Well the buck I killed this past Saturday had a G3 broken off. I thought nothing of it other than that stunk. When I dropped him at the Taxi yesterday, he asked if I wanted him to fix the missing point. If it were a small point I wouldn't do anything about it, but it has a large base the same as the opposite side in diameter and that other G3 is 8" long so it was a substantial point.
I am having mixed feelings. What say you?
Personally, I'd leave it the way it is. If it were record book eligible, the repaired tine would disqualify it. For my own display, I'd look at it as an example of bucks fighting. I think it's kind of cool.
The only buck I have mounted had 2 broken points. I had one fixed (the longer one). I'm glad I did. But that's my personal opinion. Congrats on the buck buddy!
I would say fix it or leave it. haha. I don't know. I kind of feel like you should leave it how it is, how you took the animal.
But then again, i see nothing wrong with fixing it.
Do whatever you desire, you will be pleased either way!
TJ,it's entirely a personal thing.If it was there before and the rack isn't going for official scoring,I personally like to see them restored to their former glory.There is no right or wrong to this.The taxidermy mount is just a representation of the animal you harvested.You just need to decide if you want him represented as he was before or after the break.
I'd leave him just the way you killed him!
If you have trail cam pics with it on I would fix it. With that said, my best buck is all gnarly and broke up.
Whatever you want, do it. You need to be proud of the deer looking at it, and unless you enter the deer into the books with the repair (bad boy), make it look good . I might have the repair done, myself. The book had its place but means nothing to me now.
ChuckC
Me personally I leave'em the way the woods gave'em to me. I feel it tells part of the story. I have two deer with breaks mounted and my moose with a hole through one his palm from another bulls brow tine.
Even supermodels get a little nip and tuck :) I killed a 160ish whitey awhile back with a broken G1. I had it fixed and "restored" to his prerut glory. Love it :campfire:
I agree with everyone else that it is strictly your personal choice.If it was me I would have to leave it the way I shot it. The taxidermist that I use goes through a lot of trouble not to disturb any moss or dirt the rack has on it when I bring it in...Congratulations on killin one to hang on the wall....BeauJ
Score doesn't mean anything to me either. Its simply a way to understand what a rack looks like. They are all special, I don't need it to appear in a book to confirm that for me. What I like about a mount is that every time I look at it, it flashes back all the memories of that day for me.
Steve, I don't have any trail cam pics of him. If I did I think that would make it an easier decision (for me) to make him the way he was.
Your call-I would restore-Hap
Tom,
I think I would fix it, but it is up to you.
He will make a nice mount either way.
Charlie
If it was on when I shot it I might fix it, if not I would leave it off because that's the buck I shot.
I had one center punch a tree once. I had it repaired.
I'd fix it!
You shot him and drug him through the Woods.. Do what makes you smile the widest looking at him on the wall...
I'd say no. leave it just the way you killed it.
I had a kid ask me to repair (rebuild) a whole side that was busted off of a buck he killed. I said no, that aint what you killed.
I say no. The buck died as he made himself. Now, if it were late season and the antlers fell of on the run or something I would probably feel differently!
heck of a question. no wrong answer either..
I have a kudu with the last 9" of his 54" left horn broken off. When he taxi asked me if I wanted him to fix it, I told him, No Way! I want him mounted just the way I shot him!
It just would not be the same to me to have something like that "fixed"!
Bisch
Personally I would leave it but I have seen repair work done and they can do an outstanding job of it.
Here is one I killed that busted up a day before I killed him. I have the trail camera picture mounted with the euro mount so I have the best of both worlds.
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/1298940390.jpg) (http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/cjohntalk/media/1298940390.jpg.html)
I've never had the extra cash to have one mounted. Full disclosure in my opinion I haven't shot anything big enough to justify the expense.
But if I was able to spend the money, I'd want the taxidermist to fix it.
I would not fix. Get what you got on the wall you will remember the fix up more than the kill. :banghead: and this come out in your stories of the hunt.
If he broke it off on his final dash after taking your arrow I'd fix it. If not I'd leave it. Great buck regardless of what you do and the missing tine makes him unique.
I'd have it fixed. He deserves to be displayed in all his glory. Great buck.
I wouldn't fix it. He didn't have it when you shot him so why out it back on!
I'm in the no camp.
Your call man.
But if you think about it some on here are saying leave it the way you shot it. I get that,but when you have a deer mounted it a foam form so you don't have the original skull or muscle structure eyes etc....Just the cape and antlers. Are of you deer.
I don't know what I would do either. I'm sure you could get it mounted as is. If you change you mind later you could ask if he could then fix it.
Or get it fixed and have an original pic next to it.
Good luck with you descission.
Personally I mount them as I took them. Be proud of the way you where blessed with him. Wether ones broke off or all of them are broke, if it's a spike or a 6x6 be proud of your kill anything else is unjust to the animal, IMHO.
Any way you choose post a pick cause we'd all love to see it and congratulations I'm sure there will be enough of us who end the season this year wishing we had your dilemma hahaha
If I thought the taxidermist could do the job and make it look real, I would not have a problem in the world with fixing it. That's just my opinion, that and 50 cents will get you a Coke. :)
Dont fix it. I did it once and regret it everytime I look at it
doug77
I've given this a lot of thought over the years (in case I ever had to make the decision)...I would have the points fixed every time. (Unless it was only chipped or something, I wouldn't) but if a whole point was missing...you bet:)
It is a person decision and there is no right or wrong, but if it was mine if it didn't have it when I killed it it wouldn't have it on my wall.
Wow, looks like about a 50-50 mix. Interesting!
Kopper1013, You are right, it's a good dilemma to have for sure. Interested to see where everyone stood on it though so thought I would ask.
Unless it broke off when he fell after I shot it and I recovered the broken portion, I would leave it alone.
Without the "before" pic, I'd leave it like it is. Seems kinda like making it and not fixing it if you don't have the pic.
But hey, I'm sure it'll look great either way. Congrats on a nice deer!!!
DD
Even though you don't have a pic, it's obvious what he looked like and I think you would enjoy him on your wall looking his best. I say fix him.
Wait... if you don't fix him, you will view him just as he was when you shot him. A true trophy! I say leave him!
Wait... I don't know! :dunno:
Well my brother said photoshop it back on and maybe that will help you decide. Good idea Bro! What do you think now? By the way I love this pic. Moe and I are having a moment! Haha.
(http://i58.tinypic.com/20shpus.jpg)
You thought that buck was good enough to shoot the way he was. That was his character , I would leave it , that's what makes him different from all others. He my have lost his poins in a fight , what ever happend to him ,it was a story about his life. Now you have a chance to honor him the way he was! Just my thought.
You thought that buck was good enough to shoot the way he was. That was his character , I would leave it , that's what makes him different from all others. He my have lost his poins in a fight , what ever happend to him ,it was a story about his life. Now you have a chance to honor him the way he was! Just my thought.
I would ask if he could mount it as removable. Formed to slide on top of a small hole drilled where it broke off. You wouldn't even be able to tell unless looking down on the rack. Good conversation that way. Never heard of this but seems possible.
Tom,
I still say fix it, why rob the buck of the full display of what he originally grew just because it was broke when you shot it. We are not talking about trying to add "inches" but rather giving the deer full credit for what he grew as he is proudly displayed on your wall.
However, I can fully understand if you chose not to fix it. Let us know what you decide and why.
Charlie
Leave him, that's how he was when harvested.
Puddle jumper has a neat idea though.
Well he definitely looks better with it fixed but I still wouldn't do it.
TJ,
When I first read your post I thought you actually dropped the buck and broke it yourself when picking up your deer mount..I then re read it and realized I read it wrong...Hey you never know you just may find that broken tine roaming the woods and if not no big deal..I have seen many bucks that were mounted with broken tines and to me that ads character to it and shows he was a "FIGHTER" or the hunter that killed him accidently dropped him... :p
KTJ - what you have there is a "high class problem" I am joking but serious all the same. Kind of like having to much money or something. I know you have great respect for the critters you hunt and for me that is all the matters - beyond that the decision is yours. I am quite certain you will be happy with either choice.
Great buck BTW!!
I haven't read all four pages, but, can the taxidermist make a removable tine repair with a micro magnet setup? Leave the rack as-is except make a replacement resin tine with a steel insert. Dremel a hole in the rack to insert one of those super strong yet small magnets that would be hidden from view when hung on the wall. Take it off and put it back as needed to tell the story.
Viola!
After seeing the photo touched up...it affirms my decision to fix the point.
I leave him just the way you got him...makes for a better story anyway plus gives the buck character. If his tine broke off from fighting another buck, that other buck must be a bruiser...worth going after.
Sitting in my stand yesterday I was thinking about your dilemma. I thought it was a silly idea at first but as I thought about it I began to really like the idea if possible to make the repair where you can easily remove it to how it looked when you shot it. Bud B. mentioned a micro magnet . Which would be neat because like he said you could have it both ways.
Leave it
May merely only suggest the option which provides you personally the greater satisfaction.
The choice is yours and yours alone.
If he was mine, I would leave him like I shot him. However, he is yours, not mine.
QuoteOriginally posted by Mr. fingers:
Sitting in my stand yesterday I was thinking about your dilemma. I thought it was a silly idea at first but as I thought about it I began to really like the idea if possible to make the repair where you can easily remove it to how it looked when you shot it. Bud B. mentioned a micro magnet . Which would be neat because like he said you could have it both ways.
I threw this idea by my wife she disagreed whole heartily. She said she would leave it!
Maybe she's right.
Absoute personal decesion. I myself would leve it just the way you killed him. You'll have great stories to tell. Best of Luck. AJ
I would leave it. That is just my 2 cents.
TJ - I was in your exact shoes recently with my "Other Side of the Rainbow Buck"... Link: http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=123089#000000
My buck had broken off the larger portion of his Left G2, which by mass comparison to his Right G2 would have made it the longest tine on the whole rack... This break was so fresh it looked like someone had knocked it off with a hammer or had been dropped on concrete by "accident"... Not very appealing. I noticed something peculiar before I shot him, otherwise Ben and I would have been looking for this tine along his short death run... My immediate thoughts were to have him fixed as I didn't want to stare at the pristine clear white pourous break forever, plus I wanted to see him in all his splendor! I thought long and hard over this, just like you're doing. I have no trail cam pic to reference, only that it was a very typical rack and this G2 "should" be longer than the other G2 and the longest tine of the rack! Merely a guess and what might have been. Ultimately, I decided there would be no risk of regret leaving him the way God delivered him to me, a blessing far more than I deserve, a gift provided as intended which filled my cup with nothing I could do to improve... The gift was perfect, and I'm very happy I didn't try to "fix it"... The decision is personal, and it's a preference. As long as the "reasons" are reconciled in your own heart & mind, there is no wrong decision with this. If you're unsettled, leave it as is until you are settled... It's easier to fix with the rack not mounted yet, but it can be done after its mounted and later on should you decide that's best for you. There is risk with having it fixed, both in regret and it can lead to collateral damage to the main beam, as no surgery is ever "risk free"... Just my two cents, and it's definitely offered in humility as one man's experience/thoughts going through something similar. Happy for you on a wonderful harvest! Well done, and Praise God for it all... It will be awesome no matter what you choose!
I think you kind of made your decision by your second post! If it is to relive the memory there is no reason to fix it! A broken tine is part of the memory!
I'd have the taxidermist fix the broken point but make the repair obvious. Maybe just leave the repaired area a slightly different color so you can say this is what he looked like in life, and this is how he looked when I shot him.
... just an idea Tom,
Ron
If you have to ask that in itself might be a good indication to have it fixed. Heck you can always "unfix" it TJ! :goldtooth:
Tom,
I was just wondering what you decided to do?
Thanks
Charlie
Taxidermist is 7 months out. No need to make a rash decision. Have plenty of time to ponder. He said if I had some sheds to get a tine from thats the best way to do it that way he doesn't have to reproduce the entire point. All he then has to do is put the putty around the connection. He then only has to color a small section.
I happen to have plenty of sheds around so that wouldn't be a problem.
I am still in the same place I was when I started this thread. I am really thinking that I wouldn't mind it either way but I really like the way it looks fixed.
:confused:
Thanks for the update! You know either way, we will have see pics when you get the mount back.
I would not - but it is up to you - no worry really either way just a personal decision.
Looking forward to seeing the finished mount Tom. Whatever you decide will be the right decision. :thumbsup:
Bill
If it was good enough to shoot that should be how you mount it.
I would personally leave it. Everyone I am sure possesses an analytical mind great enough to visualize what the deer looked like before it broke, so no one needs to be "sold" on the idea that it was an even larger buck before the break. Plus, and this is JUST me, but things like broken tines, funky/junky racks, scarred faces and the like give the deer more individual identitys. Everywhere you turn is a picture-perfect deer hanging on a wall, majestic, large, balanced. They lose the unique quality of each one afer a while. With it missing, that deer has an identity all to himself. But again, everyone is different and no one is wrong. A great buck no matter HOW you go about it, congrats!
QuoteOriginally posted by elkken:
If it was on when I shot it I might fix it, if not I would leave it off because that's the buck I shot.
x2
I say leave it broken...
That is certainly a "your call" thing. I did have one repaired in 1988. It was my very last deer that I took with a firearm. Amazingly I had found the site of an epic buck fight in early November and found a large G-2 tine just laying there. I put it in my pack and forgot about it. I rattled in and killed the deer a month later and did not even remember the tine for several weeks after the kill. It was a perfect match. What are the odds of that.