Now what do I do?

I got my antelope and he was good enough to have mounted. I'm generally not a trophy hunter but I was hoping for something better than average on my muley hunt this year. Problem is, I can't afford to have it mounted what with my antelope and all. My backyard is a bucks only unit, so either I hunt further from home, so I can take a doe, or I shoot a mediocre buck that could have grown up to something respectable? Working a full time job, plus owning a seperate business that is just too busy as is, time is way too short you know?

As if I didn't have enough to worry about, things like this come along grrrr!
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GPWDeer
just shoot a huge buck and sell something on ebay to pay for the taxidermy. Worry about it when you get there. You may not even see a big enough buck to shoot. If you don't it looks like you will still have some freezer meat from the goat.

Just my $.02.

GPWDeer
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lifetime hunter
Congrats on the lope!

but if ya do get a big ol' deer... I would recommend taking it to the taxidermist and have them cape it out for ya and pay to get the cape tanned... then when ya get the money for the mount... you will have the original cape to go on your deer!

or most taxidermist only require a deposit on your deer..and most won't have it done for 9-12 months...so maybe by then you will have the rest of the money to pay for the deer mount...
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Don't worry about the taxidermy. Cross that bridge when you come to it. Like lifetime hunter said, you can always tan it and have it done later. If you see a toad, shoot him!!
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MuleyMadness
If you get and BIG one and don't have it mounted, you'll regret it maybe. Be frugal somehow and save some pennies. :)
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callofthewild
first things first you need to kill the big ole muley buck. not as easy as it sounds. but if you are able to kill a big one take lifetime hunters advise.
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lifetime hunter
"MuleyMadness" wrote:If you get and BIG one and don't have it mounted, you'll regret it maybe. Be frugal somehow and save some pennies. :)
 Very True!! I shot a big one when I was 18 and didn't have enough money to mount it... and regreted it!... so I ended up getting him mounted a few years ago and had to buy a cape and it just looks funny to me! looks like a doe (???) very very small neck! that's why I recommend if nothing else get the cape tanned! so you don't have to buy a new one that looks funny! :nono:

Good luck and let us know how your hunt goes!
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Good advice.
I shot a 180 4X4 back when I was first married and didn't have the $ to get it mounted. My buds told me to get it done and if they had to they would pay for the mounting.
I took it in and 9 months later it was done. And I had come up with the cash.
It's a good thing too, because I have never shot anything even close, bow or gun.
So go shoot a MONSTER and take it in. It'll all work out.
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79Ford
Ditto to everything that has been said, however if you really dont have the money to even have the cape tanned then make sure to take good measurements so that in a year or so when you have sufficiently kicked yourself for not having it done, you can make sure your taxidermist gets a cape that will look most like your deer. Nothing looks more out of place than a nice big rack and a tiny little neck. To be most realistic you need your own cape, but with the right measurements, the right cape, and a good taxidermist nobody will know the difference.

I know what it's like to not have money for the taxidermist, but I also know what it's like to eat pb&j sandwiches for a few months to help save the money. Trust me it's worth it. You will never regret having it mounted, but I guarantee you will regret not having it mounted.
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shoot the big buck and have it europen mounted. it's cheep and you could do it at home. no need to sell it on ebay.
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NONYA
I prefer to do europen muley mounts,i like the way they look on the wall.I have a few deer mounts that my father shot back in the 80s,they are falling apart and look like crap,waste of several hundred dollars.
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What is a europen mount?
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MULEY7MM
A european mount is the skull and horns with the skull bleached i have a few like that and i like then you can do it your self and alot of the taxidermy shops will buy your capes from you so you could get the materails for the european for free
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Default Avatar
Okay, I'll probably catch some flack for this response, but I'm gonna post it anyway..............Are you kidding me?? This is a problem?? I consider myself lucky just to have drawn a tag. Just to have the oppertunity to go hunting another year regsrdless if I get one or not. Heck, you've already got a wallhanger this year with your lope. I'm sorry, but this doesn't sound like a problem, and if it really is, stay home. Then you won't have to worry about the expense anyway.............
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NONYA
Mounts round here run 450,for 450 i can buy a brand new rem 700,easy decision for me to make! :222
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Snake River Marksman
I don't know what I'd so with another rifle, I barely have enough time to shoot the ones I have now. With no kids to pass them on to, there isn't much point in collecting them either.
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