Some people have different perceptions of what to mount, and sometimes this changes per deer. Sometimes a small number of points is still a mounter because of mass & spread. However, sometimes a buck with a lot of points is not a mounter because of lack of mass and spread.
My honest opiion is any buck you shoot SHOULD be a mounter. If you shoot it mount it, if it isn't worth $400.00, don't shoot it. That is what alot of the hunters in my area practice. On the propery I hunt, if you shoot a buck and don't get it munted, you pay the land owner $400.00, or give him your gun or bow. It seams to have helped, even though I have only shot 1 buck, I have passed on alot of small bucks, and noticed larger deer that just didn't come close enough.
As for your deer, it is a grat buck. Get it mounted, you will kick yourself later if you do not.
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Mathews Z Max, Dead Nuts sight, Wisker Bisquit Drop Tine
Savage model 11 .243 w/ 3-9X40 scope
T/C 45cal. M/L, SS/camo, w/ 2-10X44 scope
Benelli Super Nove 12 ga. in Advantage camo
20 ga. Mossberg 500
My honest opiion is any buck you shoot SHOULD be a mounter. If you shoot it mount it, if it isn't worth $400.00, don't shoot it. That is what alot of the hunters in my area practice. On the propery I hunt, if you shoot a buck and don't get it munted, you pay the land owner $400.00, or give him your gun or bow. It seams to have helped, even though I have only shot 1 buck, I have passed on alot of small bucks, and noticed larger deer that just didn't come close enough.
As for your deer, it is a grat buck. Get it mounted, you will kick yourself later if you do not.
We tend to practice sort of the same idea - any buck you shoot should be a shooter - unless it's close to the end of the season and we don't have much for meat. We share meat in our group ( myself, my dad, my bro, my dad's bud, his kid ) so sometimes we shoot a non-mounter late in the season to help fill the fridge. I can only think of 2 times that it's happened in the 10 years I've been hunting.
There is no rule for mounting a deer by how large his antlers are. If it is a trophy in your eyes, then by all means, get it mounted. If you shoot a doe and had a memorable experience on that hunt, then get her mounted. A trophy to me may not be a trophy to you and vice versa. Use your own judgement.
I would say it is a mounter! That is a nice looking buck. congrats!
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Remington Model 11-87 Premier 12 Gauge
Remington Model 870 SPS-T Camo Thumbhole 12 Gauge
Ruger M77 Mark II .270 w/ Nikon 3-9x40 Buckmasters
That buck is definately worth being mounted. Congrats!
I say any deer you shoot is a mounter, at least to me. Every deer I shoot has sentimental value, that's why I keep evry button buck and doe, and even small bucks. Then again I am a taxidermist so I need to keep things like that for my showroom.
A trophy is in the eye of the beholder... If it has value to you and was a memorable hunt, there is no reason why you shouldn't mount something... Big or small.
I have a friend who has shot some slammers for our area, yet he has a spike and a couple of basket bucks mounted... because of the memory of the hunt.
I actually had a small 8 pointer mounted this year.. He was not very big, but it was one of the best hunts I have ever had...
It doesn't hurt that my brother in law is a taxidermist and is doing it for only cost of materials!
__________________ Mathews Z7 HHA OL 5019 NAP Apache Beman ICS 400 Hunter NAP Spitfire MAXX
what is the right size to mount a deer
