morley.tyler
Well-known member
I'm of the opinion that the shoulder mounts you want to look at the rest of your life should represent a memorable hunt that will make you smile every time you look at it over the next 50 years.
Whitetail Question - Shoulder Mount or No?
- Thread starter Bombsnbullets
- Start date
That's a great whitetail, but not on par with a 350 bull or 200 mule deer in my opinion.
Cleaning your own skulls is super cheap and easy, and I figure the money I would have spent on shoulder mounts can buy a lot of truck gas and gear for future hunts.
midwesthunter
Well-known member
If you just want to scratch whitetail off your list, then ya. If you want a better then average I would wait. It's a good buck, but I would wait for a 170 plus for what you are trying to accomplish.
npaden
Well-known member
My personal method of determining whether I shoulder mount an animal is if I think that there is a good chance that will be the biggest animal of that species that I will ever harvest.
I would be afraid with a 200" minimum for a mule deer I would never end up with one to mount!
I actually have 2 elk mounted now (309" and 372"), one mule deer (181") and one pronghorn (78 1/4"). Shot a 78 3/4" pronghorn last year that I really thought about shoulder mounting because it was really pretty and had some unique bumps behind his horns, but couldn't justify mounting another one so close to the same size of the one already on the wall.
Still waiting for my first shoulder mount on a whitetail. My biggest is 134". I've kind of set my # at 150" to be big enough to be mounted.
I do european mounts on all the others.
I would be afraid with a 200" minimum for a mule deer I would never end up with one to mount!
I actually have 2 elk mounted now (309" and 372"), one mule deer (181") and one pronghorn (78 1/4"). Shot a 78 3/4" pronghorn last year that I really thought about shoulder mounting because it was really pretty and had some unique bumps behind his horns, but couldn't justify mounting another one so close to the same size of the one already on the wall.
Still waiting for my first shoulder mount on a whitetail. My biggest is 134". I've kind of set my # at 150" to be big enough to be mounted.
I do european mounts on all the others.
SaskHunter
Well-known member
You can always get it mounted later with a different cape. I personally euro mount everything, knowing that I can find a cape and get my biggest one mounted if I change my mind.
KipCarson
Well-known member
Whew! I love setting high goals but anywhere outside of the Midwest will have him dead most likely before that happens! He will need to dedicate some serious time in seriously good whitetail country for that.
Yup. Spent the past 40+ years here in Illinois and my best is MAYBE low 130s. It's the one in my avatar.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
170 WT exist, but are very rare. That's more like a 375 elk. I've lived in IA 12 years and have seen 1 live deer that big or bigger. I've seen two 160 class (one I missed at 15 yards), three 150 class, a half dozen 140 class, and dozens of 130 class.
The deer you shot is a very nice buck - congrats. A 150 WT plus or minus 5 inches would fit in well with a 200 MD, and a 350 elk. Also, I would suggest shooting every legal 140 class WT you come across with no second thoughts.
ida homer
Well-known member
Your pickier than me!
I'd say 330 for bulls and 180 for bucks. I haven't sniffed a 180 buck during season.
PS, nice buck. I'd shoot that buck every day of the week in the northwest. I'd personally mount it, being from southern ID and the little
amount of time I'll spend chasing them in my lifetime. I don't think a lot of midwest guys would spend a grand on it, but to each
their own. Also, I think whitetails make the best euros.
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
For reference, this guy is 150 gross, G2's are a foot tall and bases are over 5" around. The rack does not look small no matter what you set up beside it.
KipCarson
Well-known member
Do they seriously charge a grand in the Midwest to mount a whitetail?! Good grief I live in the wrong place, a shoulder mount around here avgs $500. I only charge $475 for most I do. We only get a grand for something like an elk
ida homer
Well-known member
Not sure about the midwest. I just paid $1,050 for a bull here. seems like $1,000 to $1200 is the going rate for an elk.
I think deer are closer to $750 to $850 here.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
That's a chunk....nice
elkrchr
Well-known member
First off, congrats on a great buck! The cape on that buck looks beautiful and he has mass with some good color on the bases. Like many have mentioned so far, it's really an individual decision and also depends on how much time you plan on devoting to hunting whitetails in the future. I grew up hunting whitetails and have shot plenty of them, some pretty good ones included. Because I already have a couple nice ones on the wall, I would do an European, but again, I focus on whitetails when I'm hunting deer. Again, great buck and let us know what you decide to do.
2rocky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2010
- Messages
- 5,136
I have only 2 shoulder mounts in my home. A P&Y blacktail and a P&Y Tule elk.
The Deer was my first bowhunting kill and the largest I'd killed at the time out of 6 or 8 bucks I'd killed in my life with a rifle. Memorable, unique hunt.
The Tule elk is probably a once in a lifetime trophy. Also a memorable story I wrote up for a magazine now out of print. I framed the story and have it mounted in my office as well.
Were to kill that buck, I'd save the cape, get it tanned and do a euro on the skull. Then a year later I'd reevaluate my decor and make a decision whether to sell the cape or go ahead with the mount.
I traded raw capes from antelope for a discounted euro on my Antelope skulls. I plan to hunt them a lot more...and keeping the hair on those capes is tough...Ironically my daughter says she feels "creeped out" by the Euro mounts.
The Deer was my first bowhunting kill and the largest I'd killed at the time out of 6 or 8 bucks I'd killed in my life with a rifle. Memorable, unique hunt.
The Tule elk is probably a once in a lifetime trophy. Also a memorable story I wrote up for a magazine now out of print. I framed the story and have it mounted in my office as well.
Were to kill that buck, I'd save the cape, get it tanned and do a euro on the skull. Then a year later I'd reevaluate my decor and make a decision whether to sell the cape or go ahead with the mount.
I traded raw capes from antelope for a discounted euro on my Antelope skulls. I plan to hunt them a lot more...and keeping the hair on those capes is tough...Ironically my daughter says she feels "creeped out" by the Euro mounts.
westbranch
Well-known member
I like euros. I will say that everything I have shot is much smaller than the standards people mention for a shoulder mount. Pretty sure I would still get a euro for a 150 whitetail, 180 mule deer and 350 elk. Hopefully I can test myself on that eventually...
Mtrimble
Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2019
- Messages
- 25
If money wasn’t an issue, I always went with a shoulder mount. As I look back at those mounts, as compared to skull caps, it brings memories into sharper focus. I never regretted having those mounts, but I do regret a few that I didn’t. And I’ve mounted Ohio deer smaller than yours.
RuRu12
Active member
There are guys that hunt whitetail their entire lives that will never take a buck larger than 130”. There are also guys that wouldn’t even consider shooting a 130” because they consider it too small. It’s all about where you hunt. That’s a nice looking buck. He would look great on the wall. Unless you’re a full time professional hunter the expectations you’ve set are somewhat unrealistic. A 200” Mule Deer is a pretty rare animal. I know serious mule deer hunters that have spent their entire lives in some of the best trophy mule deer country there is and haven’t ever seen a live 200” deer during an open season. Good luck on reaching your goals.
