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How big?

kwright

kwright

kwright
Hey guys, we're snowed in here in Oklahoma, and I'm looking for something to pass the time.

I've got a question for you: What's the minimum a deer would have to score before you'd pay for a shoulder mount?

Feel free to qualify your answers if you'd like. For instance, maybe you'd mount a 135" whitetail killed with a bow, but not with a gun? Maybe you'd mount a wide racked buck, but not a narrow racked buck with great mass? You get the idea.

Thanks!
 
My minimum is 150". There are quite a few instances where that would get trumped though. For a mount, I'm looking more for frame size or uniqueness. A 140" 8pt. will likely get mounted for example. It really depends, but for the most part, 150 is kinda my bottom line.
 
I think it should really come down to what the deer means to you in terms of the hunt memories, not the deer's antler size. Coue's whitetail are a bad example to compare to midwest whitetails, but I'm seriously contemplating having my 2005 buck (currently a skull plate on a plaque), which was my 1st buck ever put into a shoulder mount. I've never had it officially scored, but I'm guessing it will be in the 70's (95 is minimum book for Coue's). It is the memory of the hunt with my friends, the significance in the day I took it, and the fact that it's my first buck ever that motivates me to want it on the wall. I didn't do it in 2005 because I couldn't afford it and the first shot was right through its face (didn't think it could be salvaged). Now I know better. I've told my wife that if I get a decent 3x3 mulie with my bow, it will go on the wall. I draw the line at no spike, fork-horn or small 3x3 mulies. I've seen lots of people mount "dinks" because of what the deer represented in terms of the hunt, itself. That's my humble opinion, at least.
 
I'm right there with LYON. I have a 136 inch 10 on the wall and should have never got him mounted, he looks tiny next to my 145 inch 8. I'm looking for 150 or better, large framed 8's, or something big and unique before I get another shoulder mount.

However, I will shoot bucks smaller than that. Old bucks with smaller racks, for example. I did that this year, shot an old 8 that might not even make 130. He'll make a great euro mount!
 
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I say it depends on a lot of things. How many bucks have u taken. What kind of deer are running around. If u don't have a 160 running around u aint shooting him. Character is big in my eyes. And the overall hunt. I shot a buck that scored 130 this year but that bucks means more to me because of the hunt and location I hunted
 
I have a 140 inch 10 mounted on the wall. It was my first "big buck." He also looks tiny compared to the 18 pointer I got with bow back in 07 now. The memories made during the hunt that I took the 10 pointer is what really made me decide to mount the deer.
 
My rule of thumb is 140, generally. But, if its a thin racked 10 or 12 or something that only scores 140 I probably wouldn't. Like a lot of others have said, character has a lot to do with it. If it has a lot of mass or is really wide, or has some kickers or stickers, those are all things that I would make me want to put it on the wall a more than a thin tined 10 even if it scores less.
 
In the last few years if I shoot it There is a 95% chance it will be on my wall. I've got a 120 eight on my wall that was my first deer on film. But he looks kinda Dorky Next to the others but at time it was a big deal.
 
I've had a small tine forky mounted. He ran me over, knocked off my hat, and rolled me on the ground. I then hunted that "Killer" for 3 weeks before taking him. One of my most memorable deer!
 
Shovelbuck said:
I've had a small tine forky mounted. He ran me over, knocked off my hat, and rolled me on the ground. I then hunted that "Killer" for 3 weeks before taking him. One of my most memorable deer!
Click to expand...

Is this true? That is awesome, that would have been quite the show! What did u take him with?
 
I usually go by 150" gross minimum score. It just depends on what went into the hunt and the character/uniqueness of the deer. I pretty much look at a deer I'm going to mount as nature's artwork. I just need to decide how to "frame it". I'd like to mount every buck I've harvested but money doesn't allow that. Some end up in euro's and some just skull plates on a board.
 
Shovelbuck said:
I've had a small tine forky mounted. He ran me over, knocked off my hat, and rolled me on the ground. I then hunted that "Killer" for 3 weeks before taking him. One of my most memorable deer!
Click to expand...

No offense, Shovel, but I would have paid good money to see that! And I probably would have that one on the wall, too! :way:
 
I have a 130" 8 shoulder mounted. It was my first buck ever so it was special. In the future (I hope), my limit would be 150" gross probably.

But I agree with most here, its about the story, the hunt, the memories. I think the bigger deer are just that much more rare to harvest so its a great memory/hunt that day the "biggun" walked by.
 
I've told myself 150 minimum, same as alot of you. I had the 145 10pt buck on my avatar mounted because he is 24 inches wide. I agree with the 150 rule unless unique charactor, I would mt a 120 incher with big drop all day.
 
My first was a 127" ten point I shot on public ground still hunting during shotgun season. Looking at that mount reminds me of a great hunt. Last year I shot a 173" ten point walking in to do a drive, he was feeding in the picked cornfield I was walking through. I didn't really want to mount it but my wife insisted, it does look great on the wall, but it doesn't bring back memories of a great hunt.
 
I mount a shooter, by this I generally mean, if I shot it, i'll mount it.
For friends that come and hunt my ground, I just ask that if they shoot it, they put it on the wall. (this of course doesn't count the kids or people that haven't hunted much) Now for some that wouldn't be anything under 150.. for others it could be a touch under 120. I still feel that one of the most important things is for a person to be excited about what they shoot.

Personally I do try and maintain a certain inch minimum, which is of course a quick field judged number, for gun it is higher than with bow, but that gets back to an excitement factor for me as well. Also depends on my season to date, if I've got something for the wall, its a lot easier to pass one that is on the lower side of the requirements.
 
I usually shoot for 150", but alot of that depends. I mounted a 14 point with split brows and split g-2 and g-3 on his right side. He only added up to 148, but it is a very unique deer and my brother kicked him out of a thicket, he crossed my opening too fast for a shot, and I snuck to where I thought he would come out next. So the mount lets me relive the hunt. I also didn't mount a deer that scored 152. I was pushing a piece of property with my father during shotgun season and the deer came running in from somewhere else right behind us. Didn't have any history of him and it was just a luck deal so I didn't mount him( Also the slug that killed him went through one ear and out one eye so the cape wasn't in good shape). So like most have said it depends on the hunt and the charecter.
 
I always told myself that I wouldnt mount one unless it was bigger than my grandpas. which is 200 5/8 Net.
 
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