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Best Deer Mounting Kit 2025: Reviews & Expert Buying Guide
Deer mounting kits provide hunters and outdoor enthusiasts with the necessary materials and instructions to create a lasting tribute to thier successful hunts. Thes kits offer a cost-effective choice to professional taxidermy services, allowing individuals to showcase their trophies with pride.Selecting the right deer mounting kit is crucial for achieving a realistic and aesthetically pleasing result, ensuring that your prized deer specimen is displayed properly.
Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or a newcomer to the sport, a quality deer mounting kit can definitely help you preserve the memories of your hunting experiences while adding a unique piece of decor to your home or cabin. This review and expert buying guide will delve into the top deer mounting kits available in 2025, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for different skill levels and mounting preferences.
Key Features Analysis
The best deer mounting kits offer a combination of anatomical accuracy, durable materials, and user-friendly instructions. Each element contributes to the final result,ensuring the mounted deer head looks realistic and professional.
anatomically Accurate Mannequin: A high-quality deer mounting kit should include a mannequin that accurately represents the anatomy of a deer’s head and neck. The mannequin’s shape, size, and features should closely resemble those of a real deer, including the muscle structure, bone structure, and facial features. This anatomical accuracy is crucial for achieving a realistic look and ensures the cape fits properly.
Durable and Realistic Ear Butts: The ear butts are the base of the ears and play a vital role in the overall appearance of the mount. Quality kits will use ear butts that are made of a durable material like urethane that also mimics the texture and appearance of real deer ears. Realistic ear butts aid in proper shaping and positioning of the ear to achieve life-like results.
Pre-Sewn Eye and Nose Details: The areas around the eyes and nose are critical for adding realism to a deer mount. Premium kits often feature pre-sewn eye wells and nose pads that are carefully crafted to replicate the subtle details of a deer’s facial features. These pre-sewn details simplifies the mounting process and ensures that the eye and nose areas look as natural as possible.
Comprehensive Instructions and DVD (or Online) Tutorials: A good deer mounting kit should come with clear, step-by-step instructions that guide users thru the entire mounting process. ideally, the kit will also include a DVD or access to online tutorials that provide visual demonstrations of each step. This is especially helpful for beginners who might potentially be unfamiliar with taxidermy techniques. Pictures should be large and in color!
Hide Tanning Solution (Optional): Some advanced kits include a hide tanning solution, allowing users to tan the deer hide themselves. This offers a cost-effective alternative to sending the hide to a professional tannery. The tanning solution should be easy to use and produce a soft,supple hide that is well-preserved and easy to work with.
Sculpting Clay: This element is vital for achieving life-like realism. Clay will allow the user to properly set the ears, eye orbit, and other small imperfections of the specimen. Good sculpting clay is waterproof and remains pliable allowing for corrections.
Core Benefits
Investing in a deer mounting kit offers several advantages over professional taxidermy services, providing hunters with a rewarding and cost-effective way to preserve their hunting trophies.
Cost Savings: One of the most meaningful benefits of using a deer mounting kit is the cost savings. Professional taxidermy services can be quite expensive, often costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. A deer mounting kit allows you to mount your deer at a fraction of the cost, making it a more accessible option for budget-conscious hunters.
Personal Satisfaction: Mounting your own deer provides a sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment. It allows you to be actively involved in preserving the memory of your hunt and to create a unique and personalized display piece.The time and effort you put into the project make the final result even more meaningful.
Convenience and Flexibility: With a deer mounting kit, you have the convenience of mounting your deer at your own pace and on your own schedule. you’re not restricted by the availability or turnaround time of a professional taxidermist. This flexibility is particularly valuable for hunters who live in remote areas or who have busy schedules.
Skill Growth: Mounting your own deer can be a rewarding learning experience. It allows you to develop new skills in taxidermy and to gain a deeper understanding of deer anatomy and preservation techniques. This skill can be valuable for future hunts and may even lead to a new hobby or career path.
Customization: Deer mounting kits also allow for a great degree of customization. You can select different poses and customize different aspects of the mount to capture the natural appearance of the harvested trophy.
FAQs Section
What tools do I need to use a deer mounting kit?
A basic deer mounting kit typically requires tools such as a fleshing knife, tanning chemicals (if tanning the hide yourself), needles, thread, tacks, sculpting tools or clay, a reference photo, and safety gloves. Advanced kits may require more specialized tools like an airbrush or power tools for shaping the mannequin.
How long does it take to mount a deer using a kit?
The time required to mount a deer using a kit varies depending on your experience level and the complexity of the kit.A beginner may need several days or even weeks to complete the process; an experienced user may be able to finish in a day or two. rushing the process is unadvised, so it is best to allocate plenty of time to the project.
What should I do if my deer hide doesn’t fit the mannequin properly?
If your deer hide is too small or too large for the mannequin, you may need to make adjustments. If the hide is too small, you can stretch it slightly or shave down the mannequin to reduce its size.If the hide is too large, you can trim it or add padding to the mannequin to fill out the gaps. it is vital to take pre-measurements and select a mannequin that closely matches your trohpy specimen to avoid this challenge.
Can I use any deer hide with a deer mounting kit?
The hide must be appropriately sized for the selected form, and free of significant defects, such as slippage from decomposition, to properly mount. Hair slippage will prevent the hide from sticking to the form and can ruin the trophy mount. As such extreme care must be taken to properly preserve the hide after harvest.
Competitor Comparison
Product Comparison Overview
Joe Blow’s Deer Mounting Kit
- Anatomical Accuracy: Acceptable, but some inaccuracies around the eye area.
- Material Quality: Mannequin made of standard foam,ear butts made of plastic.
- Instructions: Lacks DVD or online tutorial. Instructions are basic but sufficient.
Taxidermy King Deluxe Kit
- Anatomical accuracy: Very high, with detailed muscle structure and facial features.
- Material Quality: High-density foam for the mannequin,realistic urethane ear butts.
- Instructions: Includes DVD tutorial and detailed written instructions.
Wilderness Pride DIY
- Anatomical Accuracy: Good, but slightly less detailed than the Taxidermy King kit.
- material Quality: Durable foam for the mannequin, with flexible ear liners.
- Instructions: Access to online tutorials with step-by-step guidance.
Key Differences Summary
The Taxidermy King Deluxe Kit excels in anatomical accuracy and material quality, providing a more realistic and professional-looking mount. While Joe Blow’s Deer Mounting Kit may be a more affordable option, it lacks the detail and quality of the other two kits. For users prioritizing ease of use and comprehensive instructions, the Wilderness pride DIY Kit and Taxidermy King Deluxe kit can be very effective.
Ideal User Profile
Beginner Hunters: Deer mounting kits are ideal for beginner hunters who are looking for an affordable way to preserve their first deer. Thay are frequently enough intimidated from the high costs of professional taxidermy and would be interested in learning a new skill.
Experienced Hunters and DIY Enthusiasts: Experienced hunters and DIY enthusiasts will appreciate the control and customization options that deer mounting kits provide. They can be applied to create a unique and personalized trophy display.The Taxidermy King Deluxe kit is more well-suited for experienced users due to its extensive anatomical detail.
Buying Recommendations & Conclusion
When choosing a deer mounting kit, consider your experience level, budget, and desired level of realism. If you’re a beginner, opt for a kit with clear instructions and high-quality materials. If you’re an experienced user, look for a kit with advanced features and anatomical accuracy. For those on a tight budget, Joe Blow’s Deer Mounting Kit may be a suitable option, but expect lower quality and less accurate results.
Ultimately, the best deer mounting kit for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. Take the time to research different kits, read reviews, and compare features before making a decision. When done properly, you can create a stunning and memorable trophy.