Your trophy mount , tips

[lonehunter]

So you got your buck and getting it mounted . How can you save a couple bucks and like it a whole lot more?

1). make shure who ever skins your deer , they tube the neck ! Some taxidermists will skin your deer for you at no charge when doing a mount , most processors will slit the cape along the back of the neck , this will cost you more for sewing from the taxidermist .


Imagine paying $35.00 to $175.00 ( or even more )for a piece of plywood to mount your head on, that's rediculous ! A full sheet of quality plywood or full hardwood board can be bought at a local lumberyard .Places like home depot have the wood and can cut the board down to the size you need very cheepley . Finish it yourself or have a woodworking buddy help you with it . You can shape the board any way you want it with a scroll saw , router or sand the edges smooth . stain it if you so desire .

I have my mount on a solid piece of cherry bought at an Amish saw-mill , The section of the branch ( not the trunk )is over 3'tallx2-1/2'wide x 2" thick . and has over 80 rings in it , one big tree !

Before you put a finish coat on the wood , some guys woodburn the date on the board , well thats O.K. , I guess . Hit the mall and go to one of those engraving shops , a small brass plate is only a couple bucks , what you put on it will jump the price a little . Your name , the date , maybe the place , it's up to you what goes on the plate .Sears in westbranch has this service also Possibly other sears stores as well.

Supose (like nobody does this ) you have a pic of yourself with the deer just after you harvested it , maybe you have the D.N.R. patch , Why not put them on the board too ? What about your shell casing ? Yes you can add all . Ace hardware has a product called Enviro-teck , its a plastic finish that is 50 times thicker than varnish , self leveling and shines like glass ! Router or carve out a spot for your shell casing and or patch(plug the end of the shell casing , I fill mine with melted lead , shotgun shot and a propane toarch does the trick ), make shure the casing and patch are below and even with the surface ) and put them in . place your pic and the brass plate where you want them and put the enviro-teck on , let it cure 48 hrs. and your custom mounting board is done by your own hands the way you want it .

If you decide you want a clean front , try this . before you finish your mounting board , put a little info. on the back side of the board . Your hunting story , the guys you were with , date , time , whatever you want to remember about the hunt (use a permanate marker like a sharpie ) once finished , that story will remain for a lifetime !

Anyway , I just thought I'de pass on a couple tips to make that special buck of yours hang on the wall with a more personal touch added .
Got any other tips ? Please post them . Your pal , Al
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[lonehunter]

Last years deer on the cherry slab ( date on photo is incorrect , cam resets itself every battery change )
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[Jaackrabbit]

Bet your heart was beating pretty good just before you took that shot. Nice deer.
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[lonehunter]

It was almost as good as getting your first line peeling steelie during the spring run [] .
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[davetclown]

nice mount, nice slab of chery,

is this the one that caused all that rucus and a loss of a pay check?

did
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[lonehunter]

No the spike was , they took his head and my paycheck .
This year I'm making shure I have the right tag on the right deer .
Using a marker to label the tags so I can read which tag goes on which buck .Last year folks I filled my combo licenses , took the deer to the processers ,one 6" or 8" spike and one 8 point , problem was I had the tags reversed . Processor called the D.N.R. and I was in a world of doo-doo , so to speak .

If your hunting with the combo licenses this year , read up on it , lots of changes on how and when they can be used for the different deer hunting seasons !
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[davetclown]

I had the gal circle the ristricted one with a perminant marker so I dont run in to that problem,,, I have tracked hit deer well in to the dark, and it is imposible to read some of them tickets, especialy when they are faint in print.

they changed the fire arm rule too, you are allowed only one fire arm license period, you cant have a combo and a fire arm license..

the combo can be used from october to jan but the fire arm license can only be used in november, and no it can not be used for black powder season...

but hey every one, next week the rules may change again, so be sure to stay tuned to the dnr website for the ever continuing changes....

I for one miss the different collored paper tickets... and the 21 dollar sportsmans license that covered every thing except trout, salmon, and migritory birds....
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[lonehunter]

[font "arial, helvetica, sans-serif"][#00e010]Hunters should consider their options carefully before purchasing a deer hunting license. A person is entitled to purchase one (1) firearm deer license and one (1) archery deer license, or[font "Arial"]one (1) combination deer license. A person cannot purchase a combination deer license if they already have either an archery deer license or firearm deer license, nor may they purchase a firearm or archery deer license if they have already purchased a combination deer license. [/font][font "Arial"] [indent]
The combination deer license was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1998. The combination license is available from all Michigan license agents statewide or on-line and can be purchased at any time. If you purchase a combination deer license you will receive two (2) kill tags. The kill tags can be used in the firearm, archery or muzzleloader seasons. The choice of when to use them is up to the hunter. A person could use both kill tags in the same season, or one tag in 2 different seasons. The cost of the license is the same as two (2) regular deer hunting licenses. The discount for seniors and youngsters is the same as the regular deer hunting license discount, and each combination license counts as two (2) licenses for multiple discount (15%) purposes.[/indent]
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[font "arial, helvetica, sans-serif"][#00e010]Combination Deer Hunting License - 2007[/#00e010][/font]
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Residents and nonresidents are entitled to purchase only one license with two kill tags (regular and restricted) for use during any firearm hunting season (regular firearm and muzzleloading) or archery seasons. A hunter can use both kill tags in the fiream seasons, both in the archery season or one in each season. Youngsters 10 and 11 are restricted to archery-only hunting.
The regular combination kill tag can be used in the archery seasons to tag either an antlered or antlerless deer. The regular combination kill tag can be used in the firearm seasons to tag a legal (3 inches or longer antler) antlered deer of any size except for those areas with exceptions as listed in [font "arial, helvetica, sans-serif"][#00e010]Antler Restriction Regulations[/#00e010][/font]
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[#000000][size 3]Tagging Option for Antlerless Deer Hunters - 2007[/size][/#000000]
An antlerless deer hunter, with an unused license valid for an antlered deer and an unused antlerless license for the DMU in which they are hunting may tag a male antlerless deer with the antlered deer license. Note: Both licenses must be in the hunter's possession at the time of harvest. All deer must be immediately tagged.
A male antlerless deer, often called a "button buck," means a male deer without antlers or with antlers where the longest antler extends less than three inches above the skull. See [url "http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10856_10905_11820-29622--,00.html"][font "Arial"][#606420][size 2]"Button Bucks", Hunters, Learn to Identify[/size][/#606420][/font][#000000] [/#000000][/url]
[size 3]Specific DMU Regulations - 2007[/size]
Persons hunting South Fox Island (DMU 245), Drummond Island (DMU 117) and DMU 135 area permitted to take an antlered deer only if it has at least one antler with two or more antler points, each one or more inches in length.
Persons hunting in DMUs 045 and 122 are permitted to take an antlered deer only if it has at least one antler with three or more antler points, each one or more inches in length.
In these five units the restricted combination kill tag remains limited to a deer with at least four points on one antler. Your archery license, or combination license when used as an archery tag, is still vaild for taking an antlerless deer in these units.
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The restricted combination kill tag can be used in the archery seasons to tag an antlerless deer. It also can be used to tag an antlered deer during either the archery or fireams seasons if the antlered deer has at least one antler with four or more antler points each one inch or longer. It is unlawful to use this tag on a smaller antlered deer regardless of the season or area in which it was taken.
Exception: See [url "http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10856_10905_11819-29592--,00.html"][#000000]Antler Restriction Regulations[/#000000][/url][/black][/font]
The maximum possible number of bucks a person could take under their regular deer licenses in Michigan (archery, firearm or combination) is two. However, if you take two antlered deer, regardless of season or license type, one of the antlered deer must have at least one antler with four or more antler points 1" or longer. This "four-point minimum" buck can be taken first or second, the order is not important. If using a combination kill tag, you may tag it with either tag, however, it is to your advantage to use the combination restricted tag on this "four-point minimum" buck. The remaining combination regular tag may be used for any antlered buck. Hunters also need to be aware that three Deer Management Units (DMUs) have a "no spike" regulation and two DMUs have a "three-point minimum". These DMUs are described in more detail in the next question below.
Note: [font "Arial"]Special regulations for some of the island hunts may allow the taking of additional bucks; however, these deer are tagged with a special permit, do not require tagging with your regular license, and do not count towards the regular bag limit.[/font]
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Firearm License:Your firearm kill tag is valid statewide during the firearm season and the muzzleloader season to take an antlered deer statewide, except for three special "no spike" DMUs and two special DMUs that have a "three-point minimum" regulation. An "antlered deer" is defined as a deer with at least one antler extending 3 or more inches above the skull. The three special DMUs with the "no spike" restriction are Deer Management Unit 135, Drummond Island (DMU 117) and South Fox Island (DMU 245). An antlered deer taken in these areas must have at least one antler with 2 or more points 1-inch in length. An antlered deer taken in DMU 045 or 122 must have at least 1 antler with 3 or more antler points, 1 or more inches in length.
Archery License:Your bow and arrow kill tag is valid statewide to take any kind of deer (antlered or antlerless) statewide, except for the "no-spike" and "three-point minimum" DMUs listed above. An "antlerless deer" is defined as a deer that does not have antlers or has antlers that extend less than 3 inches above the skull.[/indent] [indent]
Combination License:If you use your kill tag during the regular firearm season or the muzzleloader season, the kill tag is valid for an antlered deer only. If you use your kill tag during the archery seasons, the kill tag is valid for an antlered or antlerless deer. What you can take is the same as other hunters afield for the respective season, however, the kill tags designate what size buck can legally be tagged. The combination regular kill tag can be used on any legal size buck. The combination restricted kill tag, if used on a buck, can only be used on a deer having at least an antler with four or more antler points 1" or longer. The maximum number of deer any person can take under their regular deer licenses is two (2). If you have a combination deer license, you can legally take: [indent] [ul] [li]2 antlerless deer (archery season only), or [li]1 antlered (either season, your choice) and 1 antlerless (archery season only), or [li]2 antlered deer (both in the firearm or muzzleloader seasons or archery seasons or one in each season 2 different seasons, your choice) [/li][/ul][/indent]
Reminders: Regardless of the kind of license you buy and season(s) you hunt, if you take two (2) antlered deer, one of the antlered deer must have at least one antler with four or more antler points 1" or longer. This deer can be taken first or second. The order is not important.
The "no spike" regulation for Deer Management Unit 135, Drummond Island (DMU 117) and South Fox Island[font "Arial"](DMU 245) and the "three-point minimum" regulations for DMU 045 and 122 apply to all hunters.[/font]
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