Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Antelope Taxidermy/Cape Question

Yea I would hope that I would be contacted and told to buy a new cape if it was damaged. I would gladly buy a new one than deal with a stitch mark.....

Thanks for all the great responses guys.....I really appreciate some conversation about this. It looks like the taxidermist is saying its not different and it might turn into a sloppy battle......this will be my second bad deal with a taxidermist....

Most likely the hides got switched around during tanning or the guy was doing more than one goat at a time and he's not very organized. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Here is a link to another picture of my buck. Its not the greatest but it helps a bit. Its not sized right either and I'm on dialup so I just left the link for ya to look.
2005 Antelope Side Pic

I think I've got another 20 at home and they all seem to point in the same direction. Thanks again guys!

From the side view the black looks more like the mount. Put me in the undecided box.

There is no way to close that tan gap on a mount without some VERY high quality patching. Unless you can feel stitches in the neck in that location I will bet the farm that the cape is a replacement. I've mounted quite a few antelope and will tell you that it is not possible that the tan gap was closed in any other way.

Ranger,
He told me there were no patch jobs or dyeing to the cape, so thats what tipped me off. Where in NE Montana are you? I live in SE Alberta and am down there quite a bit. Some really good antelope hunting down there for sure....

Well its a heck of a nice speed goat either way. Where did you get him?

Stetson,
Got him in Alberta. It takes us residents anywhere from 3-6 years to draw a tag here but there are some nice ones. I passed up some bigger ones looking for a nicely shaped one. This was my first and I'm pretty happy. I think I'll head to Wyoming one day for a hunt as I've heard some really good things about it.

No kiddin ! I honestly didn't know they had them there. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

We actually have some nice antelope hunting up here. Our bucks are usually nice and heavy and score pretty well. In the area I live there were a few 80"+ bucks taken and always seem to have some good trophies around. A few outfitters hunt up here as well and do really good. Our populations arent the best as we're on the northern range of antelope.
Now our deer on the other hand......monsters.....heh

You do indeed have a different cape. Yours is not the first report of such a happening, and it's simply an indication of sloppy tagging, poor record keeping, and careless work. The issue could probably be rectified if the taxidermist truly wishes to straighten things out. Obviously a $ loss for the taxidermist to swap things out if he can indeed run down the where abouts of the original. If he is truly concerned with quality and his image, he would most likely insist that things come back. Given that he attempted otherwise, I doubt he will pursue that route voluntarily. Swapping things out will most likely involve more damage depending on how well the units were glued together. If things can not be straightened out, then I would strongly argue for at least a 50% price break. Sad, because it puts a blight on an otherwise pleasant experience.

1Minute,
Thats the whole problem. It felt so good to be going to get my antelope and now its just a damper on such a great experience.....

Rackmastr: The best thought train might be to just live and let live. Even if things were rectified, your unpleasant dealings will always be in the memory banks and surface with each look at the mount. Switching out the pieces might generate even more problems. The real prize was the experience, and no one can ever take that. The mount is just one of the mementoes. I know lots of fishermen that are happy with a fiberglass replica of the proper dimensions hanging on the wall. You do at least have the original horns. I could probably sleep and forgive if the taxidermist would at least acknowledge the mistake and offer an apology. As plentiful as pronghorn are, few in north America on a percentage basis, ever get to tag one. You have indeed been lucky from that standpoint. That seems like a silly concept to one that might live in Wyoming. If that's you in the photo, you don't appear to be over the hill yet, so another opportunity might still come your way. With one under the belt, the pressure will be off, and you can try to go larger next time. I took one in 1995 after almost 20 years of applying. With our Oregon preference point system in place now, I should be in line for another in 2006 or 7. The wife has two, both of which are substantially larger than mine. I like to think that no one takes their hunting and fishing more seriously than I, and I can imagine that my temper and emotions would be all over the place too. I am getting old though, and do find I am a bit more forgiving. Time, family, and experiences are becoming the real values in life. Things that I view as treasures will quite likely be thrown out after I buy the farm. Take care, and I hope things iron out one way or another. 1Minute

Thats common around here....I've had a few recaped after inhereting a old mount...then again he could have ruined yours and replaced it with as close pattern as he could..either way you got a nice mount...

Who did the work? You got screwed on several fronts.

Chuck

Chuck,
Hey I'm keepin it quiet and not sharing his name until I deal with him in person. I'll be seein him tomorrow and we'll see how things go. If he's good about it, I'll keep quiet, but if things go downhill, I'll be glad to share his name.....
Is that you in the elk pic?????

It is.

If it doesn't, I know a world class taxidermist in the SW corner of the Province that will get er done right. He won't be quick and he won't be cheap, but it will be a work of art when he's done. I wish I had mine to photograph for you, but he's hanging at the folks while I'm in transition.

Chuck

Chuck,
Sounds good I'll let ya know what happens with it.
Trev

Chuck - What is it that you feel is poorly done on the mount by looking at those pics? Aside from the different cape, which isn't as nice as the original and was poorly cared for, I can't see problem #1 for a commercial game head mount (referring only to technique and not the fact that the guy screwed up with the cape situation).