What animal to shoulder mount

[trperk1]

Folks- I’m hunt SA for the first time this spring; buffalo, kudu and sable. I’m only considering a shoulder mount for one, doing European mount for the others. Ruling out the Buffalo due to space. Interested in opinions for the kudu and sable

 

[Mwag]

We were not going to do any taxidermy on our 1st trip. That starts to change when wife is blessed with a unique kudu (wide) and then I ended up with an almost 43"+ buff. Ended up having 4 mounts and 1 euro done. Very glad I did. Everytime I look at, just a reminder of the adventure. Not sure what we are going to do on upcoming trip, I guess we will decide after hunting is complete.

I would hate to sway one way or other between kudu and sable. Maybe wait to see which species provided the best hunt

 

[375Fox]

I would have a sable shoulder mounted and euro mount the kudu. Euro mount kudu are well displayed because of the flatter vertical horns. Also not all kudu have the best capes. If the one you shoot has long mane hair under neck you can consider mounting over sable but many of them have shorter mane hair.

 

[Garrett89]

Euro mount of the kudu I got in SA in 2016...had the skull dipped in bronze and mounted to a walnut plaque. I did a warthog skull in bronze as well. Love the look and takes up way less space!

 

[chashardy]

Ditto. Unless your kudu is a 60 inch monster, use your one shoulder mount on the sable. They have a lot of contrast in the dark brown/black and the white markings on the face and yellow on the back of the ears. Makes a beautiful and unusual shoulder mount.
I have done euro-skull mounts on almost all of my 3 dozen African animals. On buffalo, I recommend that you get the taxidermist to lift the chin of the buffalo up so that when it's hung on the wall, he is looking right at you with that "you owe me money" stare.

 

[AjFourie]

Folks- I’m hunt SA for the first time this spring; buffalo, kudu and sable. I’m only considering a shoulder mount for one, doing European mount for the others. Ruling out the Buffalo due to space. Interested in opinions for the kudu and sable

Hi trperk

In my opinion I would go for a European on the kudu, a Sable has a beautiful mane and the presents great on a wall. But as @Mwag said it depends, if you get a great kudu a sable can have a classic clean look as a European as well?

You have time to make this decision, wait until after the hunt and see what you end up getting, you can also look into a pedestal mount on your sable if you have space in a corner somewhere?

For now, enjoy your hunt and let us know what you end up doing!

Kind regards
Aj Fourie.

 

[RR 314]

Agree on shoulder (or pedestal) on sable and euro on kudu. I was planning on doing pedestals or lifesize (bushbuck and warthog) on my first trip but did euro on kudu due to poor cape.

 

[Trogon]

Yes on the Sable shoulder mount. My Cape Kudu from July 2022 had patchy hair, but a great beard, I gave it to another hunter in camp whose cape was not as good.
I wish I had kept the cape from my kudu in April 2021, as it was in much better shape.
I would definitely give it a wait and see. So I have both kudu as skulls.

 

[Bhfs300]

I would go for a Chess knight token as a pedestal!!

 

[Rare Breed]

I would have a sable shoulder mounted and euro mount the kudu. Euro mount kudu are well displayed because of the flatter vertical horns. Also not all kudu have the best capes. If the one you shoot has long mane hair under neck you can consider mounting over sable but many of them have shorter mane hair.

Whatever you do have a wall pedistal mount done to save room

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

sable, sable, sable

 

[Philip Glass]

Folks- I’m hunt SA for the first time this spring; buffalo, kudu and sable. I’m only considering a shoulder mount for one, doing European mount for the others. Ruling out the Buffalo due to space. Interested in opinions for the kudu and sable

Wow why just three trophies? There is so much to hunt at such a small cost once you are there. To answer your question I say mount the sable.

 

[buck wild]

Euro mount of the kudu I got in SA in 2016...had the skull dipped in bronze and mounted to a walnut plaque. I did a warthog skull in bronze as well. Love the look and takes up way less space!
View attachment 515829

Not trying to bust your chops here, but is it really bronze or a "bronze" effect applied to the skull and horns? Just asking bc I don't believe they can actually dip in real bronze for lots of reasons although I've wondered myself.
BTW the really like it, either way.

To the OP, I'm not the right person to answer as I have 80+ mounts ion my house but I gotta do both sable and kudu !! I don't have a giant trophy room you might think. You really aren't being creative enough if you can only get one

 

[Rickmt]

Sable and Kudu are both my favorites,so… shoulder mount both !

 

[spike.t]

Shoulder mount ....has to be the majestic sable.....but then I am biased

 

[buffybr]

Whatever you do have a wall pedistal mount done to save room

How does a wall pedestal mount save room?

 

[PARA45]

I'd say both the kudu & sable!

 

[Ryan]

I'd base it on the hunt. I'd go either way since I've seen impressive memorable skull and shoulder mounts of both kudu and sable. So to me it would be a decision on the hunt. Which one really made you work for it or had really distinctive features you'd miss on a skull mount. My first kudu was a big old scar faced bull. I got a shoulder mount and I see those features every time I look over at it.

 

[Daveboone]

Last spring I went on our first (and likely only ) safari to SA. Similarly, due to budget and space, we had a limited list: Kudu, Impala, Zebra, Warthog, and added an Nyala. Originally we were only planning on mounts for the Kudu, with european for the impala, and a rug for the zebra.
Once we were there and had the critters on the ground, we decided without question that it would be a crime (to us) not to do shoulder mounts of the kudu, impala, and a quartering mount of the Nyala. The warthog ended up being truly exceptional, but I knew there was no way the wife would want to look at that every day, so we went with the carved skull. Even while we were there, we sketched out the house,figuring what we could put where. Now, that darn zebra rug the wife insisted on ....I doubt it will be on the floor, most likely a wall.
It is a very hard decision if you have limited space, and a lot of folks simply dont get that the size of the house and wallet for most people are limited. Truly, both the sable and kudu are beautiful. Perhaps wait to the day and see which one strikes you? I think without question the sable has the most beautiful hide, but I think the kudu is the most beautiful and amazing of the two animals.....

 

[PARA45]

The kudu and sable are very majestic animals, that is why I would mount them both. Also, the kudu is my favorite antelope.