever did I would only have the backskin done.

 

[OntarioHunter]

A quality mounted wall hanging life size mature mountain lion.

This one uses up surprisingly little space for a full body mount. Daughter did it as a class project. I didn't shoot it.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I have two nice whitetail shoulder mounted and don't think I will do more. I like them, but space and fitting the decor is tough, and a euro works just as well for me.

I am thinking about a drake pintail. I know, it is a bird, not a mammal. But dang, those things are gorgeous.

View attachment 219483

That would be a good choice. Those colors shouldn't fade as much as some of the more gawdy birds. Only bird I would consider is blue goose. Show their backside especially.

 

[Dsnow9]

I have to agree with @wllm1313. I love the look of euros and the only animal that the euro leaves a lot to be desired is the mountain got in my book. Should be getting mine back in the next couple months!

 

[Lilhowie83]

Bighorn ram. I like my deer and elk just Euro mounted and a bighorn ram has been my dream since as far back as I can remember.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I have to agree with @wllm1313. I love the look of euros and the only animal that the euro leaves a lot to be desired is the mountain got in my book. Should be getting mine back in the next couple months!

I have to agree. Goats don't make great euros. Pronghorn are also a bit of a challenge. Either the nose sticks straight out into the room or the horns do (also a problem with muley euros). Generally I prefer the naked look for euro mounts but pronghorn require a pedestal or angled platform.

Here's another critter that doesn't make a great euro. But shoulder mount isn't much improvement.

 

[NDGuy]

Wood ducks are striking

 

[NDGuy]

I'd probably go with a Bighorn Ram or a very nice mule deer.

Seeing that the former is nowhere in sight for me, I'll hope for the mule deer lol.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Full body mountain goat

Good choice.... BTW: you stole my answer....

 

[Mallardsx2]

I already have the one animal mounted I always wanted.

A white crow.

They are a 1 in a million rarity but the odds of actually killing another one would be 1 in 100 million or more.

And I could care less if I ever got anything else mounted in the rest of my life.

 

[glass eye]

Been a taxidermist for 47 years now and I am downsizing. Very tough to let go of some mounts. Adding to the problem is that I'm still collecting and still have projects in the freezer.
As far as adding a new shoulder mount the only one that really inspires me is a Sitka Blacktail in winter coat. The rest of future game heads will have to be Euros.
My most prized shoulder mount is my Tule Elk.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

I have a small house and a wife who is skeptical of hunting trophies. So far I have a Turkey tail fan and a euro of my first buck on the walls. She is coming around and even asked me to do a euro of a duck and a goose for her High School biology classroom.

But I don't think I'll ever do a hair on shoulder mount. Might do a hair on deer hide for over the back of the couch. Will definitely do a hair on hide for any coyote I ever shoot.