How To Build A Pedestal For Deer Mount
Double mule deer pedestal mount with my 2016 buck on the left and 2018 buck on the correct. Pedestal pattern by Tippets Creative Design and taxidermy by Shillinger'south Taxidermy. All photo credits: Brady Miller
Information technology'due south that fourth dimension of year. Hunting seasons are opening up and, soon, you will hopefully exist in the planning stages of trying to effigy out how to display your next deer or elk mount. When it comes to admiring a deer or any animal for that matter, in that location's nothing better than a shoulder mount.
Every fourth dimension y'all expect at that work of art, you'll instantly be taken back to all of those astonishing memories. Over the years, I've actually started to appreciate how much I prefer a shoulder mount over other means of showcasing antlers in my home.
But, with walls filling up, this yr I wanted to practice something actress special to pay tribute to 2 really astonishing Colorado bucks I was fortunate to take in 2016 and 2018.
My search for the best mode to display these bucks lead me downwardly the path of having them displayed on a forest pedestal. I've ever wanted to try a floor pedestal mount, simply I never actually found anything that I liked. Subsequently further research, I landed on the creative mind of Jimmy Tippetts of Tippetts Artistic Design. I lucked out big fourth dimension considering Jimmy lives roughly 25 minutes north of me in Las Vegas. So later exchanging a few direct letters on Instagram, information technology was settled...I was going to have Jimmy work his magic and create the pedestal of my dreams!
With Jimmy living and so close to me, I drove up to his shop multiple times to watch him create this pedestal. What follows is a photo essay of Jimmy'south difficult work in creating this amazing pedestal base.
Initial sketches of the forest pedestal
Drawings that Jimmy made after discussing what I was looking for.
This is the part of the procedure that really stood out to me and information technology was fun to just permit Jimmy think outside the box. Later a few text messages back and forth, Jimmy told me he had a vision for what I was describing. The next day he sent me over his showtime sketch. Then—not even an hr afterward—he had a 2d sketch sent my mode. Things were moving!
Starting time stages of building the pedestal base
Jimmy had completed a lot of the initial work before I showed up, just he saved enough pieces so I could watch his process.
The commencement look I got was of the barn woods panels. At this point, Jimmy was mark where to add accents past called-for the forest.
Next, he spent some time marking the center of the panel, which would come into play later on when he light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation engraved the goHUNT logo.
Always...e'er...measure out twice and cut in one case. Jimmy has his measurement organisation down to a scientific discipline and nil gets overlooked.
Burning accents on the befouled wood side panels. I don't know what it is about this role of the process, simply this was a absurd phase to spotter.
Jimmy saved a few pieces out the outside panel sections that yet needed to accept the goHUNT logo burned into the barn wood. So we headed over to the computer and laser engraving machine to enter the logo specs.
Getting gear up to laser engrave the goHUNT logo to the barn wood.
The completed panel of barn wood from light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation engraving the goHUNT logo.
Finished wait at the burned-in goHUNT logo on the barn wood.
Random photo of some drawers in his woodshop.
Day two - Return trip back to finish it up
Again, before I got there, Jimmy had already been hard at work getting several things ready. This is the solar day the pedestal really started to take shape!
Cutting some of the outer trim pieces.
A close-upwards expect at some extra burned-in accents that were added to the trim on the front panels.
Mocking upwards the acme trim.
Trim getting nailed down to the pedestal.
Jimmy is always 100% laser-focused on getting everything perfect.
My favorite sign I found while at the store...besides words to alive by when cutting wood.
Applying glue to the top trim.
Nailing down one of the final pinnacle trim pieces.
The last office of the day was spent taking random pieces of barn wood and mocking up what a stump would look like and which fashion to angle the barn woods on the superlative of the pedestal. The pedestal was taking shape!
Day 3 - Stump hunting
At present, onto the extremely fun 24-hour interval of stump hunting! After the pedestal base foundation was completed, Jimmy and I went out on a "stump hunt," which I can only describe as a more exciting form of shed hunting. Nosotros packed effectually a chainsaw, record measure, pickaxe, a few ropes and a shovel. All of those items were very of import in order to find and take the perfect stump to use to mountain the mule deer bucks.
We started the day searching for the perfect stump by hiking from tree to tree in a burned area.
This is where things got interesting. Jimmy's mitt was constantly waving around talking near each tree, the way the limbs were coming off the body and what he was looking for. He was literally a kid in a processed store.
Y'all know you lot're dedicated to your craft when you spend time to gather your creative side. Jimmy just finished discussing what he liked and disliked about this particular stump.
This is the stuff that got Jimmy excited! The level of texture in the bark would make for a skilful stump for the pedestal. Even so, the tree limbs were in the wrong spot and so the search connected.
Measuring limb height on the tree stump.
More thinking...this fourth dimension, the split-v on the tree was actually nice looking and would piece of work bully for two bucks, but the problem was the split was besides low to the ground.
We decided to motility locations and, as we were driving up the road, I mentioned to Jimmy to stop. I pointed off to my correct at what I thought could be a practiced stump. After Jimmy pulled over, we hiked our way over to the tree and instantly Jimmy'due south eyes lit up. This could be the one! Jimmy once again disrepair out his tape measure and began grabbing measurements of the stump bore, how alpine the stump would be and where the limbs came off the tree.
The next part was trying to go a good look at what the tree roots were doing. The tree roots could make or break the setup he had in mind. Jimmy told me the roots have the potential to add a ton of character to a pedestal.
Subsequently 20 minutes of analyzing the tree, we decided this was the i! Now nosotros needed to remove extra branches to make the stump lighter.
We used the pickaxe and a shovel to dig out the roots. Then, Jimmy cut them with the chainsaw until we could finally push the tree over. Next, nosotros had more weight reduction to do and then nosotros could carry the stump back to the truck.
After a ton of fourth dimension and one dull blade, we finally had the stump back to the truck!
A lot of hiking and some well-earned sweat went into collecting the perfect stump.
The to a higher place paradigm is from an Instagram story that Jimmy did after he finished cutting, sanding, and applying a clear terminate to the stump.
Another Instagram story from Jimmy. You tin can run into the level of detail that went into cutting out the stump surface area!
Afterwards Jimmy worked his magic on the stump (power washing, sanding, and concluding cuts), he attached it to the pedestal base. The above image was my showtime look at Jimmy's amazing piece of work! When I picked this stump up, I was literally speechless.
More enhancements
After I picked upwards the base, I collection information technology to my taxidermist's store to pick upwards my 2018 buck and go the brackets welded up. A little extra work had to be done to my bucks because, commonly, you lot take the pedestal built outset and then yous tin mock up the deer manikins before the mount is complete. So this process is backwards with how yous would unremarkably go near this. On superlative of everything, we had to catechumen my 2016 from a wall pedestal into a floor pedestal. My taxidermist Jason Schillinger of Schillinger's Taxidermy did a phenomenal task on the mount and I was really looking forward to seeing my 2018 cadet again.
Mocking up metallic brackets for the deer mounts.
Cleaning up the bracket and working on the correct angle.
Visualizing the angle of the bracket.
Close up photo of both brackets.
The first view I got after a few hours of work at the double mule deer pedestal mount.
Finished wait at the pedestal and mounts
Cool features on the pedestal
Jimmy built in small directional lights on the pedestal. These are perfect for highlighting the bucks.
The unique feature of the tree stump and the piece of work it took to router out the barn wood greatly added to that look I wanted.
I really like how the rustic metallic brackets consummate the look Jimmy had in listen.
The finished look of the pedestal base.
In summary
As you probably have noticed past at present, Jimmy'southward mind is on another level! What he tin can imagine in his head and how he sees things in the field is on a level similar I have never seen! And and so, from at that place, he goes fifty-fifty further by turning those thoughts to art. I could have never imagined a pedestal similar this and Jimmy nailed it out of the park! If you desire to check out more of Jimmy'due south piece of work, I highly recommend that you bound over to his website hither or check out his Instagram page that has tons of examples of previous work.
I know 1 thing... each day I await forwards to walking past this pedestal mountain!
Source: https://www.gohunt.com/content/the-life/a-photo-essay-on-the-work-and-creative-side-of-building-a-custom
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