# Anybody interested in Taxidermy tips



## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

As a taxidermist I see some common things over and over ever year. I wondered if people on this forum would be interested in some small tips and tricks form the local taxidermists who also visit here. I'm not saying there is only one way to do things, or that everybody is doing it wrong. I just think that there are things that guys/gals don't know that could help them out.

I'll start and if anybody else wants to throw in some advice please do. Hard to know which forum to put this in because it really could apply to mammals, fish, birds, etc.

*Get rid of that extra hunk of neck.*

Every year hunters bring in animals with up to 18" of neck still attached to the skull. This does two things. First of all it increases the weight of your pack substantially. Especially with an elk or larger animal. The second thing that it does is retain heat for a long period of time. There are cases where a taxidermist doesn't want a cut all the way up to the base of the skull, but the vast majority of the time the cape will be split straight up the back to the skull. Just make that cut straight, and neat and then remove the neck right at the skull. The cape and skull will cool very fast this way.

One other thing to mention. Anytime you are making that cut up the back/neck you should have your knife under the skin and cutting upward so that you aren't cutting hair.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Cut from the HEAD down the top of the neck to the back, which lets you cut with the hair. Cutting from the back up to the head cuts against the hair.

_I'll second cutting the neck meat/vertebrate shorter. And split them down the back of the neck. It is wayyyy too much work to not split the top of the neck on larger animals. 

The best advice I can give is to stop by a taxidermist well ahead of your hunt and ask him/her how they would like the animal cared for in route to the shop. It really only takes a few minutes to learn how to care for the critter the right way.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Great advise.

I detach the neck from the skull/cape and save it if it's not shot up.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

I'll play...........

*TAKE CARE OF YOUR TROPHY REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF MOUNT.*
Too many times I'll get gross, nasty, rotten heads in that all the hunter wants is a european mount. Some hunters think that just because it is only going to be a euro mount they don't have to take care of it. Your euro is going to come out much better if you take care of it properly and don't let it rot. If possible, plan ahead! Get your trophy to the taxi as soon as you can. Get all the hide off the head and then let it cool. Getting the hair and hide off the skull will allow it to cool faster and you will end up with a better mount. If a european mount is an "afterthought" and the skull has already sat for two weeks in the back yard and is now a putrid mess......don't be surprised if it doesn't come out 100% perfect and the taxi charges you a bit more!

I'll also second the extra neck meat. Learn where the base of the skull is on the animals and cut the head off there!


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

My biggest challenge is... Shoot a deer worth mounting...

Thanks for the tips though I could really see this thread going somewhere. Any taxidermists want to make any comments on how to determine whether a taxidermist really knows what he is doing?


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

That is a great one Bowdacious! There should be a standard "maggot fee" among taxidermists. I once caped a deer for a european without touching it with my hands a single time. It took me about five times as long to use pliers as my fingers but I wasn't about to touch that thing and I've been doing this for 16 years and have touched a lot of gross stuff. If it weren't for a family member I would have turned that one down.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Nambaster said:


> My biggest challenge is... Shoot a deer worth mounting...
> 
> Thanks for the tips though I could really see this thread going somewhere. Any taxidermists want to make any comments on how to determine whether a taxidermist really knows what he is doing?


That is a whole other ball of wax there. And will also have a lot of personal opinion involved. There could be two taxi's that have competed against each other for decades in formal competitions and one might tell you the other doesn't know what he's doing even though he might have a successful taxidermy business.

Look at their work. If it meets what you feel is quality standards then it might be worth finding out some more about him/her and their work.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

I'll add one more.............

Don't call your taxidermist every 3 days to "check and see how the mount is coming along." Your mount is coming along just fine and it will be done when he/she said it will be done. If it is earlier, your taxi will give you a call. If there are problems, your taxi will let you know. Trust me, he/she hasn't forgotten about your mount. The sooner he/she gets it out the door, the sooner he/she has more money in the pocket book. For those that pay up front....be patient! Don't worry until, it's past the time he/she said it would be ready. Bringing critters back to life doesn't happen over night....*BE PATIENT*!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

This forum is interesting to me sometimes. If I started a post that said I SHOT A SPIKE MULE DEER FROM THE ROAD the thread would have three pages within an hour and most of the comments would be negative. Yet if I start a thread hoping for honest to goodness advice it'll have 150 views and only two guys willing to make a comment.

What is that saying about us as sportsment............. -Ov-


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## NHS (Sep 7, 2007)

Truelife said:


> This forum is interesting to me sometimes. If I started a post that said I SHOT A SPIKE MULE DEER FROM THE ROAD the thread would have three pages within an hour and most of the comments would be negative. Yet if I start a thread hoping for honest to goodness advice it'll have 150 views and only two guys willing to make a comment.
> 
> What is that saying about us as sportsment............. -Ov-


It might be saying that there are 150 people who do not know very much about taxidermy and they are hoping to learn something from the 2 or 3 people who do. :mrgreen:


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

NHS said:


> Truelife said:
> 
> 
> > This forum is interesting to me sometimes. If I started a post that said I SHOT A SPIKE MULE DEER FROM THE ROAD the thread would have three pages within an hour and most of the comments would be negative. Yet if I start a thread hoping for honest to goodness advice it'll have 150 views and only two guys willing to make a comment.
> ...


I agree. I don't know a thing about taxidermy so my input wouldn't help anyone.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

NHS said:


> Truelife said:
> 
> 
> > This forum is interesting to me sometimes. If I started a post that said I SHOT A SPIKE MULE DEER FROM THE ROAD the thread would have three pages within an hour and most of the comments would be negative. Yet if I start a thread hoping for honest to goodness advice it'll have 150 views and only two guys willing to make a comment.
> ...


Probably true! :O||:

Maybe I should have added that if there are hunters out there with any questions to go ahead and ask them.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

I think it would be sweet if a "taxidermist" on this forum would go through the process on a post and show the different stages of a shoulder mount or a pheasant/chukar mount. I literally know nothing. I think that would be kind of cool to see.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

That could be done. It might be a good idea to combine the two and show the stages, as well as the standard problems that are often seen along the way.

There are many things that can happen between the kill site, and the taxidermy shop that really do make a difference.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

The highest price is not always the best quality and the lower prices are not always the best value.

Don't salt the hide until you talk to a taxidermist first. Salting does not protect the cape unless it has been properly turned and fleshed. 

A hide can spoil faster than the meat. Some capes can slip their hair in less than 24 hours. 

If you cape the deer off the body before transport then the cape will produce a better mount.

The quality of the materials (as with any product) dictates to the quality of the end-product. 

Did I mention meeting with a taxidermist before the hunt starts? Maybe even multiple taxidermists..... There is a huge difference in quality among taxidermists from the low-end to the top-end, usually enough to warrant paying an extra $100-150 for a deer mount.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Don't just drop off the cape and be done. While you are at the taxidermists, go over the cape with him/her. This gives both the hunter and the taxidermist a good idea of what kind of cape they are dealing with and any "problem areas", if any, that will have to be fixed, ie: Hair rubs, skinning holes, unnatural characteristics, too short of a cape, etc. Then, TRUST your taxidermist! If you have seen his/her work and it meets your approval, then let your taxidermist do his/her job.


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## gooseblaster (Sep 2, 2009)

So what about a animal that is still in full velvet and ones wants to keep all of the velvet attachted. Whadda ya do?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

JuddCT said:


> I think it would be sweet if a "taxidermist" on this forum would go through the process on a post and show the different stages of a shoulder mount or a pheasant/chukar mount. I literally know nothing. I think that would be kind of cool to see.


I've got a better idea. Come to our annual show and competition in February at the Hunting and Conservation Show and watch the "Bird Challenge" There you will see ten or more guys mounting a puddle duck all in the same room and at the same time. They have three hours to mount the bird, the public is welcome to watch for FREE and then the public gets to vote on their favorite one. We also have the Mule Deer Challenge the very next day with the exact same format. You can mingle around and watch up close, ask questions, and rub elbows with all the guys/gals competing. It's a lot of fun and VERY educational! These events are set up so the public can come watch and learn more about what it takes to be a good quality taxidermist.

With that last thought in mind I'll throw this statement out there as well. If your wondering what kind of work an individual taxidermist does, ask him/her how many awards and ribbons they've won at competitions. Any taxidermist worth their salt has and does attend these shows and competes in the competitions. ALL the good, quality, reputable taxidermists in this state have competed at one time or another, and many of them are State and National Award Winners. For a complete list of all the award winners from the last three years plus a complete list of all the members of the Utah Taxidermists Association go to: www.utahtaxidermy.org

Tex out.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

gooseblaster said:


> So what about a animal that is still in full velvet and ones wants to keep all of the velvet attachted. Whadda ya do?


Very good question, I'd like to know more on this also.

Another one that I have got a few different answers on(And I'd like a few more). Birds: Whats the best way to bring them in?


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## SkullDesigns (Jul 13, 2010)

gooseblaster said:


> So what about a animal that is still in full velvet and ones wants to keep all of the velvet attachted. Whadda ya do?


Keep your hands off the velvet, cape it up to the neck, get it off the mountain and to your taxi.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

SkullDesigns said:


> gooseblaster said:
> 
> 
> > So what about a animal that is still in full velvet and ones wants to keep all of the velvet attachted. Whadda ya do?
> ...


+1 on this one. Keep your hands off, and keep the blood off if you can. Velvet is an interesting subject. As you may or may not know the antler burr develops at the end of the antler growing process. As the burr develops it clamps off all of those blood vessels that have been feeding the velvet for the past few months. So depending on what stage that process is at when you kill your buck will have a lot to do with the preservation process. Any of those vein channels along the antler that have blood in them will give you problems pretty quick. That blood has to be removed.

All of the velvet is a thin layer of skin with the tiny "hairs" covering it. That skin is in the process of dying and drying up that time of year so if you grab ahold of it and smash it all down you may just be stuck with that look you just created.

Maybe the most important thing you can do is to be as prepared as possible if you are not going to be able to get the deer to the taxi within a few (short few) hours. Meet with your taxi and do what you need to to be prepared.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

I also would like to stand behind Tex's suggestions. ESPECIALLY if you are a taxidermist that hasn't been before. I would feel pretty safe in saying that if you are a taxidermist, experienced or not, that your work and knowledge of the art will increase greatly by attending these shows. Most of the guys and gals at these events are very good about being willing to help others learn and share tips and a lot of times you can do nothing more than be a fly on the wall if that's all you are comfortable with at first.

Don't be affraid............. GO!


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Lonetree said:


> Another one that I have got a few different answers on(And I'd like a few more). Birds: Whats the best way to bring them in?


*IN THE FIELD:*Retrieve the bird by hand if at all possible, don't send the dogs. Pick it up by the feet if possible. If possible carry bird alone, not with other birds. Allow the bird to air cool, don't put in plastic bag at this time. Don't gut the bird. Don't breast out the bird.

*AFTER THE HUNT*: Tuck the head up under the wing...tuck the feet up underneathe the bird...put in a plastic bag (make sure you get all the air out) seal it and put in the freezer until you can get it to the taxidermist (asap).


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

WOW...this info is awesome guys, thanks sooooooooooooooo much! Keep it up!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks Bowdacious, I forgot to address that question.

I would also like to add a couple of things. First off, NO WALMART BAGS!! If you put something in a grocery sack and give it the courtesy tie at the top you are only protecting whatever is in your freezer from being touched by the animal, you are doing nothing for the bird, fish, or whatever you stuck in there. If moisture can get out of that bag then you are getting freezer burn and that hurts the quality of your mount. Freezer burn can happen fast on delicate skin like eyelids, feet, etc.

Another suggestion that I have had success with is to use a nylon in the field. If you tuck the head and feet as suggested, and then slip the bird into the nylon head first it will hold everything in place. Once that's done you can tie it off just above the bird and cut off the excess. You still need to let the bird cool before doing this AND you need to be cautious. A nylon can be a tight fit, be careful about getting it in there neatly. The bird still needs to go into a bag with the air removed before it's put into the freezer.


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

Bowdacious said:


> I'll add one more.............
> 
> Don't call your taxidermist every 3 days to "check and see how the mount is coming along." Your mount is coming along just fine and it will be done when he/she said it will be done. If it is earlier, your taxi will give you a call. If there are problems, your taxi will let you know. Trust me, he/she hasn't forgotten about your mount. The sooner he/she gets it out the door, the sooner he/she has more money in the pocket book. For those that pay up front....be patient! Don't worry until, it's past the time he/she said it would be ready. *Bringing critters back to life doesn't happen over night....*


It does on Mounted in Alaska!!!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Here's a couple more.

It may seems obvious to some, but never cut the throat on any big game animal that you intend to mount. Also don't drag the animal.

I know turkeys are big, and sometimes you have to wrestle them down. As they lay underneath your body weight and go through the death struggle they really mess up those feathers. I can usually tell pretty easy which side of a turkey was against the ground as somebody had it pinned down.

Don't assume your taxidermist is a magician. I was at a seminar once where the man teaching told me that he turns down more birds than he mounts every year because of the condition of the bird. If you expect your mount to look perfect then that animal better look perfect when you pass it off to the taxidermist.


Time of year is one of the key factors in any mount. Every animal specie goes through the changes of seasons just like the trees do. If you want a drake mallard in it's prime then don't keep the one you shot on opening day. The youth hunts are the worst for this because so often a guy wants to get his kids first duck mounted or whatever. That bird may have only been alive for a few months in some cases and they just look like crap to start with. Some species actually take several years to reach maturity and full feather potential. So when you have the option be choosy. 

Keep deer, elk, antelope, whatever COLD and DRY. Bacteria thrives in moisture and just because it's cold and sopping wet doesn't mean it's safe.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Truelife said:


> It may seems obvious to some, but never cut the throat on any big game animal that you intend to mount.


I've never understood why anyone cuts the throat on any animal that doesnt have a beating heart. You shoot it with a rifle through the heart, cutting the throat 15 minutes later when you hike over to it aint going to do anything but drain a tiny amount of blood between the heart and brain... plus you are just going to dress it and cut the heart out anyway.

-DallanC


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

If you want a full body mount on your critter.....you MUST leave all genitalia and bung hole........hence the "full body" mount. Talk with your taxidermist if you are uncomfortable and unsure of how to accomplish this!


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Awesome information guys, thanks.


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Truelife said:
> 
> 
> > It may seems obvious to some, but never cut the throat on any big game animal that you intend to mount.
> ...


The only reason would be for gutting purposes IMO.

BTW, I am enjoying this thread, very informative. Like many others have mentioned I know nothing about this subject. Thanks guys!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> Another one that I have got a few different answers on(And I'd like a few more). Birds: Whats the best way to bring them in?


Here's a few more facts. (cut and pasted from my web sight)

*Proper field care:*

Game care begins in the field. The minute that special bird hits the ground proper field care for taxidermy begins. Birddogs hold a place in our hearts as retrievers as well as conservation tools. However, as a taxidermist, it is often that a client brings a bird that has been retrieved by a "hard-mouth" dog. Some birds that get retrieved end up being fine. Others are not so lucky. Try to keep all mountable birds away from dogs. I know, easier said than done.

*Keeping these things in mind will greatly increase the odds for a quality mount:*

Retrieve the bird yourself if it is potentially a trophy.
Do not carry birds by their necks, this could cause feather loss. Always carry trophies by the feet.
If the bird is not dead, try "if at all possible" not to wring the neck. One effective way is to lay the bird on its chest, and carefully apply pressure to the back with your knee or hand; this will suffocate the bird quickly without damage.
Keep as much blood and dirt from soiling the feathers as possible. Keep in mind, I will remove this later, yet, it is best to KEEP IT CLEAN.
Broken bones and bullet holes in beaks are generally not a problem. However, lost feathers cannot be replaced!
Life begins at 40! 40 degrees F. that is if you're talking about tissue destroying bacteria. Keep birds cool and put them in the freezer ASAP. Fold the head under a wing. Place them in a plastic bag, PLEASE DO NOT WRAP IN NEWSPAPER OR PANTYHOSE. Plastic bags only! Force as much air out as possible & seal it up. The smaller the bird, the more important this step is! For very small birds, (quail, parakeet) it can be helpful to soak the belly area in rubbing alcohol to prevent rapid bacterial growth.
Get the bird to me quickly. The faster I get it, the better shape it will be in, and the quicker you will get it back.

*How to kill a turkey:*
Sometimes HOW we kill a bird is as important as how we take care of the bird before taxidermy. Nothing could be truer than with turkeys. I mount a LOT of turkeys and the biggest problem I see is shot damage to the feathers. We all know that a headshot with a tight choke is the way to kill a turkey with a shotgun, and I'll take it a step farther and say it's the only way to kill a turkey with a bow as well! Bow shot turkeys that got hit in the body and then flapped and flopped around losing half their feathers before dieing are a taxidermist's worst nightmare. To have the best chance at a quality mount get the bird in as close as you can, wait until his head is up out of his feathers, and shoot him right in the lips! Undoubtedly the bird will start to flop and flap around. Try not to pounce on the bird to prevent this. If you can, get a hold of BOTH legs with BOTH hands and hold him up to do his final flapping. If you don't feel comfortable picking the bird up, (and I don't blame you) just let him flop naturally. After the bird has expired, hang him up or lay him on his belly and let him cool out. Then wrap him in a plastic bag and get him to me ASAP. I'll skin the bird and send you home with the meat. If you can't get it to me right away, just keep the bird cool in a cooler or freeze the bird whole. DO NOT GUT THE BIRD. A cold (below 40 degrees) bird in a cooler will keep for three or four days.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Tex, I'm always looking to learn. You mentioned NOT using pantyhose in your advice. What's your reasoning?


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Pantyhose still allow air to get to the bird, making it easier to be subjected to freezer burn. At least that is my understanding.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Pantyhose are the worst thing you can do. They munch and fray the ends of the feathers and create all kinds of problems. Like Bowdacious said, they also let air get to the bird if you dont also wrap the bird in plastic. Some of the worst birds I've dealt with over the years were birds kept in pantyhose. I really dont recommend it. Wrapping the bird in plastic is always the best policy. Just remember to force as much air out as possible so you dont get freezer burn. I used to use a Food Saver shrink wrap machine to store all my birds in. It did a good job at keeping the air out, but I found that the little "striations" in the bag would do more damage to the feathers than it was worth. It would actually leave tiny lines in the feather pattern and across the feet and beak that wouldn't come out no matter how much hot water you used. So, for the same reasons as pantyhose, I stopped using the food saver as well. Just regular old plastic grocery sacks work great. I usually double or triple wrap everything too.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

This is an awesome video showing the *PROPER* way to cape a critter!


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

The video shows a couple things I would not do:

-Look at how he struggles cutting from the back up to the head. It is much easier going with the grain of the hair and cutting from the head down to the back.

-Why didn't he just quarter the "up side" of the bull when he exposed the meat? Cape one side and deal with the meat, then roll the bull over and do the other side. 

He did well keeping the cape clean and cooling it. The legs/belly/brisket was shown well.


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

Packout said:


> The video shows a couple things I would not do:
> 
> *-Look at how he struggles cutting from the back up to the head. It is much easier going with the grain of the hair and cutting from the head down to the back.*-Why didn't he just quarter the "up side" of the bull when he exposed the meat? Cape one side and deal with the meat, then roll the bull over and do the other side.
> 
> He did well keeping the cape clean and cooling it. The legs/belly/brisket was shown well.


I agree that it would be better to go with the grain of the hair, however, I think that is mostly user preference. The majority of hunters will most likely cut from the back up to the base of the skull....mostly because of habit and that is how they have learned and have never thought of it the other way. I can see how it could be easier and better to go with the grain. However the cuts are made, this video is a GREAT representation of what to cut and where it should be cut in order to get the most out of your cape.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

One person told me that the best thing to do for a duck is to freeze it inside a block of ice. Any thoughts on this?


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Clarq said:


> One person told me that the best thing to do for a duck is to freeze it inside a block of ice. Any thoughts on this?


That is a great way to preserve it for time and all eternity, but who has that much room in their freezer...


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## stillhunterman (Feb 15, 2009)

Dang, this thread should be a "STICKY" with all the awesome info in here!


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Great info guys, I wish there was a forum where I could "educate" my clients, but railroading isn't nearly as interesting as taxidermy. I'm not a taxidermist, but I do have one; never complain about the price or the lead time. This is a trophy that you will look at everyday for the rest of your life. It is worth the cost and the wait for these artists to work their magic.-----SS


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks for the added info Tex & Bodacious. Just to clarify I was recomendeding the pantyhose in the field, not for freezer use. I agree that the bird ALWAYS has to be put into plastic bags in the freezer. Good to know your thoughts on the damage to feathers as well. I guess if pantyhose are bad I would be asking for some good suggestions for keeping a good bird safe in the field. I know when we get the boat full of all the decoy bags, back packs, blind material, shotguns and fat hunters those birds have a hard time staying in proper taxidermy shape if you know what I mean. 

Here's another tip. If you are a guy that is brave enough to cape out your own animals there are probably two places that you cut holes a lot of the time. The back of the eye, and the back corner of the mouth are very common places to make cuts that you don't want. This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szDrw0kI ... re=related shows how to avoid this.

Some highlights are:
1: - start from the lips first as shown. 
2: - place your finger in the back corner of the eye as shown 
3: - The tear duct is not a hole like an ear hole, it's a pocket like an arm pit, dig/cut the whole thing out, don't just lop it off.
4: - it really isn't that hard. Practice on the next small buck you shoot so that when you kill a big buck 5 hours from your taxidermist you won't loose your cape to spoilage.
5: - If you haven't practiced, or can't perform the task without cutting holes then dont cape your trophy yourself. Taxidermist can be pretty good at fixing problems but it won't look as good as if the problem were never there.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Here's another one. If you plan to have a lifesize mount of your bear or cougar then do your best to convince the DWR to place the tag somewhere OTHER than through the mouth, or in the head area of the skin. As you may or may not know, you have to have your animal checked in at a dwr office. When you do that they will affix a "permanent" tag to the skin. If they place that tag up through the mouth, or through an eye hole as I have seen done it really makes working on that skin a true pain in the rear. Ask them to place it in the skin along the belly.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> I guess if pantyhose are bad I would be asking for some good suggestions for keeping a good bird safe in the field.


Every one has a boat bag, deck box, cooler or a vest with them while hunting birds. Whatever the type hunting you're doing there is always a safe place to put birds for taxidermy. I always carry a few grocery sacks in my boat bag, hunting vest, cooler, wherever, and place all birds I plan to save as mounters in a grocery bag first, then carefully place it in my vest, cooler, boat bag, whatever for transport. The bag will keep the bird from getting dirty or messed up, and keep it separate from the rest of the heap while in transport.


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## Dahlmer (Sep 12, 2007)

Quick question. I like to cape my animals out if for no other reason than the practice. Any tips for working around the antlers and what kind of cut do you prefer to get into the antlers. Any thoughts, tips, etc. when caping an animal.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Dahlmer said:


> Quick question. I like to cape my animals out if for no other reason than the practice. Any tips for working around the antlers and what kind of cut do you prefer to get into the antlers. Any thoughts, tips, etc. when caping an animal.


After I make the incision from the center of the skull between the ears to the base of the burr. I take a large flat blade screwdriver and a hammer and gently tap the screwdriver along the edge of the burr under the cape to separate it from the pedicle. Works like a charm and you never dull a knife. Just be careful not to snap off any of the burr by hitting it with the screwdriver. Keep the blade of the screwdriver up under the burr and as close the the buttress of the pedicle as possible. Once you have the hide separated from the base of the bur you can get in there close with your knife and keep skinning down towards the eyes. Easy-peasy Lemon-squeezey!


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

As Tex said, we call it a Y cut, starting about 2-3 inches behind the antlers.


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

+1 on the screwdriver method for removing the cape around the burrs. It makes enough of a difference that it would be worth packing a screwdriver, especially on elk. I don't use a hammer though, I just use the pressure created with the screwdriver. With deer I just pull it away with my hands. I guess maybe it takes a little practice getting things cut loose around that area properly to make that work, but it does work well.

Also, when you are making the Y-cut incision, don't make the V part of the Y to long. It's hard to sew it all together if you've got this long noodle shape piece there. Just make it short and blunt. Some guys even use a 7 cut but you need to take extra caution not to be cutting hair if you use that cut.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

All this is great advise and another tool that you can use to see just how to cape a deer or a elk is by going to UTube. There are quite a few videos that have been made covering a lot of these subjects.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> Also, when you are making the Y-cut incision, don't make the V part of the Y to long. It's hard to sew it all together if you've got this long noodle shape piece there. Just make it short and blunt. Some guys even use a 7 cut but you need to take extra caution not to be cutting hair if you use that cut.


Very true, good point! In my post I said to make the cut "between the ears" It should actually terminate between the antler burrs and slightly behind... This will give you a much more blunt Y shape and be easier to stitch shut like Truelife said.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Okay, I'll bite. My experience is field based, I am not a taxidermist, but I've learned a couple of things from my past mistakes:

Start with the cape first so you can take all the cape you need, and you don't accidently cut off too much in the gutting/quarting of the animal. After caping an animal, take a few extra minutes to flesh the hide of large chunks of remaining meat. It doesn't take long, but it removes those little pockets of heat holding meat, and makes it a lot easier on your taxidermist to prepare before tanning.

Also, while in the field, after caping, and fleshing the hide, lay it open towards the sky while you finish working on the rest of the animal. This allows the air to get to the hide, and starts drying it out. A lot of people will cape the animal, and roll up the cape after they are finished. This traps the heat, and the moisture in the hide, which is a bad combination. Let it air out and dry as much as you can while you care for the rest of the animal, then once you are back at camp roll up the cape and find a way to keep it dry and cold until you get it to your taxidermist.

One recommendation I would make to EVERYBODY is to spent 1 hour with your taxidermist of choice and observe how he removes the hide from the face of an animal. The biggest challenge that I think a lot of hunters deal with is figuring out how to cool their cape with the antlers still attached. It won't fit in a cooler, and sometimes, shade isn't enough. If you know how to remove the hide from the face (properly), keeping it cool after that is a sinch. The skull of your animal will retain a lot of heat, even in colder weather. To remove that hide, will in many cases slow the development of later bacteria growth.


Just my .02 cents....


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Good advice Duckholla, althouth I would like to add my thoughts on one part of your suggestions. You mentioned letting the cape air dry. In my opinion cooling is good, but air drying is bad and here's why.

The skin is kind of like a big sponge. The filler in that sponge when an animal is alive is some sort of body fluid. When a cape is salted the salt pulls all of that moisture out kind of like air drying a sponge on the counter top. The pickling stage of the tanning process replaces that fluid and pumps the sponge back up with a fluid that preserves, rather than rots. The reason I feel air drying is bad is because if the hide is air dried to much then it's kind of like using your sponge to paint with and then letting it dry with the paint still in it. The salting process won't remove any of that moisture because the surface is dry and hard and the salt can't penetrate. The tanning process can't work properly in these cases either. You may have a patch of hide that is hard and brittle.

Pronghorn Antelope get this air dried problem quick. Drying them a little might be ok, but if you can see a crust forming it's to dry.

That's what I've found in my experience. Anybody else got advice on that subject?


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

That makes perfect sense. I haven't ever been educated to that point before on the subject matter, but I have always opened the cape and let the air get to it while I finished working on the animal. Since I have done that, I've never lost a cape. Seems like that is just enough time to allow the air to excape, but not enought time to actually dry hard? You think? Once I am finished I always roll the cape up, and place them above the ice/water in a cooler until it gets to the taxidermists.

Here is another suggestion that I found to be useful: I once had to transport a Pronghorn cape 10 hours in vehicle before I could get the cape to a taxidermist. For that trip, I took a big cooler. On the way home, we purchased dry ice, and lined the bottom of the cooler with the dry ice, and then we placed 2-3 layers of cardboard on top of the dry ice. This was in September, and the tempuratures were still in the 70-80's. I drove home, and then next day, got the cape to the taxidermist. He was extremely satisfied with the cape I gave him and told me that he was going to recommend that process to all his pronghorn hunters. We had zero slip in any of the capes. (In fact, we had one of our guys that had to travel 14 hours via truck, and then he was 2 days before the cape got to the Taxidermist, and his cape was still in fantastic shape.) Just another suggestion for those long summer road trips. It worked wonderfully for us. The caveat though, was the fear of freezer burn. We planned ahead carefully with the cardboard, and that was the trick in my opinion...

That's been my fail safe process for years now.

This is a great thread. I wish somebody would have put this out there when I was a young buck!


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## Truelife (Feb 6, 2009)

Could be the case Duckholla, it's hard to argue with success. I think freezer burn would be my only worry with the dry ice plan as well but if you could place the cape inside a couple of good plastic bags, remove all the air that you can, and tie them up tight it won't hurt to freeze it hard so that would cover that.

You mentioned that you PLANNED AHEAD. That is the most important thing in so many situations. Most hunters fail to do that thinking that they aren't going to get something worth mounting. Then that magic day comes along and they screw something up.


Here's another tip for any of you young fellas. You may have been married not long ago, or are planning on that soon. If so start prepping your wife to have your mounts hanging INSIDE your home somewhere. Even if it's in your mancave or something. I've mounted a lot of critters that go straight home to hang in the garage. Including one 38" buck. This guy had been waiting to draw his LE deer tag for 13 years, he finally did and killed a HUGE 38" buck that now hangs in his garage.

Start small if you have to, but plant the seed. You might regret it later if you dont.


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## Beast (Apr 4, 2010)

Any tips on care for a fish? I heard once to roll it up in newspaper and put it in the freezer, until you could get it to your Taxi. Is this a good thing or bad?


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## Bowdacious (Sep 16, 2007)

I've never done fish.....but I found this advice off of this website:http://outdoorsdirectory.com/magazine/fishcare.htm

*If you want to do the job right, here is what you need:

FIELD CARE SUPPLIES FOR SKIN MOUNT TROPHY

cloth seamstress tape - minimum 72 inch 
camera - 35mm, slide film, 200 ASA and flash attachment 
optional - small note pad, pencil (pens often rust or freeze) 
dark cloth fabric, size depends on quarry 
borax - fine grain, non-bleach type 
Saran freezer wrap or plastic bags 
freezer tape 
small pocket knife or scalpel 
FIELD CARE: Catch and release.

This most often requires assistance. Take good slides immediately onsite, at the water's edge or as quickly as possible. Measure the fish from nose to fork of tail. This is measurement A. Then measure the fish directly in front of the dorsal fin, located in center of the back, with the exception of pike, burbot, and other fishes whose dorsal fins are located further back. These fish should be measured around the center of the largest part of girth. This is measurement B. Carefully release the fish, assisting its recovery if necessary. Fellas, today, there are literally thousands of reproduction blanks on the market, so that the choice is yours.

FIELD CARE: Skin mount trophies

Dispatch the fish quickly, keeping in mind the following: bag limits, impounding regulations and keeping the fish in good condition with a lack of refrigeration. In Alaska, continuing to fish while in possession of a trophy fish, with the bag limit of one (e.g. King Salmon) is illegal.

For killing the fish, a sharp slender instrument inserted behind the eye into the brain is usually sufficient. Immediately take a picture of the fish using the dark cloth as a background. Do not remove any slime, or as little as possible. Then generously wrap the fish in the plastic freezer wrap. Use plenty. Then place the fish in a plastic garbage bag, rolling the bag up around the fish. Then tape off the bag, finally placing it in cold storage. Quickly freezing the fish, when available, is the best. Take care when placing your fish in the ice chest. Drink cans and other objects will mark the fish permanently.

Take the fish to your taxidermist as soon as possible. Most taxidermists prefer to receive your fish as quickly as possible so as to remedy any possible mistakes immediately. **There is one other situation that sportsmen sometimes find themselves in, and that is where the trophy fish is record class. To officially weigh the fish, the fish will have to be examined to insure that it didn't ingest 3 lbs. of #2 bb shot on its way to the surface. I swear, it's happened to me grayling fishing. Darned ole grayling took on more'n 4.5 lbs. of lead shot, all 16 inches of him. Couldn't understand why they weighed him. Anyway, you will have to make an incision on one side or the other--not in the belly--as we never gut our trophy fish. I suppose I forgot to mention this small detail. This will allow for examination by the weight official if required.*


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

How about some advise on how to care for our prize after we get it home? We’re putting up the Christmas stuff at my house and when I took off his Rudolf nose I noticed my deer looks like he needs a bath. Dust, cobwebs and probably candle and wood stove soot. How should I clean him up?


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I have a question for you taxidemist and I think your going to tell me what I already know. I took a whitetail and muledeer along with tanned capes and my untanned bear I got in Alaska last year to some scumbag "taxidermist" in Brigham City. I payed him $750 upfront. He was telling me about the progress of my trophies as if he had started work on them. Finally I went to his house and pinned him down. He hadn't done a **** thing and it has been over a year! Now I wonder about my bear skin. Is it ruined? It was in a loosly-wrapped plastic bag so I'm kind of worried about freezer burn. And he didn't/couldn't refund my money.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Cooky- You can dust him off with a Swiffer or blow him off with compressed air (40 lbs or so). Just go with the grain of the hair. I wouldn't recommend using any chemicals on the mount, without knowing how the hide was preserved and how the fleshy areas (eyes, nose, etc) were painted.

Longbow- Sorry to hear about your unfortunate situation with a poor taxidermist. The bear is iffy. Fatty hides, such as bear, are more prone to freezer burn. Bears can be a pain to begin with as they are usually feeding on a high bacteria food source, which means they are more prone to slip hair from bacteria contamination. Couple that with a freezer burned area which will not salt well and you might have a problem. The bear hide might be ok also. Just never know. You might want to get the bear back from him and take it somewhere else.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I got everything back but my money. The whitetail is one I wanted to suprise my son with and the muley is a B&C buck I shot quite a few years ago. The bear is one I can't replace. Anyone want to tan a bear hide for me?


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## 2litl2l8 (Jan 16, 2008)

Should I paint my yellowing antelope european mount. The skull is yellowing...I was planning on using some WD-40 to give some life to the horns. I have been told to use antique or skull white acrylic on the skull.. Just looking for opinions.... could I tape the horns and spray paint the skull?


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