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SMALL MAMMALS
If you harvest an animal you intend to have mounted life size, do not skin or make any incisions
of any kind.
Clean as much blood as possible from the specimen and keep it as dry as possible.
Put the
specimen on ice as soon as possible.
If you can't get it to the Taxidermist immediately and choose to store it
in your freezer, wrap the feet (individually) with a plastic bag and tape it securely to prevent air from getting to
the feet. Also, wrap the head with a plastic bag and tape securely (this will help to prevent freezer burn to the extremities
of the specimen). Once this is done, double bag the entire specimen and freeze.
TURKEYS OR OTHER GAME BIRDS
If you intend to mount a bird you are hunting, avoid using large shot that will severely damage the
specimen (a Taxidermist can only work with what he is given). Also, avoid close shots if at all possible, for obvious reasons.
DO NOT STEP ON THE NECK! Pick up the turkey/bird by the feet and hold away from your body until all movement ceases.
If you hunt with dogs in the fall, do not let the dog mouth the bird excessively, if at all. Also, gather any
lost feathers you can find. Your taxidermist will need those later!
Upon retrieval of the bird, pack the mouth and nostrils with cotton balls or toilet tissue. This
will keep blood and body fluids off the feathers. Also, clean as much blood off the feathers as you can. This will help
prevent staining of the feathers and bacteria growth, which promotes slippage.
Never place a bird to be mounted
in your game bag. At this point, the less damage inflicted upon the specimen, the better off things will be.
If you can't get the bird to the Taxidermist immediately, place the bird head first
into a
pair of pantyhose (this keeps the
feathers lying flat and secure to the body), place into two plastic bags, seal and
place
in your freezer.
Get the bird to a Taxidermist as soon as possible. Keeping the bird in your
freezer
for an extended period of time could result in freezer burn of the feet and
facial areas, and this could affect the overall
appearance of your finished mount.
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DEER OR OTHER BIG GAME HEADS
If
you intend to mount the trophy you are hunting, obviously you would not shoot the animal in the neck or facial area.
And more importantly, DO NOT CUT THE THROAT. The quality of the finished mount depends a great deal upon you and
the care it was given in the field.
If you do not know how to cape out the animal, take it to your local processor
and they should know how to properly cape it out. Or, take
the entire animal to your Taxidermist and have him/her cape
it out for you. One important note; it is always better to have too much skin than not enough. So, if in doubt, take more
than you think you'll need.
To properly cape a deer make a cut 4-5” behind the
front legs, around the entire body area. If you are planning on having a “pedestal mount” done, cut even further
back, as these mounts require more hide. Next cut up the center of the back
of each leg to the knee joint. Do not cut into the chest area – this is the brisket of the deer, and it will show in
your mount! Any capes cut up the brisket will require extra sewing,
which will be an extra charge because of the time taken to sew it back up.
Pull the hide down the neck until you get about 6” from the base of the skull.
Cut through the meat of the neck to release the cape from the body .
You are now ready to take your cape to the taxidermist! If you cannot get it there immediately, you need to
freeze your cape as soon as possible. Wipe as much blood as possible from the hair, and keep it as dry as possible.
Place the head in a plastic bag and carefully wrap the rest of the cape around the head. Moisture (any kind of water)and
bacteria from blood contamination will cause the hair to fall out of the cape. Double bag the head and tape the bag around
the antler burrs or horn bases to prevent air from entering the bag and causing freezer burn. Remember, extended time
in your freezer will cause freezer burn, which may affect the finished mount.
Avoid excessive dragging of the animal on the ground.
This will damage the cape of the animal.
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