I had my deer mounted and the colors were totally wrong. The head was originally grey with black eye brows...the mount head turned red to brown in color with the eye brows almost gone. What causes this problem?

Sounds like they used a different cape.

This is a very unusual buck...for sure this is the original cape...just colors are different. Could the way the hide was cured be done with chemicals that changed the colors?

I had a taxidermy business for 23 years .Good tanning does not change the color on any part .

Post up a before and after pic.

I know it’s not the same thing, but I shot an 8 one year that was old as heck. He had a huge Roman nose and the deer had sentimental meaning to me so I decided to to have him mounted. I was pretty disappointed when he was returned without the Roman nose. He went from looking like an old battered warrior to yearling

I sell fur. Yes, depending on the chemicals used, fur can have the colors changed during the tanning process. As stated above, a good tan job won't change the colors.

this is my first time to send ...I hope they turn out right.

Looks good to me. What is the problem?

Don't get me wrong...my taxidermist has done very good work for me. I don't blame him just questioning could chemicals cause the pelt to change colors. The main reason I harvested this buck is the black eye brows and the white eye rings. Together this made a special animal for me. I see bucks each year and take only special animals...usually around one every four years or so. Actually no problem at all just wondering if chemicals could change the colors to the point that maybe I should check if certain chemicals will ruin the pelt..at least what I want from mounting the animal. I was disappointed but not to the point that I don't like the mount. The colors to me are way different from the live deer I harvested. Just disappointed. If I can get some direction as to how to keep this from happening would be the purpose for this post.

thanks for everyone giving your thoughts.

Another possibility is that your pelt is clean now, rather than dirty with a lifetime of deer living. Rubbing their faces and foreheads on sappy trees can stain them with much darker colors that may have been removed during the tanning process.

That is what I was thinking, I have seen that before.

Could the hide have been wet from rain or humidity?
I killed deer that looked dark in the ground photos but once the hide was dry the color seemed lighter.
Your mount looks pretty good.
I had a mount done a few years ago and it was an old south Texas buck with a broad cow like muzzle, and large swollen neck.
I got the mount back and it looked like the guy just grabbed any form he got his hands on and it looked like a young doe when I got it back.
Consider yourself lucky!

I’d go with this before anything. I think that tc photograph is catching some staining from the forehead gland (especially since the pic was taken near prime rut). As that staining runs down and darkens his hide, it’d make the white around his eyes contrast more, too. I’d chalk the loss of the staining up to the hide being cleaned in the tanning process rather than a chemical reaction.

Here are somethings to know.....this dark eye brow ...I believe it is possible that this could be a specie of white tail deer...I think there are about 22 species in Texas. If I remember right. I also have another buck this year with the same black eye brow. I have more pics of the buck I have mounted..earlier in the year while the buck is in velvet ..had this black eye brow. With this being said I don't think that tree sap on the bucks head would be present this time of year and this distinct on two different bucks. I don't remember if a doe has this markings or not..if it were a specie you would think a doe would have it also. If I find a doe I will post a pic. In any case black eye brows are seldom on our place. The mule deer have black eye brows I think very often. You can look up on google and you will get many different types of deer with this black eye brow.

fishbait, I seem to be the only one on here who sees exactly what you are seeing. Maybe some guys on here look at deer the way they look at women -- they only notice the rack. The very unusual coloration of the live deer is obvious. Why are people telling you it could be dirt? There is obvious black and white, and white wouldn't be brighter on a dirty deer.

I have seen deer with similar facial hair color and features in several different counties in Texas. I have them here in Western Goliad also. Even had a friend kill one in LaSalle County that look a lot like the buck you killed.
This buck is a from a few years ago.

This buck I killed in 2014 and pics below this pic are from previous seasons and summer of the kill year of him.



Atascosa County buck from 2 or 3 yrs ago.

X2

Just a little lighter in the mount it seems to me.
The darker color in the pics of him live could be due to moisture or even some dirt.


Beautiful buck with great coloration on his face!

The dark brow and stripe down the nose shows up in Jack County quite a bit. I wasn't on the lease but some guys I worked with shot bucks with that coloration yearly

I’ve had the exact same thing happen to me.

I would think being dirty could change it. I have tanned a few hides, it will amaze you how dirty they are.

Also the lighting will make it look darker too.

I shot this buck a few years back with similar markings, I don’t think the black brows lightened up in my mount

Looks great and shows the natural look as it should be. Congratulations on a fine looking special Buck.

I see what ya'll are talking about, is it the lighting it's under now? That light looks to be right on it.

Charlie