Let’s See Your Favorite Mount

[JTHOMP]

@TheBenHoyle thread got me thinking it would be cool to see the story behind everyone’s favorite mount.

Here’s my favorite on the wall right now.

I tagged along to a new piece of public land with some buddies. I spent Friday before rifle opener scouting an isolated area only accessible by dragging a boat through the woods, and it paid off. Killed a pig while scouting with shotgun. Opening morning I had a spike walk within 10yds of me while I was sitting on a log, and 20 minutes later killed this 9pt. And the following day helped a friend cut up and pack out his 9pt. Couldn’t ask for a better hunting experience.



A few weeks later I was checking out another new piece of public. I thought I could cross about a mile of floaton by pirogue and foot. I was proven wrong a half mile from where I left the pirogue I hit a spot I couldn’t go any further without completely sinking. So gave up and headed back. About 200yds from the pirogue I found a pretty piece of wood I had to have. Only problem was that it was also serving as a fire ant nest. To get it back I wadded up some moss, grabbed it and ran until I started to get bit. Did that twice until I got back to the pirogue. I didn’t want ants in the pirogue so I tied it to the back and floated it out until I got to the truck.



I boiled the head myself. Someone else could’ve done a better job but I’m good with it for my first tome boiling a deer. I was very proud to have it on the wall but it got even better. When going through my coin cup I found a quarter with the National Forest where I killed the buck. A little bit of super glue and the mount is now complete.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

That’s awesome. Congrats!

 

[Bambistew]

I have a few I really like. This is probably the nicest taxidermy I have, and I made the pedistal.

Here is the story

 

[Oak]

 

[BuzzH]

From the perspective of just the taxidermy, not necessarily the story behind it...this bufflehead is my favorite and I have a houseful.

 

[belshawelk]

 

[2rocky]

I only have two shoulder mounts. My first Archery Deer (a P&Y Blacktail) and a P&Y Tule Elk. Those two are both favorites for different reasons.

My favorite Taxidermy story.
The Deer had a new cape put on it when the original mildewed in storage during a remodel. The taxidermist remounted it for just the cost of the cape. I was going through my divorce and I paid him by buying his chicken feed for him at my store for about 6 months.

My favorite hunting story is the Tule Elk because so few people have had the opportunity to hunt them.

 

[noharleyyet]

Not my favorite but latest...and it likes this spot

https://flic.kr/p/2imAUHu

 

[Bambistew]

This buck is also pretty special for me. Taken in a spot that no one would seriously consider a trophy area. Spent about a week hunting before I found one I wanted, saw another in the same class. The best part was after about an hour and a half stalk, and walking right up no him at about 80 yards in the trees, I still didn't know just how nice he was until I pulled his head out of the snow. Blew out a backpack strap packing him out of the hole he died in. One of my first solo out of state hunts, in an area I'd never set foot in, etc. etc. E-scouting in 2002 was not what is is today. haha

The eland on the back wall was a fun hunt as well. 4 days of failed stalks, not getting shots at 20-30 yards in the trees a couple times, trying to sort out bulls/cows until, finally running into a lone bull one evening. The ram was a fun trip. we killed two nice rams that trip, had about 40 miles of meat/camp packing including 4 glacier crossings. Fun to relive memorable hunts through mounts hanging on the wall.

 

[Jape]

Dall sheep may be the best looking mounts I have ever seen. @Bambistew and @Oak have some neat ones.

I like all my mounts cause they each mean something special, but the one I just completed to remember my grandpa may be my new favorite.

Project to remember Grandpa

I’ve had some extra time on my hands during the pandemic and thought it would be fun to do something to remember my grandpa who was instrumental in my love for the outdoors and hunting. This is the last deer he got on his last hunt. He saw it in early July in the foothills near our ranch. By...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[npaden]

Actually a pretty hard decision for me between my 2013 Wyoming Elk and my 2014 Wyoming Mountain Goat. I think I will go with the elk as my favorite.

Here is the original hunt story with lots of pictures - https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/my-2013-wyoming-elk-hunt-the-novel.256293/

Here's the finished mount:

Mores pictures of it here - https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/2013-elk-finally-back-from-the-taxidermist.262942/

 

[TheBenHoyle]

@TheBenHoyle thread got me thinking it would be cool to see the story behind everyone’s favorite mount.

Here’s my favorite on the wall right now.

I tagged along to a new piece of public land with some buddies. I spent Friday before rifle opener scouting an isolated area only accessible by dragging a boat through the woods, and it paid off. Killed a pig while scouting with shotgun. Opening morning I had a spike walk within 10yds of me while I was sitting on a log, and 20 minutes later killed this 9pt. And the following day helped a friend cut up and pack out his 9pt. Couldn’t ask for a better hunting experience.

View attachment 134995

A few weeks later I was checking out another new piece of public. I thought I could cross about a mile of floaton by pirogue and foot. I was proven wrong a half mile from where I left the pirogue I hit a spot I couldn’t go any further without completely sinking. So gave up and headed back. About 200yds from the pirogue I found a pretty piece of wood I had to have. Only problem was that it was also serving as a fire ant nest. To get it back I wadded up some moss, grabbed it and ran until I started to get bit. Did that twice until I got back to the pirogue. I didn’t want ants in the pirogue so I tied it to the back and floated it out until I got to the truck.

View attachment 134997

I boiled the head myself. Someone else could’ve done a better job but I’m good with it for my first tome boiling a deer. I was very proud to have it on the wall but it got even better. When going through my coin cup I found a quarter with the National Forest where I killed the buck. A little bit of super glue and the mount is now complete.

View attachment 134999

That's an awesome story. Thanks for the shoutout.

 

[Edwin]

 

[DownHill]

@TheBenHoyle thread got me thinking it would be cool to see the story behind everyone’s favorite mount.

Here’s my favorite on the wall right now.

I tagged along to a new piece of public land with some buddies. I spent Friday before rifle opener scouting an isolated area only accessible by dragging a boat through the woods, and it paid off. Killed a pig while scouting with shotgun. Opening morning I had a spike walk within 10yds of me while I was sitting on a log, and 20 minutes later killed this 9pt. And the following day helped a friend cut up and pack out his 9pt. Couldn’t ask for a better hunting experience.

View attachment 134995

A few weeks later I was checking out another new piece of public. I thought I could cross about a mile of floaton by pirogue and foot. I was proven wrong a half mile from where I left the pirogue I hit a spot I couldn’t go any further without completely sinking. So gave up and headed back. About 200yds from the pirogue I found a pretty piece of wood I had to have. Only problem was that it was also serving as a fire ant nest. To get it back I wadded up some moss, grabbed it and ran until I started to get bit. Did that twice until I got back to the pirogue. I didn’t want ants in the pirogue so I tied it to the back and floated it out until I got to the truck.

View attachment 134997

I boiled the head myself. Someone else could’ve done a better job but I’m good with it for my first tome boiling a deer. I was very proud to have it on the wall but it got even better. When going through my coin cup I found a quarter with the National Forest where I killed the buck. A little bit of super glue and the mount is now complete.

View attachment 134999

That is to cool, great job!

 

[1_pointer]

View attachment 135010View attachment 135011View attachment 135012

So glad you decided to keep the nose that way! IIRC you had debated on having it "fixed".

 

[AlaskaHunter]

My hunting mentor has over 100 in his house...in fact he designed his house around a big trophy room.
My favorite of his are the 4 North American sheep.

I have none...I nailed some antlers outside to the barn/woodshed/cabin and have sheep horns down in the basement.
Probably make a coat rack with the sheep horns.
I did have a horn from my first ram carved. Cost me $700 back in the 1990s.

 

[LuketheDog]

This was the first good buck I killed, I love the chocolate-colored antlers, probably the only shoulder-mount deer I'll ever have done though...

 

[dwatling]

Anyone who has applied for oryx in NM knows it takes years to draw. But NM sets aside 5 tags for each hunt code for returning Iraq/Afghanistan veterans which makes it a little easier to draw. I drew my first year ever applying. Which frustrated quite a few people on the hunt who had been applying 20+ years. The hunt was pretty uneventful. Spotted a group of 80 oryx, picked the biggest one, put her down, loaded in the truck and headed home within 4hrs. The hunt was special because it was the 1st big game hunt I got to do with my dad who hunted growing up but never was able to take me hunting growing up because of work. My taxidermist knocked the mount out of the park adding the American flag to commemorate my service and having drawn the tag as a veteran. Best talking piece in my house and always the first thing I show off.

 

[JEL]

This would be mine. My son caught it using a $10 pole and a worm. 15.8 lbs

 

[ashersdad]

Wow! You all have some beautiful mounts. I have several that are special but I do love my bear.