Cape Buffalo Mount Question

[Andrew62]

My buddy took this Buffalo 2 years ago, had it mounted, got it home, now he questions if it’s the same Buffalo. What do you all think?

 

[Doug3006]

It doesn’t look like the same one. The boss was nearly closed at the seem in the field picture. The gap is really quite wide in the taxidermy photo.

 

[Fixfire]

I agree with Doug. Had the same issue with an impala i shot - horns may be right but definitely a different cape (apparently not uncommon??)

 

[Bert the Turtle]

Would need a photo from the same angle. You can see how the shape of the horns look different from different angles on the mount.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Not the same. No doubt about it.

 

[bakerb]

Looks the same to me. According to my taxidermist it's pretty common for some of the African trophy places to overboil trophies and damage the bases. He showed me some bosses that had been heavily damaged that he would have to repair.

Looks to me like that gap was widened up by overboiling and the taxidermist didn't completely fix it

 

[BnC 04]

Looks like the same to me as well. Hard boiling you will certainly loose any soft portions of the boss which appears what happened here.

 

[Hunt anything]

Looks like the same tips and drop is a little harder to see but over boiled.
Where was it shot and who did the taxidermy?

 

[Vintageguy]

Same, just center was likely soft and not built back the same by taxidermist.

 

[Andrew62]

Looks like the same tips and drop is a little harder to see but over boiled.
Where was it shot and who did the taxidermy?

Lauriston Taxidermy, eastern cape of South Africa

 

[Hunt anything]

Lauriston Taxidermy, eastern cape of South Africa

I don’t think Greg would cheat your friend, I’m surprised he didn’t rebuild the bosses. The only problem I’ve had with them he didn’t build up the nasal ridges on my baboon a few years ago.

 

[Stetsonham]

Hard to tell exactly from the angle but looks the same. Just a soft boss bull and wasn’t re built the same at the taxidermist.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Looks the same to me. According to my taxidermist it's pretty common for some of the African trophy places to overboil trophies and damage the bases. He showed me some bosses that had been heavily damaged that he would have to repair.

Looks to me like that gap was widened up by overboiling and the taxidermist didn't completely fix it

That's also the way I saw it. Also, when you look at the corrigation lines in both pictures they appear to be the same.

I just got a euro mount of my most recent buffalo. The boss was closed on the bull when I shot it, but the gap seems pretty wide on the finished skull.

 

[Andrew62]

I don’t think Greg would cheat your friend, I’m surprised he didn’t rebuild the bosses. The only problem I’ve had with them he didn’t build up the nasal ridges on my baboon a few years ago.

I do want to add and make clear that the 3 springbuck I had mounted were excellent, I could not be happier. My buddy also had several other animals mounted that he is happy with. Unfortunately, this buffalo fell short of the other work that was completed.

 

[SETH RINGER]

CONSOLATION PRIZE: THE J-D BARREL IS COOL.

 

[Hunt anything]

Everything else was excellent for me as well, I had 10 animals and my buddy had 7 done with no complaints other than my baboon.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Looks like the same tips and drop is a little harder to see but over boiled.
Where was it shot and who did the taxidermy?

I have found that the skulls are often boiled in camp by the skinners. If the taxidermist doesn't have a picture of the buff he can only work with what he gets.

 

[RR 314]

It was soft and needed some bondo.

 

[Hunt anything]

I have found that the skulls are often boiled in camp by the skinners. If the taxidermist doesn't have a picture of the buff he can only work with what he gets.

Good point

 

[Justbryan]

My taxidermist asked for a picture. He said if he doesn't get a good picture, it is hard to duplicate a Cape Buffalo. Mine looks the same but I have seen many that appear much smaller after taxidermy work is completed. It is sometime because of soft bosses and sometimes other factors.

My buffalo was very gray in the face, but it was dried mud which washed off and he turned out very black.