How big does your buck have to be for you to mount him?


gobblerroller

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Well, I'll keep the antlers of all bucks I shoot, big or small. Sometimes, I just leave them on a fence post for a year or two, then hang them on the wall of the garage. Nice natural look. Other times, If I think its a rack I want inside, I'll cut the skull cap and mount the antlers on a plaque. I've only ever gotten one head mount done, and I'm still waiting on the taxidermist. I'd only get another head mount done on a deer that is bigger then that. (deer in my signature).

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The answer to your question changes with each season for me. Every buck (except one button buck) I have harvested I at least cut the rack off and mount on a wooden plaque. Sometimes I make the plaque myself.

In 1998 I harvested my largest deer to date. A small, but symetrical 8-pointer. I had a neck mount done.

I really wanted to mount my first buck bow kill in 2002, but didn't have the money and the rack was funky looking.

Then in 2006 I arrowed a 10-pointer: 149 (net) P&Y. The shoulder mount hangs on my living room wall. In 2007 I arrowed another nice buck, an 11-pointer, 156 (net) P&Y: Unofficial Green Score. I am waiting for the taxidermist to get the shoulder mount back from this one.

Currently a deer would have to be a P&Y (125-typical) for me to mount it. Now if I shot a 125-159 class buck with a firearm I'd have to assess my financial status. Any typical deer netting 160 or greater would be a shoulder mount for me regardless of the weapon used.

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I have a nine point which is mounted and have shot some other really nice eight points but have only done european mounts for those. I do this because I don't have the wall space to hang the big mounts or don't want to spend the money to get them all mounted. I would say that it would be up to the hunted and if they wanted to spend the money. Hope your turns out nice!!

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If it's a trophy to you and you want to admire it on the wall for years to come, by all means mount it. I've seen mounts of all sizes. A trophy is in the eye of the beholder.

JMHO but there's no reason for you to try to judge what a mountable trophy buck is for you hunting in Florida by comparing it to what anyone else would mount in any other state. It may be harder for you to kill a 120 class 8 point in Florida than it is for someone in Kansas (for example) to kill a 150 class 10 point.

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My first deer was a broken up 8 point. My dad and I do taxidermy for friends and as a hobby, so you bet we did a sneak mount. The rule we have is plaque mount for everything smaller, and then a full shoulder mount if its bigger. I have alot of room for improvement, but to me, my first buck is definitely a trophy!!!

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I personally have both the bucks mounted that i've shot. One is a little 5 point i shot when i was 13. It was my first one, so i brought it to one of the "cheaper" taxidermists around just to keep the memory on my wall. I shot a pretty decent 10 pt 2 years ago and got that one done for a little more cash. Now i wont shoot a buck unless im going to mount him.

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I have both the bucks that I have killed mounted. The first was an 9 pt. But he only scored around 119.

Second one is my avatar. It is in full velvet. I felt that made it worth while.

I don't feel like I would shoot anything smaller then either of these deer. I'm pretty much done hunting after bow season ends. I will still go out with my bow on occasion during gun season.

I only have room in the freezer for one deer so I try to make sure it is also one that I would feel comfortable mounting.

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i've mounted most of the racks from the deer i've taken. then i engrave the date in the wood plaque. if i was to get the biggest one out of deer my family has taken then i probably would have a head-to-shoulder mount done. that would mean it prolly would just make Pope&Young with a little size to spare. Unfortunately, that's because many of the bucks around here are shot off at 2 1/2 yrs old. if i lived in say milk river, montana then it would probably have to be much bigger.

- Dan

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Any buck that is worthwhile to the shooter to mount should be mounted. I have seen does mounted and even button buck too. The memories that go with the hunt is what mounts remind me of.

Of the 2 good bucks I have taken, one with a bow one with a gun. One became a skull mount and the other I just capped and mounted his antlers to a plaque.

My son on the other hand took a nice buck this past season and I said if he knocked down a good one I'd pay for the mount...I ate my words:rolleyes: Cost me $495 for his mount:eek: It was almost a 100" buck for a 15 year old with a bow! How could I not mount it?

He has the 1st mounted head in the house.

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to me it doesn't matter if the buck i shoot is the biggest one i've ever taken,, for instances last year i hunted this buck hard for the whole season,,i ended up getting him two days before rifle season,, it was an awesome hunt with my 7 year old brother, and because the hunt was so awesome and i got to share it with my brother is the reason why i chose to mount it,,, my sister shot a 7 point her first buck scores 115, just because it was her first buck and i was with her and again it was an awesome hunt,, we have three on the wall right now,, a 140 class 8 point that i shot with my gun,, my sisters 7 point scores 115 shot with a gun and my nine point that scores a little less than 120 with my bow,, its up to you, but if its a hunt of a lifetime then i personally would mount the animal

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If it's a trophy to you and you want to admire it on the wall for years to come, by all means mount it. I've seen mounts of all sizes. A trophy is in the eye of the beholder.

JMHO but there's no reason for you to try to judge what a mountable trophy buck is for you hunting in Florida by comparing it to what anyone else would mount in any other state. It may be harder for you to kill a 120 class 8 point in Florida than it is for someone in Kansas (for example) to kill a 150 class 10 point.

well said!!

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