Just make sure you get a cape from a big deer. You want one with a neck measurement of 21 inches or more for that rack. It won't look right on a deer with a skinny little 18 or 19 inch neck. It will cost a little more but the results will be worth it.

Very good advice, expecially about looking outside their show rooms!!!! Sevearl years ago I was looking for a taxidermist, I had looked at a guys show room, excellent work etc, but before I had a chance to drop the hide and head off I was called out of town for work. I decided to go to a hunting store and noticed the horrible mounts(no hair, antlers kinda "off" eyes were bugging out, I made a comment hoping that mine didn't turn out the same, turns out it was the same guy that was gonna do my mount. The shop owner gave me the number to a bunch of guys, I made some calls and turns out everyone of them had bad experince with the guy. since that time the guy was sued and went bankrupt, just happy my mount wasn't done by him.

Kirby

The ol' bait and switch. There are guys out there that will buy other taxidermists mounts and display them as their own. This is why I posted this subject. Start looking now and researching them. Don't wait til you have a once in a lifetime trophy.
Excuse the selfish promotion
Imagine shooting a deer of this caliber, in NC no less, then having it messed up by a hack-sidermist.

That is one heck of a buck nc, not built to score real well but a lot of bone there. Great looking job on the mount. I really like the relaxed look on a mounted deer. They don't look so stiff that way.

Thanks, it really is a nice deer. Everyone shoots a "monster" but when this guy carried him in...... I feel bad that I had to use him in such a shameless display of self promotion.
jmbuck - are you a taxidermist??? I noticed some of your posts.

I do my own stuff but not in the business. A good friend of mine does it full time. I help him out quite a bit when the gun rush comes in caping heads and flipping hides. Plus he lives a couple miles from where I hunt in IL, so I'll hunt the morning and go visit him to see what has been brought in, then hunt the evening.It was costing me too much to have all my critters mounted so I learned to do it myself. Now I have a basement full of animals.Ever heard of Bob Schnettgoecke from Grafton, IL. I know he has been to some national and a world show when it was here a few years ago.

Have not heard of him but there are 1000's of taxidermists out there. I knew you had some knowledge by your posts. I started doing taxidermy for my own and my sons, but it kind of took off. It's really hard to keep the reins in check and not get to overloaded. NC is one of the toughest states to compete in, I have 5 world class taxidermists within an hours drive. One just took Best in World Whitetail(2nd or 3rd time) and one of the others he beat by 3/10's of a pt!! So that's the top 2. Another took second Best in World Gamehead. There is a ton of talent close to me, luckily they are friends and allow me to watch them which has helped a ton.

Heck....and I get to use them all!

nc's a good guy to deal with....and he's right. We have some darned good ones around us. I'll be picking my buck up in a couple of months from one of the guys he mentioned.