At what point do you say no more to shoulder mounts and only do European mounts for whitetails? I think im there unless I kill one over 170".

What's y'alls score where you have to get a shoulder mount and not European?

Hypothetically,... you kill a big ol bruiser in Kansas at 170" with your bow and its your new personal best. You shoulder mounting that deer all day or European?

I feel like 170" is a big club to join?

Low fence deer only poll.

Shoulder mount or European multiple choice, up to 1 choices

Shoulder Mount (75%, 36 Votes)

European (25%, 12 Votes)

Total Votes: 48 Voting on this poll ends: 11/20/22 08:09 PM

I don't put a score limit on my shoulder mounts as much as "is it worth shoulder mounting?"

Lots of factors go into that. I shoulder mounted a mid 150's buck last year but he had a 23" spread and had good mass and split brows on both sides, so he just looks the part, but lacks enough tine length to get him into the 160" range. I would easily shoulder mount a 150" 8 pt buck and euro a thin horned 12 that scored the same. Its all in the eye of the beholder to me, and not score specific

I've never killed a 170" deer, but if I did, I would mount it no questions asked. And I would continue to mount every single deer over 170". Lol. You are talking about a once in a lifetime type buck.

I already have 4 mounts, but the deer I killed this year is my biggest ever, so I am mounting it also. After that, I probably wouldn't do another unless it was bigger than what I have already, or a unique rack. "Score" would not be the primary factor.

I've got 7 shoulder mounts. To do another one, it would have to be bigger than what I got. The rest get a skull mount.

I've got more euros than I do shoulders. Any personal best will get a shoulder.

This right here.

I say no more to shoulder mounts when i run out of room

Score never really played into it for me.


I have never really been a huge fan of euro mounts, I have a few but they are to be the exception not the rule, I didn't want my trophy room to be full of skulls. I'll take a nice horn mount over a euro mount for most antlered game.



At the present juncture it would have to be a pretty good whitetail for me to shoulder mount it as I'm preserving as much available space for other species.

I think this is completely up to the individual.
Hell, I have low 130s 8 point shoulder mounted next to some larger deer and he looks great.
Some bucks look better than others on a shoulder mount to begin with.
I've seen many, MANY 140" 8 points that look a hell of a lot better than multi-pointed bucks that score in the 150s and even 160s.

I also believe it depends what you may already have on the wall when it comes to this decision and how much wall space you have to put them up on! lol

Neither choice offered would be my choice. Antlers on a panel is all I am willing to do now. I have over $40K in taxidermy and am done with mounts from here on out.

At a younger age, couldn't have imagined not mounting a low fence double drop, but did this last season. Everybody is different. Be yourself.

I’m out of room, it’ll take a 190 plus or a 155” 8 point for me to mount anything else other than a euro.

HUD, I have always wanted a drop, have never seen one in the field. Yes I would have to mount that if I got lucky enough to down one.

Yup YMMV.

Respect.

I think I’m done with euros too, got too many.

Momma wants her and each of our three boys' firsts to go in for shoulder mounts. As such, I have gone to skull caps at this point for all of my bucks. I was already into double digit shoulders and euros. It will take a low-fence deer over 160" to tempt me into getting another whitetail shoulder mount.

Makes you wonder what is to come down the road.......after years of successful hunting trips and the memento's that go with it.....your walls and freezers are full but you don't want to quit hunting.....what happens then?

I am to the point where I will probably only shoulder mount a Whitetail if it's a new personal best. Taxidermy is not cheap, and if you're on a budget (like most of us) every dollar you spend on taxidermy is a dollar you could have put towards your next hunt. That's my philosophy.

I currently have a crate sitting at the port in Houston, with my 13 animals from Africa in it......all European mounts (except for my Zebra rug). The money saved on taxidermy is easily enough to go on another safari.

I prefer euro mounts.

Hunt does for meat. That is what I do.

If I shoot a buck it gets shoulder mounted. (Less any dinky culls)

I do my best to let them get up in age before I pull the trigger.

I don't score animals and don't really get excited about hunting whitetails, so it would take a really special animal for me to mount it. It would have to be more than just big. It would need to be really interesting and unusual. I have limited space and don't plan to move for 20-30 years, so at this point in my life, I am unlikely to mount another whitetail. Other species interest me more right now. I'd mount a big moose. I'd like a bison, but I am unlikely to ever hunt one in a manner that would make me want to mount it. Just about anything else, I'd have to get rid of something. I might squeeze in a gemsbok.

Its gonna be different for everybody

Id mount the right 140 in a heart beat...main frame heavy 8 with dark horns and swole up neck

But hell, a 130 w a legit drop may get mounted too

I know it when I see it

It would have to be special - have one currently and not sure wife would allow a second.

Hard call on that one, I don’t plan to mount another WT unless it’s just something special, I will mount the right WT for my son if he wants one , gave him the option last year on a 147 and he opted for a euro, now if I ever get a good TEXAS mule deer ( bucket list) it’s going on the wall ! Sons 147

For a shoulder mount Whitetail, it would have to be better than my personal best, all else get a Euro mount .

Me too!