[bucco921]

Trophy is in the eye of the beholder. Inches mean nothing. If the only reason someone hunts is to brag or show off they are missing the big picture.

Can't say it any better than that. I'm not into shoulder mounts, I like Euro mounts personally. The only deer I would consider is something with a deformed rack or a drop tine. My dream is to kill a drop tine, even if its a fork horn with a drop.

 

[devin1]

150" for a 10 and up, 140" for an 8. I shot a 137" 8 point and mounted it. 130 plus for an 8 is pretty big and looks great on the wall

 

[elliottw]

Can't say it any better than that. I'm not into shoulder mounts, I like Euro mounts personally. The only deer I would consider is something with a deformed rack or a drop tine. My dream is to kill a drop tine, even if its a fork horn with a drop.

Me too! When I finally get a drop it'll be shoulder mounted! I don't have any shoulder mounts yet but I really like skull plate and euros so it'll need to be pretty unique for me.

 

[buckbuster31]

140

 

[Hodge]

I do all euros have one shoulder mount, just not a big fan of mounts.

 

[KS_Deers]

Minimum 150" for a shoulder mount. Would probably do a European on a 140"-150", but anything smaller than 140" I'd do nothing but throw it in the pile of sheds.

 

[BDHUNTR]

I'm glad you're mounting him! He's beautiful and will look great and it means a lot to you. THAT'S what it's all about. I have 5 mounted in my living room and the smallest has the center spot over the fireplace because he meant the most to me.

Thanks. I am glad, too. He totally snuck up on me downwind and I didn't know he was there until he was ten yards directly behind my stand. He passed by within three yards of my 15' ladder stand and could have gone left or right, but he went left, which was best as I am a RH shot. He turned quartering-away at 12 yards, where I was already at full draw and I grunted him to a halt. It's only the second deer I have arrowed with a full cut-on-contact broadhead, and the first one I've resharpened and reused. The shot was perfect, and he took off on a dead run for 55 yards and he gave up the ghost running full-tilt...downhill all the way. It was a 1/4 mile drag uphill and then through standing corn. I will remember THAT every time I look up at him on the wall!

 

[hedp]

.

My first one was 163" gross, so I wouldn't mount anything smaller unless it was really unique.
.

 

[OhioHoytHunter]

I used to be big into shoulder mounts. Got some ranging from 110"-135". Now I euro mount all my bucks, and I do it myself. I won't shoot a buck that I won't mount, but no real size limit. It depends on the rack and how the buck comes in and just the whole situation if I'm going to shoot at him.

 

[posco]

I have no standard. If it's a unique deer, it'll probably get mounted.

This little non typical eight was my first bow kill so I put him on a plaque. I had everything I shot mounted. Grizzly, sheep, moose, deer, etc. but I sold it all to a taxidermist for about what I had in it to recover the cost of having the work done.

It wasn't a hardship sale, I gave the money to a charity. I was the only one who enjoyed it and a lot of people who visited my home didn't, including several close relatives. I wearied of it and sold it on a whim. I still have the little guy and a couple sets of antlers I sawed off the skulls. No real regrets as I've got a wall full of eight by ten glossies (some matte finish) and a fully functioning memory.

Times have changed again and I'm having a life size mount done on a black bear I took this fall. My wife suggested I do so. How often does that happen?

I'll get a euro done on my next big whitetail. Everyone should do what's meaningful to themselves.

 

[Bob Wallace]

The bad thing with all these "inches" answers is the fact that not everyone lives in OH, WI, or KS. Feel bad for the FL boys, as I grew up there.

Very true. Down here if it goes 70" not only is it getting mounted you stand a good chance of getting on the cover of a magazine

 

[HarrisonHunt]

Has to be 130+ for me to consider mounting, otherwise they get put on a board carved with an Ohio background.

 

[Iowahunterguy]

I've always said 130.

 

[ihuntforchrst]

I wouldn't be ashamed to hang anything I considered a trophy on the wall. That probably puts me around a 4 1/2 year old or older. I'd proudly put an 80" Coues deer on the wall. I'd put a fork-horned blacktail on the wall too. It really isn't based off an inch measurement for me as much as the age-class and size for that area. That doesn't mean I'm going to mount the rare UP Michigan 2 year old. He's got to have some age.

 

[vincent burrell]

Told my wife I wouldn't mount another deer unless it was a booner. Not gonna hold my breath. Until then I have been euro mounting every buck I shoot.

 

[MOhunter08]

I got my first rifle and first bow buck kills. Rifle is right at 150" and haven't got my bow kill officially scored but it's mid~120's I think.

 

[OctoberAssassin]

125

 

[rackfreak210]

If I shoot it I mount it.

Exactly! After you shell out $ for an "oops" it makes your judging skills a little better. But no matter how big the oops is, I owe it to the animal to mount it.

 

[wardamnhelim]

I have two on the wall I have killed the past two years. 149" nine point and 140 1/2" eleven point. So anything bigger than that!

 

[Wncdeerhunter]

130+. Not sure why anyone would waste money on a little basket rack.

Because as others have said not everyone hunts where deer smaller than 130 are considered a basket rack. I personally have one mounted and it is a 132. But in my area that is not common. Most mature deer hit 120 with a few a large as 160 but on average 100-110 and no it is not a should have let them walk deal. It is a not enough high quality food deal.