I was reading an article in NAW about the Dan Coffman buck, a giant non-typical killed last year in Ohio that scored 287 5/8. From the two pics accompanying the article it looks like this fellow only had a euro mount done on this giant buck! They say this is the second highest scoring whitetail ever killed with a bow, wouldn't you think he'd have gotten a nice shoulder mount done on it? I'm sure it's not a money issue, because it was killed on a property he leases. So, what does a buck need to have/look like for you to get a mount done? Does it need lots of points, tall tines/brows, a dark rack, double throat patch, thickness, freaky points/stickers, ect? Or, does it just need to be bigger than your last buck? This last requirement is what I go by. I think it'll be interesting to hear what drives folks to the taxi.
I am going to guess you are going to get a lot of different answers. Hell you could get a lot of different answers from one hunter if you asked that question a number of times over the years. When I was younger if we shot a buck that was around P&Y we mounted them. That has increased over the years, I don't have a number but what I do know if I shoot a buck he is going on the wall. If he isn't big enough to mount I am not shooting him, personally I would rather use my tag on a doe in that case.
I normally don't mount a buck unless it's bigger than my best (bow or gun), so I've only got 2 mounted, lol. But a friend of mine talked me into mounting last year's buck because it was so unique. He's going to mount it for me. I must agree with him in that I've never seen a buck anything like it, and probably never will. It was a big bodied/old buck too. Will be a cool mount.
My biggest (198") is a euro. My second biggest (173") is a shoulder mount. It is my first bow buck I killed in 99 that I just had mounted this fall. The rest of my P&Y bow kills are euros. I like a well done euro on a skull hooker about as good as a shoulder mount. Take up less room and less maintenance
I have four shoulder mounts on my wall and I don't want very many more. I would say a bow buck needs to be at least 140" and gun buck 150" for me to think about doing anymore full mounts. But how good the buck looks and the experience of getting it will also play a part in the decision.
He probably just did a euro mount until his taxidermist is ready to mount it. That's what I do, so you can show it off for awhile. The taxidermist doesn't need the rack til he goes to do the final mount.
If it's big enough for me to shoot, then it's big enough to mount. I may throw in a few euros here and there, but I love shoulder mounts.
Not 100% sure but if I had to guess he did a euro just to bring it around and show it off, plus with a deer that big he maybe getting molds done to get replicas made who knows. But a euro looks nicer when you know youll be bringing it everywhere and it would talk forever to get mounted. Just what I think he maybe doing. I'm all about uniqueness of a buck, doesn't have to be the biggest on the wall for me to mount. I have deer that score more on a euro then a few I have mounted. Now granted I kill a huge buck scoring over 140ish it'll most likely make the wall lol
Pretty sure he is getting a full body done later. I think he said on Facebook that he's gonna have something made.
Never shot a whitetail big enough to mount. I only have a black bear and a Red Stagg mounted. I always figured that for me a deer would have to be a 150 class deer to mount. Someday!!!!!!!!!!
I personally love having mounts in my home. I too along with many of the others above will only shoot a buck if I am going to mount it. I always ask myself if I will mount the buck and if the answer is no then he will get a pass. My first decent buck was a European mount but that was due to not having the money at the time to do a shoulder. Everything I get done now is a shoulder mount
I would say a lot of what is on our walls wouldn't even be considered for mounting to most people. The only reason we have so many things mounted on the walls (deer, turkeys, ducks) is that my boyfriend's dad is a taxidermist so we help with our own mounts and just have to pay for the forms.
I've got a mid 140's 10 point, a mid 130's velvet 12 point, and will have the unique 8 point later this year. I also have my wife's first buck, a small 8 point. I also had my first buck mounted, a small 11 point, but I gave it to a friend to put in his hunting cabin.
I have two bucks mounted. The very first buck I shot with a bow and the second is my first buck with my new bow. Each buck has a story. Special to me, so they deserve a mount.
