Eland advice/ideas wanted

[ksuhawkeye]

The one trophy I am struggling to finalize from my last trip is my Eland (profile picture) I am leaning toward shoulder/wall pedestal but after quite a bit of searching, I have not found any ideas that I love. What have you guys done with your Elands or seen done that you have liked? Thanks for the help/ideas.

 

[WAB]

I really like European mounts for eland. I have taken two and am having both done that way. It also saves money toward my next safari!

 

[Shootist43]

Ksuhawkeye, have you taken a look at the "galleries" offered by the Taxidermists you are considering? Elands are big. I shoulder mounted my first one and hung it in a room with a 8' ceiling. To me it looks inappropriate. I'm having Artistry of Wildlife mount my second one, it will be on a pedestal. If you are looking for something different, give your taxidermist a call and talk to him about it. I'll bet you can work something out.

 

[Nyati]

Mine is a euro mount, just don´t have the space for a proper shoulder or pedestal.

 

[Ridgewalker]

To me the only reason to have a shoulder mount is because the eland has an impressive dewlap. If only a head mount it should have a big tuft on his forehead.
As stated by others, space for a big animal is critical. I don’t have the space sadly because I took a huge big dewlaped and big tufted eland! Mine is a euro. Not very respectful of such a fine trophy, but that’s what I had to do.

 

[ksuhawkeye]

I really like European mounts for eland. I have taken two and am having both done that way. It also saves money toward my next safari!

I really liked my eland and doubt I will get another so was set on something more, but starting to wonder if euro isn't the way to go being that I can't settle on anything. Extra $$ for next time is always a plus too.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I posted this photo a while back when somebody was asking for the space required for an eland shoulder mount. Eland are indeed very large. It took me and two large friends to get this hanging on the wall. Dimensions are in inches.

BTW, I recently got a second eland mounted (for my daughter) and she opted for a wall pedestal mount. I think I prefer the conventional shoulder mount.

 

[curtism1234]

An eland mount really isn't any taller than many kudu mounts; they are just so much wider though and really command the room.

As you know, traditional shoulder mount works best / only with tall ceilings. Not sure if there are full sneak examples, that might bring it down a half foot and you can put it on the longest wall or do a sharp turn and stick in the corner.

A pedestal will work but you still have a problem if the room is narrow. Again, the corner is an option (probably the best option)

Euro mounts are a matter of personal taste. I think some species look great (ie wildebeest) and others terrible (ie springbok), but that is for you to decide. If doing an eland, I prob would want a picture accompanying it just to show scale, head tuff, and dewlap.

Eland are one of those animals it's best to have a plan before deciding to hunt them

 

[ksuhawkeye]

Ksuhawkeye, have you taken a look at the "galleries" offered by the Taxidermists you are considering? Elands are big. I shoulder mounted my first one and hung it in a room with a 8' ceiling. To me it looks inappropriate. I'm having Artistry of Wildlife mount my second one, it will be on a pedestal. If you are looking for something different, give your taxidermist a call and talk to him about it. I'll bet you can work something out.

Shootist43 thank you that is some great advice. Normally I can find or generate ideas quickly by looking through galleries but struggling this go around. I do have benefit of cathedral ceilings so wall space isn't an issue. pedestal would be my first choice like you but floor space is in short supply.

 

[ksuhawkeye]

To me the only reason to have a shoulder mount is because the eland has an impressive dewlap. If only a head mount it should have a big tuft on his forehead.
As stated by others, space for a big animal is critical. I don’t have the space sadly because I took a huge big dewlaped and big tufted eland! Mine is a euro. Not very respectful of such a fine trophy, but that’s what I had to do.

Love my eland but he doesn't have the big dark dewlap. Bigger than it looks in picture but it is blond so doesn't stand out.

 

[meigsbucks]

Mine is being done euro. I considered a pedestal as the dewlap and hair tuft are impressive but eland are huge and we just don’t have the space for what’s coming plus the next safari.

 

[cpr0312]

Euro mount looks good and takes up waayyyyyy less space and costs waaayyyy less money!!

However, I really like the looks of a floor pedestal vs a shoulder/wall pedestal mount. Of course then you are adding in a base of some sort, but still looks good.

 

[Red Leg]

Both of mine are Euro’s. If you have truly enormous space with very high ceilings, a pedestal wall or true pedestal is impressive - otherwise, it is a huge space eater.

 

[Buffalo1]

I have taken 2 and did European mounts on both. I personally think the eland Euros are impressive. Shoulder mounts require a lot of space and ceiling height to be properly displayed.

 

[Cam Moon]

I'll chime in with the same opinion as most seem to have. The Eland shoulder mounts seem to take up a LOT of room, and personally I think they might be one of the best looking euro-mounts! That's what I would do, but unlike you I don't have cathedral ceilings. Whatever you decide, congratulations on a nice trophy, and be sure to post what you decided. It would be nice to see how whatever you choose ends up turning out!

 

[C.W. Richter]

it does depend upon the space you have available. HUGE shoulder mount, but I was lucky to have selected high ceilings when searching for a house long ago (a priority for a hunter!), so I have placed much trust in a lag bolt directly above my home office desk!! My son got a nice one too (both in Zim) but he's waiting to see what to do with his...the paradox is-that most forms are made for best viewing on a std. 8' high wall, but if you have higher walls the angle is actually wrong for perfect viewing-you can move back or look down from upstairs, but it's odd. lol They do have some really nice Euro mount backings these days. these are larger Livingstone's eland, so it easily projects 6' out from the wall-it literally crosses my desk, over the chair and another foot into the room (it shades me in summertime.) lol there's also a good 8-10 vertical feet of wall shown, so it is very large. Although a lot of shoulder mounts is expensive, I have rationalized that over a long period of time the volume of airspace to be heated (or cooled) in the house has effectively been reduced, and utility bills tend to drop! As I recall, this one was so big (est. 2,400 lbs! an old blue bull) that the taxidermist had a difficult time finding a properly sized form, and the dewlap was originally much larger than the form. I think the forms are designed for the average common eland in SA. He prob should've searched for a Lord Derby form!

 

[Tra3]

I did a euro mount.

The eland skin will be added to our chair cushions.

 

[JPbowhunter]

I've decided to no longer burden my family when I pass by leaving too many taxidermied heads for them to awkwardly hold then eventually dump.

Besides the few euros I have are more enjoyable because I can still pick them up, play with them, change their display around. My mounts have become bulky, expensive 3D photos.

When I finally get an eland (which is my number one animal in the world I'd like to hunt) it'll be a euro and either a rug for the skin or some ifem of furniture.

 

[ksuhawkeye]

it does depend upon the space you have available. HUGE shoulder mount, but I was lucky to have selected high ceilings when searching for a house long ago (a priority for a hunter!), so I have placed much trust in a lag bolt directly above my home office desk!! My son got a nice one too (both in Zim) but he's waiting to see what to do with his...the paradox is-that most forms are made for best viewing on a std. 8' high wall, but if you have higher walls the angle is actually wrong for perfect viewing-you can move back or look down from upstairs, but it's odd. lol They do have some really nice Euro mount backings these days. these are larger Livingstone's eland, so it easily projects 6' out from the wall-it literally crosses my desk, over the chair and another foot into the room (it shades me in summertime.) lol there's also a good 8-10 vertical feet of wall shown, so it is very large. Although a lot of shoulder mounts is expensive, I have rationalized that over a long period of time the volume of airspace to be heated (or cooled) in the house has effectively been reduced, and utility bills tend to drop! As I recall, this one was so big (est. 2,400 lbs! an old blue bull) that the taxidermist had a difficult time finding a properly sized form, and the dewlap was originally much larger than the form. I think the forms are designed for the average common eland in SA. He prob should've searched for a Lord Derby form! View attachment 313383 View attachment 313384 View attachment 313385

Love the rational on utility savings LOL. Going to borrow that one from you if you don't mind. Great info on angles, I hadn't thought enough about that.

 

[ksuhawkeye]

Thanks to everyone for the info and opinions. They are making me rethink whether I want to spend $ to take up that much room.