Honest replies only please

B

BlackTimber

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I just finished up my elk that I got this year. I made this placque for it. I originaly attempted to make the placque a faux Marble following the directions in the latest Breakthrough magazine.

It didn't turn out and in my frustration I painted it with that "stone" paint.
I'm not sure that how I like it. I mean it looks okay but I'm not sure. Please let give me your opinion on the placque its self and then an over all critique.

Or if you have any ideas.

Thanx. Tim
SidePlacque.jpg


FrontPlacque.jpg
 
Hell, I don't see anything wrong with it. You killed a decent bull and are proud of it. I'd say you should be proud of the job you did mounting it. It's a bit different, but it looks O K to me. Good Job!


Coot
 
Looks good! I am trying to get mine boiled out like that right now. I only hope mine turns out that good.

Bret M.
 
You asked for honesty. I dont like the black color, maybe a different color would look better to me, or just put the really nice looking white skull plate on a piece of natural wood.......... Allen Taylor......
 
The only thing you did wrong was shoot him on opening day and had to quit hunting!
 
I agree with Bura. Anything a lot more "natural" looking would be better. Have you thought of a leather finish? Even a wood with nice grain that matches the color of the antlers would be nice.

Very nice euro mount though. Crisp and white!

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"
 
Bura nut and chef, that is what I don't really like either. It just doesn't look "right" to me. I tried something new and different and it didn't turn out like I thought. Not a big lose, I made the placque from scrap wood so I'm only into it for the amount of the glue and paint.

As far as the skull, it turned out great and I'm happy with that.

Dub, this is the 1st bull (spikes don't count) I have ever shot in 9 years of elk hunting. I wasn't going to let him walk.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!!!

Thanks for the replies.
 
since you asked for opinions: all good but I favor the european style mount, without teeth, that fits flat against tne mounting board. it looks less like a skull, and more like a trophy that way. the tradiional euro mount takes a very careful slice justbelow the nose to the eye sockets, and allows for a flush contact wtih the mounting board. highlights horn, downplays dentition...

in any case, that is one long spell to celebrate, so dont ever forget that rush of emotion when you first realized it is for real, and it did happen, and you earned that trophy!!!

Jameister
 
My take is a little different. I like the plaque and I probably would prefer leather or natural but I think the black looks pretty cool. The only thing that I would change is the white lettering on the bottom. Maybe it's the photo but I think the mount looks classy but the lettering is a little grade school looking. Maybe a small gold plaque with date or something like that instead of the white letters I think would really class it up. Other then that, I like it.

CPSANDMAN
"The Buck stops here...I hope!"
 
maybe it is the contrast that is what you dont like? sharp contrast between the dark plaque and the white skull. I think it looks good.
I done a horn mount of a buck i killed on my dad's farm in mississippi. the wood was some that my grandad had milled on an old circular saw mill back in the 40's and had few peices we found in his attic. I wrapped the skull plate with buckskin from a deer he shot and tanned the hide himself. that made it a trophy for me! point being it is all what you like or makes it special.

Did you bleach the skull or have a someone do it? how do you do that? I have always wondered?
 
I think it looks good.
I like the contrast of the white skull against the black base.
I think the white lettering is distracting and it would look better without it.
 
My opinion is that it should be your opinion.

If it were me, I would get rid of the plaque. Hang it on the wall against the existing wall with no plaque, board, or anything else. I like European mounts that way.

Whoever did the horns and skull did a good job.
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-23-04 AT 10:10AM (MST)[p]What did you do for bleaching? That looks fantastic! I've used peroxide (hair saloon grade) and got good results but not that good! Looks great!

One thing I'm going to use on my archery bull I got last year (2003) is a cross section of an old cedar (about 2 feet in diameter)sanded and stained. Saw a mount with the cedar last year and it was very natural and BEAUTIFUL!

Also, on the one that I have done already (2001 bull), I left the teeth and cut the back of the skull so it layed flat and the antler tips were an inch from the wall. Looks good bu tit is on a crappy piece of wood and will be replaced by whatever I use (Cedar hopefully) for last years bull....

But man I want mine as white as yours!!!!
 
I think when you look up close the marble plack doen't look that bad. It's when you step back had see the contrast of dark brown antlers, white skull, black plack, light brown wall. They just don't go together.

In my opinion....the Euro mount is sweet looking, and it is a long awaited trophy, you should try a different plack if your not sure about it. Every time you walk through that room you want to look at it and say....sweet!

Do you have a different type of wall you could hang it on?
 
The skull itself looks nice. I think it needs a more natural look. If you kept any of the hide you could tan some of it an put it over the plaque and that could be a bit more special than just any leather. I dont know how it would look and sorry if you think its a dumb idea.
Later JonesZy
 
IMO you should glue the ivory's back in, always looks better to me. If your making a ring or something, you can get fake one's but Euro's look better with the browns in.
Travis
 
Thanx for the link chef. I really like the walnut placque.
I like the dark placques with the white skull, I like the conctrast.

As far as euro VS Western style I like the wastern more, personal opinion that is all.

I do have another wall that it will be going on but I don't have that room finished yet.

As far as what I use for bleaching. I use about 1 1/2 quarts of 30% peroxide with about 10 gallons of water. I let it soak over night. But to be honest it's almost this white when I take it out of the pot. They always are. Maybee it is because I change the water out after the first 15 minutes of simmering. If you don't change the water all the grease is floating around in the water and will cook into the bone, or so I have been told.

Maceration works really well but I have close neighbors and the weather isn't right for it now.

Again, thanx for your responces, good, bad or indiferent. I appreciate them all.

Tim
 
Bret and FYI for others.

Do NOT boil a skull if you want it white. That opens bone pores and allows the liquified grease and oils to penetrate the skull and leave yellow stains and odors later on.

Let the meat rot off in water naturally and then dry. Check water often so that no algae grows. Use no bleach until its all clean. Then soak for 15-30 min in about a 25% bleach/water solution to eat any cartilage left. Do not allow the horns or bases into the water or the bleach water.

Let the skull thoroughly dry. Mix up hair bleach and apply to bone. Set skull in hot sun or under heat lamp. Hair bleach is activated by body heat, which a skull has none of. Sometimes you have to bleach, rinse and do over 1-3 times to get really white. Sometimes once is great.

Opinion on the board is I dont' care for the dark color. I'd prefer a natural board. Either weathered barn wood, natural like Oak or Walnut, or put on a gnarly piece of driftwood. But its totally personal.

Congrats on the bull.

Jeff
 
I looks good , different maybe thats why I like it , and I like to use peroxide on my skulls and it does work better to replace the water after a short boil .
If the skull ever gets discolored a rag dipped in peroxide and kept wet will bring out the whiteness again .
My bear and lion skulls after lots of handling have gotten dirty looking and that is how I got them bright white again .
 
I dont like the "black" look of the board either, but I do love your Euro mount and its whiteness/cleanness. I will remember the trick about cleaning the water! (or I'll take it to the beatle guy down the road!)

Congrats on a fine bow bull!
 
If it were me, I would use a piece of Flagstone for the plaque, but then a gain, that is my business.
 

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