# Whitetail spread not right on mount



## SalmonSlayer (Jan 18, 2000)

So a couple months ago, I got my whitetail mount back from the taxi...

Looks great, BUT upon further visual inspection...and comparison to the pictures, I realized my spread has been "adjusted". Here's the whole story...back in 1990 when I started hunting for whitetail, I shot a big bodies 8 pt with a 19" inside spread that weighed 180lbs dressed. I was new and young and didn't realize what I'd shot, so I cut the skull plate and did a home-made horn mount. Now fast forward through college and multiple moves and I haven't shot anything bigger to date. So I come upon an equivalent roadkill sized buck (also a nice 8 point that I'd mount anyday but I didn't shoot it). In fact, this is the exact deer that I missed with my bow 1 week prior! So I take the cape to a taxidermist and he agrees to mount my old horn on this cape. I offered a picture of the original deer but he declined saying "I'll make it look right". Well, over the years of moving, the skull had loosened up where the "Knit line" of the bone grew together. When he mounted it, he angled the brow tines inward slightly...but in my pictures, the brow tines are exactly parrallel. This made the 19" spread measure 16"! :rant: 

So I call him and he says he could resoak the hide and cut the epoxy where he "fixed" the rack, and redo the mount...for a fee! BUT I'D RISK THE CAPE BEING RUINED from resoaking it!

Should I have this adjustment done, or leave good enough alone? I guess this mount holds multiple deer hunting memories for me and that's why I'm so concerned about the spread. Looking at the mount, it really does look different from the pictures....but I cannot say "this is a 19 inch inside spread deer" when showing people the mount. It sorta makes me out to be a liar of sorts when bragging. 

Do any of our taxidermists on here have experience in fixing this sort of problem? 

Thanks for any and all advice!

Side view:









Front view:


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## chris_kreiner (Sep 6, 2006)

Can you scan a picture of the picture of the deer after you shot it? Most everything looks relitively close I don't see how it could be off 3", my guess would be that it might be about an inch off.
As far as soaking it and trying again I believe there is some sort of risk envolved though I have not tried this procedure myself. If you can post the original picture after the kill that would help us determine what could have happened.


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## Final Cast (Jul 30, 2007)

chris_kreiner said:


> Can you scan a picture of the picture of the deer after you shot it? Most everything looks relitively close I don't see how it could be off 3", my guess would be that it might be about an inch off.


 Looks about right to me also. We need the original pic for comparison.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

Re-soaking any mount always has its risks! If it bothers you that much then roll the dice. Just know that you could face a total loss until another cape can be found.


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## SalmonSlayer (Jan 18, 2000)

thanks all for the comments...I'll work on digging up and scanning in that old picture....stay tuned....


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## Paul Thompson (Jul 16, 2007)

Depending on how the cape was tanned, or if it ever was, re soaking with a bactericide on leather will be no problem, I have done it several times. Your request is not a hard one, it can be done. However, the picture shows a normal position of the rack to me.


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