Mounting a Goat

[libidilatimmy]

Getting an Antelope mounted to me is hit or miss, personally, and tends to matter more how I felt about the hunt as a whole. I've got a few European mounts of bucks in the 75" range and one shoulder mount of a 79" buck. I'm almost certain that I've thrown away a couple bucks in the 80"+ range as well back when I was a kid as "score" was not even a thought and getting a mount done was too expensive and viewed as not necessary with antelope cause we could run out and kill a big one every year.

I'm with most in that it really doesn't matter on the score of the animal. If you want to remember the hunt for years to come, get a mount done regardless of the size.

 

[tmitch]

I agree with the majority. Score or size doesn't really matter. I am kind of biased as I am a part-time taxidermist, and I am kind of known for my antelope mounts and being an antelope nut. I have 9 antelope mounts in my basement that all watch the Outdoor Channel with me. I love it!!! They range from a 73" buck I made a sweet shot on in MT, to an Idaho Super-Tag buck that I was lucky enough to draw the first year they were available. They are very pretty animals, and make an attractive mount. I love to sit there and remember the hunt, the hard work, and the dedication it took to kill each one. All of them were my pre-scouted "target" bucks, expect for 2. My business card says "Preserving Memories", and that's what it's all about in my opinion. If I waited for an 80" buck, none of them would have been mounted, as I can't seem to break 79 6/8". They are cool critters though!!!

 

[00BUCK]

What an animal scores has become so overrated these days. I think score can be useful when understanding potential for an area, because asking if there are a lot of 6 point bulls does not really tell you much. Hunting magazines and articles that promote score have taken a lot of the joy out of the hunt, since the number now represents the prize.

Also a lot of animals have great eye appeal, but score poorly. In antlered game, like deer and elk, mass plays very little into score yet is one of the most appealing features. I have a bull that is 30 points larger than another bull yet almost everyone thinks the "smaller" bull scores the most.

I agree, our scoring system her is different than in other places of the world. Just because a animal has a higher gross score doesn't mean is has more antler with the b&c system. Other places use the displacement system by dunking the horns in water. The only true way to judge total antler size.

 

[2nasty4u]

I think antelope mounts are awesome. I would agree with what most of the other posters have said. it depends how often you are able to go antelope hunting, but a good starting point for me would probably be around the 75" mark. but if you don't go very often and really want an antelope mount there's nothing wrong with a mid 60's buck on the wall. they all look so similar that if you don't have any other antelope mounts and only have the one buck in the mid 60's on the wall he'll look just fine. if you go out a few year's later and get a 80"+ well that might make him look a little smallish but cross that bridge when you get to it I say. and as always if there is something really special about the hunt or the animal taken, something unique, the size probably doesn't matter. I'm not really a fan of goofy looking antelope though, just never really appealed to me. a lot of guys like them but I say keep it in the circus, ha ha.

 

[WY ME]

Whatever trips your trigger is what you should mount. I've been fortunate enough to kill a few good bucks and have shoulder mounted some of them and skull mounted others. I'm always on the hunt for a big freak and would mount one in a heartbeat but I've only managed to put my tag on two of them. One was a nice 16" I had mounted but my dog chewed the horns off the other buck when I pulled it out of the freezer to thaw.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Well, as they say "Size doesn't matter" Without knocking guys from out of state, I know a guy from Minnesota who (no kidding) has mounted every antelope he has taken. He probably has 30+ heads and 2 full-body mounts, they range from a 6" just ear height to one in the 80's. I also know 6 guys from Louisiana in one party who all mounted their first antelope they took here. None were over 10". And they were happier than heck with them. Beauty they say, is in the eye of the beholder. I don't hunt with a ruler either, takes the fun out of it.

 

[HuskyMusky]

antelope have a few things going for them in my eyes...

if it's your 1 and probably only goat you'll get in your lifetime I'd probably mount it, plus they're arguably one of the prettiest animals in NA.

I think people say 80" but wouldn't hesitate to mount an 78" or 75" etc...

Pretty much everything I shoot I'm going to mount in one form or another, if it's small and special I'd probably just do some sort of European mount.

For the most part if I shoot something it's probably going on the wall.