I have 2 head mounts and i'd say i prefer euro mounts because you can take the mount down look at it, hold it show it to people. They cost 100 bucks. I can sell my cape back to taxi and get 50 bucks off as well. Shoulder mounts are big come off the wall a good bit. That being said if i shot something huge i would go full body bedded. That's kind of my dream mount. If i would shoot a 170 or so that's what i would do.
I have more euro mounts than shoulder mounts. All the shoulder mounts are 135" and above. Personally I try to not shoot smaller bucks anymore. I guess my personal choice is that if it is big enough to shoot, it is big enough to be a shoulder mount.
Last season (2014), I shot my first 2 bucks that I consider mount worthy. My first was a 100" 9 point and my second buck from that season was a 110" 8 point. Both were mounted because that what I wanted to do. I`m guessing whatever the hunter wants to mount is up to him or her! Whatever floats your boat is what i`m trying to say!
When my dad died a few years back I was left with a pile of mounts that not only did I not have room for, but that didn't "mean" a whole lot to me. Many bucks he killed before I was born or before I was really old enough to be a part of so to me they were simply just deer heads. The same goes for various turkeys, ducks, grouse, etc. I sold the majority of them to various people and kept a few that had any sort of real meaning to me, or were special to him. Having gone through that experience it really changed my feelings on mounts and what's going to happen to mine when I die. Do I want my children to have to deal with potentially dozens of shoulder mounts (hopefully in addition to their own)? Are they really that important in the big scheme of life? Since then I've been a little more selective about the animals that get full shoulder mounts. For this reason I have a few more Euro mounts on my walls now than I did before. They're quite a bit cheaper, take up less room, and are easier to deal with "when the time comes". This year I killed 3 great bucks. The velvet muley and bigger of the two whitetails are being shoulder mounted. I may never shoot another velvet mule deer and the whitetail is my 2nd or 3rd biggest with a bow to date. The smaller whitetail, although a very respectable buck, is now a nice Euro mount hanging in my basement. And he looks great.
Justin I dealt with the same thing last summer when my Dad passed away. I didn't want all of them because of space. I kept two that he shot from stands I hung and my Mom gave the others away.
Maybe that is what he wants. His deer, he can do what ever he likes with it. I know a guy with a 206+ that has the rack just laying in the attic.
I have mounts done for my enjoyment while I'm alive. when I die my kids can get rid of them if they want. I can't expect them to keep them just because they were mine. I hope they have a house full of their own by then. I love reliving the hunt behind each mount I have. my kids will not have the same feelings when they look at them. but hopefully when they look at mine they will think to themselves " boy I would love to have my own mounts when I get older!".
My dad only had two mounts, and 2 racks. I will add them to my collection. I'm having a big gnarly racked old buck he killed mounted
Dan's doing a full body mount. His taxidermist caped the entire skull out instead of just cutting the skull plate off for display purposes while he's waiting. But, now that he has the euro mount, I think his plan is to put a replica on the full body mount and keep the real antlers as a euro mount so people can pick it up and get a feel for it. He's also going to get a replica shoulder mount with another hide to bring to shows with him.
I kinda figured something like this was the case. Speaking for myself...I know this is probably the course of action I'd take too. I have a replica I had done of the big one I let walk and a neighbor killed and I'm perfectly happy with it. The guy did such a good job on it that it looks better than the real mount the neighbor had done of the real buck, lol. Replica's are awesome!
I have room for one more big one. 165 or better. I don't want to leave the wife or kids with a bunch of mounts. Plus it will probably take years to kill one that big. Tim
I euro mounted my first 2 bucks I killed out of the first stand I bought and hung myself with a old knight muzzleloader my dad gave me. I have 3 from this past year being done an odd 5, good 6 and 7 that's my biggest to date. As a college student euros are the way to go fiscally and when u consider moving. I love mounts of any type and can wait until I get one I feel is shoulder mount worthy
It's all personal. Each hunter is different and each deer different. Some have a bigger story to them than inches...some are first deer off a farm...far too many factors to say. Each hunter and each situation is different. For me anymore it's gonna be mounted if I shoot it...however I do like a good Euro as well.
I've never had a buck mounted. Not that I've ever really killed a big one, but even if I did it's just not my thing.
The old clichéd saying... a trophy is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has different standards and hunt in different areas of the country. Where I come from any legal buck is a good buck... anything that measures around 100" plus is a great buck and many do mount. Anything P&Y is at a minimum and is not accomplished that often by most.
I really like the euro skulls and the house is already full of shoulder mounts, so I took to carving the skulls and thats what I do on the side now. Its how I love to display them now. My buck from 2013 My buck from 2014
My first mount was an archery kill on state land that scored around the 150's, I was 17 and had dumb money to blow. My second mount was a buck I shot 2 years ago, on opener of gun, during our first year at the new family property. My second mount scored 126 3/4" which wasn't huge but being the first deer shot from our family property, I had to mount it. Now, after having two mounts done and starting my management hunting journey, I probably won't mount another deer unless it is 155+. All others will become euro mounts.
I like shoulder mounts, but even if I shot a new world record I probably wouldn't get a shoulder mount done.
I would shoulder mount it if it were me, but it's up to the hunter. It would be hard not to just get the skull mount so you can show it and talk about it ASAP. And about burdening my kids with mounts and antlers, I am doing it purposely so they have to spend time dealing with them, it will be a funny joke from the grave.
