My 2011 Ohio Buck Is Home!!

[Big_Holla]

Well 2011 was a year for me to certainly remember. I had such an up and down roller coaster of emotions all in one season. Some of you may remember the buck I had killed and how the story went. In a nutshell, I hit the buck of my lifetime and tracked him for a long way's before losing his blood in a downpour. The highest of highs to the lowest of low's for me as many of you have experienced. Later that week the buck was found by a cousin of mine and soon I was strapping on my tag to him. The meat was spoiled, the hide was ruined but I had closure.

Here is the story if you wish to go back and reflect as I have many times:

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/showthread.php/16094-Big-Holla-s-2011-Ohio-Deer-Season

Well, when I got the antlers from the deer I could only think of one thing to do him justice. I contacted my neighbor who is an excellent taxidermist and asked him to help me out. He made a few calls and got a few capes lined up and it was up to me to decide. Cost was one factor but then there was another, one just happened to be from an Ohio deer. So, the process and excitement of getting the mount together was actually coming true. I collected several boards of old barn wood from down there at the farm in Ohio. After several evenings and days of hard work I was able to build the base the buck would rest on for years to come. Just seeing it for the first time all together pretty much took my breath away. This is all I could have asked for, my 2011 Ohio buck:

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0004.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0006.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0008.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0010.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0009.jpg

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0011.jpg



Oh and before I forget.....this gave me the ultimate reason to re-paint the living room and lay claim to my own wall section!! Can't say how many times I was watching something and became distracted by gazing over at the wall to soak it all in!! Still have some work to do but this will give you an idea of what I am looking at every evening!!

http://www.bowhuntingohio.com/forum/gallery/files/3/2/6/dsc_0012.jpg

[ghunter]

Congrats Chuck he sure is an impressive buck. I love that you did a pedestal for him. Also that is one heck of a trophy room you have going there.

[Mike F]

You did a great job Chuck. Really looks good.

[radicalxl]

Great ending to the misery you suffered last year. You still should have entered ito the contest, it would have been completely legal. Congrats.

[MJH]

Love the base he is on! Was that a fly by the seat of your pants or did you have plans you went from? Next big deer I kill will be mounted like that! Congrats!

Mike

[Seeker Bp]

What an awesome mount Chuck, Love your set up. Yep, I would just turn my recliner towards that wall and sit and stare for hours :)

[Big_Holla]

Love the base he is on! Was that a fly by the seat of your pants or did you have plans you went from? Next big deer I kill will be mounted like that! Congrats!

Mike

I had an idea of what I wanted and did a little looking on-line as to how they have the pedestal mounts so you can take them apart. The top section is completely removable down to the habitat so we can move it around without worrying too much. As for the wood, well I got as much as I thought I needed and ended up with just barely enough to finish it. Was a good project trying to fit warped rough sawn barnwood of varying thicknesses. Some things needed relief cuts on the backside just to get them to lay flat after nailing. I am more than happy how it turned out!!


What an awesome mount Chuck, Love your set up. Yep, I would just turn my recliner towards that wall and sit and stare for hours :)

Yep, had a few cold one's over the last couple weeks just sitting back looking at it all. Funny bec all the mounts were in separate rooms and I rarely took the time to even look at them. Since they have been on the wall I have gotten to re-live each and every one of them, including telling the stories to the kids. Man I love that part! I have added my other fox mount since the wall picture and have plans to get a couple more projects done to add to it this winter.

[hortontoter]

The mount came out very nice. Using wood from the old barn at the farm was a great idea.

[mrbb]

well looks like a great job was done on it and I too like the barn wood, very classy for a great deer to be placed on!

[Stonegod]

Very very nice looking buck/mount you certainly did it justice!!!! Again Congrats on a great buck!!!

[PlayTheWindMike]

Wow, what an amazing buck. This is awesome and your story makes it have so much more meaning even to me as the reader. I appreciate that.....Great job Chuck!

[blackbeard]

Really nice mount and great buck, I forgot how big he was.

[Griz]

I was not a member of the forum in Nov 2011, so I went back a read the original thread. You just can't make that stuff up. I enjoyed the story, expecialy the part on emotion. It shows your charactor and respect for that animal. We all have are reasons to hunt and your story covers most of them. Thanks for sharing it. As far as the mount, absolutely stunning ! Congrats Big !

[MICH]

again great buck, thanks for the story