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Ask a taxidermist

Vtbow said:
I find this thread interesting, fun and a great break from the normal conversations around here. Thank you for starting it!

What was your favorite mount/stuff you have done and why?(could you share a picture?)
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I do these little plaque mounts for free for kids that are first time buck killers.
Their reactions make many of these my most memorable mounts even though there really is nothing to them.

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Bwhana said:
I have never done this for a deer I mounted, but wondered if it is ok to use a winch to remove the cape. It produces a much cleaner hide to start with, but I was worried it would stretch the hide too much.
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No winches on hides to be mounted. They will stretch the hide to hell or end up tearing it in a way you could never guess. We winched hides for processing day in and day out but if it is going to be mounted you need to pull out the elbow grease.
 
Rodney said:
Really tough to pic a favorite. Many of my favorite pieces have more to do with the customer or their experience than the mounting. I had this wonderful customer who hunted with his wife their whole life. She was in a tragic accident and was told she would never walk again. Every day she would fight and get a little better and a little better. She told her husband if I get through this we are going on an Alaskan goat hunt - very physically challenging. Damn if she didn't pull through, go on that hunt, and make a 600 yrd shot on a mountain goat.

Where they killed the goat there was this bright blue glacial ice. Recreating that was such a challenge and took so many attempts. I ended up dyeing resin used to make "ice" for drink commercials breaking it down and then putting it against the rocks then pouring more resin over to 'set' the ice and unify it. The end look was perfect - depth, transparency, color. Very thankful to those folks for the opportunity.

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100% amazing. Thanks for responding son thoroughly and with a great story and example!!!!
 
If one is doing an early season DIY Euro mount, What's the best way to preserve the velvet on the antlers?

I did two Euro's with velvet last year, one was my son's buck and the velvet was still tight and hadn't started to come off yet. The other was for my nephew and his buck the velvet was already starting to come off. Through a combination of a bunch of online methods, all of which had mixed reviews I was able to get the velvet to stay on both. It's been a year now and there's no odor or bugs but, I'm not sure how long that will last.
 
GCTerpfan said:
If one is doing an early season DIY Euro mount, What's the best way to preserve the velvet on the antlers?

I did two Euro's with velvet last year, one was my son's buck and the velvet was still tight and hadn't started to come off yet. The other was for my nephew and his buck the velvet was already starting to come off. Through a combination of a bunch of online methods, all of which had mixed reviews I was able to get the velvet to stay on both. It's been a year now and there's no odor or bugs but, I'm not sure how long that will last.
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Easy - soak in denatured alcohol for a few weeks. Velvet will lock in.
 
bloodsoakedberber said:
Where would I send a cape to get tanned if I wanted to attempt a shoulder mount on a whitetail deer? Taxidermy looks fun and it seems like I would enjoy trying to learn.
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Sort of depends on which state you are in. Some states require a taxidermists license. If so, the tannery will probably require your license number. Past that some shops only want to work with established taxidermists. I will PM you and try to help you figure out what to do.
 
Rodney said:
Easy - soak in denatured alcohol for a few weeks. Velvet will lock in.
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Makes sense. That seemed to be the method that finally worked for me. I tried velvet tan, borax, and some other home remedies that didn't seem to be doing much. I finally wrapped them in towels soaked in denatured alcohol and kept them closed up in a large tote and it seemed to work. Next time I'll start with that method.
 
I have a pie bald hide in the freezer from several years ago, folded flesh to flesh and rolled it up. I never got it tanned because of me being stupid and relying on an unreliable taxidermist. Is it to late to save the hide and have it tanned?
 
No way to know until you pull it out. Pull it out and PM me I'll help you figure out what to do with it.

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Yes! I have been asked many times. I've had crying owners call right after death.

I have never mounted a pet as I feel I could never put the life they remember into their pet. They best pet mounts are usually small dogs that are freeze dried. It's just not really a responsibility I am comfortable accepting. Somehow in my mind a pet dog is 100% different than a wild dog.

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Thanks for taking questions.

I shot my first buck this season and planned to do a European mount. Long story short, someone just cut the skull off at the antlers instead of taking the whole head. Is this something that can be fixed or am I S.O.L?

Thanks in advance
 
Patriot38 said:
Thanks for taking questions.

I shot my first buck this season and planned to do a European mount. Long story short, someone just cut the skull off at the antlers instead of taking the whole head. Is this something that can be fixed or am I S.O.L?

Thanks in advance
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You could have a reproduction skull ordered and the antlers put on that. I think they look like ****.
I would have a plaque mount done (like the pic of the little velvet horns somewhere above). Those turn out really handsome with nice antlers and good finish.
 
I have a buck that I cut off the head, put in a plastic bag and then in the freezer. What do I need to do it I decide I want a shoulder mount? Has the freezer time (going on two months) ruined that? What about the lack of cape?


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iamcorey said:
I have a buck that I cut off the head, put in a plastic bag and then in the freezer. What do I need to do it I decide I want a shoulder mount? Has the freezer time (going on two months) ruined that? What about the lack of cape?


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All you need to do is ship or deliver the head to a taxidermist. Because there is no cape, all they need is the rack on its skull plate. The freezer time will have no effect on the outcome of your mount in this instance.

The taxidermist will source you a cape that most closely resembles your deer in color/size/region. You should expect to pay anywhere from $50-$150 extra for the replacement cape. Larger deer, higher cost for replacement.

If the taxidermist doesn't know how to source the cape or doesn't seem to want to mess with that you should look elsewhere quickly. Cheers!

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Nutterbuster said:
First, if you're a good taxidermist, thank you for all you do. If you're a bad one, for the love of all things holy, get better! I have good taxidermy and bad on my wall, and nothing is more expensive than looking at bad taxidermy every day.

As far as a question, what can I do or not do to keep a good taxidermist happy with me? Because I can live with a bad haircut and spit in my food, but I really, really want my taxidermist to like me. I have a deer on my wall that makes me shake my head every time I look at him. My first 8 point. I didn't know and couldn't afford any better, and it's been eating st me for almost 20 years.
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Take another deer in and use the antlers off you 8 pointer and a cape from another deer..
 
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