The quality of your mount starts in the field. Even the best taxidermists
can't fix a cape that was destroyed before he even sees it. If you want to
mount a head, don't shoot it there! Many capes are ruined by head and neck
shots. Sure the taxidermist can sew it up, but it will not look nice. Also
the practice of cutting the neck will ruin a cape beyond repair. Another way
to damage your trophy is by dragging it out. Any hair that is pulled out can't
be replaced and will show on the final mount. Also, the rope that most people
use to drag the animal out with wears the hair away and ruins capes. After the
animal is down, you should skin and quarter the animal to save the cape from
damage. If you are going on a back country hunt, be sure to pack along salt. At
least 5 lbs for a deer cape and more for elk or caribou. Moose will need about
15 lbs. Use a fine non-iodized table type salt.
It is quite easy to skin an animal for a shoulder mount. Cut only up
to the brisket when field dressing the animal. From here, cut all the way
around the animal. Cut the leg off at the knee, and cut up the backside of
the leg until you get to the point that the leg meets the body. At that point,
cut across to the first cut you made around the body. Be sure to avoid the
armpits when cutting up the back of the leg. Next, cut up the back of the neck
until you get to the back of the skull. From here, make a "Y" cut to each antler base.
The front of the animal can now be skinned
up to the base of the head. At this point, if you are close to your taxidermist,
you can take the cape with the head intact to him. Be sure to do this as
quickly as possible to avoid any spoiling and hair slippage.
If you can't get
to your taxidermist quickly, you will have to complete the skinning of the head.
To do this you should take some measurements first, to help the taxidermist
when he is mounting your animal. Three measurements are needed. 1) Tip of the
nose to the front corner of the eye. 2) Tip of the nose to the back of the
skull. 3) Circumference of the neck under the head. To skin the head, you
must cut around the antlers to free the hide from them. Start skinning until
you get to the ears. Cut the ears off flush with the skull, this will be easy
to see once you get there. Continue on until you get to the eyes. Stick your
finger in the eye socket and pull up on the eyelid so you don't cut into it.
Be sure not to cut the eyelid and leave the extra lid on the cape. If you are
skinning a deer, or other animal with large glands in front of the eye, you must
be carefull when skinning around this gland to be sure you get it skinned out
without cutting it. Continue down the face until you get to the mouth. Cut
the lips as close to the gum line as possible. Leave as much of the lips on
the hide as you can. The taxidermist needs the lips for the mounting process. Next
cut through the cartilage on the nose and free the hide from the head. You must
then turn the lips and ears. If you know you will be going on a hunt where you
may need to do this, you may want to go to your taxidermist for more detailed
instructions. To turn the lips, you are cutting between the inside lip and the
outside lip. Cut until you get to the top of the lip. This is done so salt can
get inbetween the thick lips and cure them. It is hard for me to explain, but
it is actually easy to do. You will then have to turn the ears inside out. Start
at the base of the ear and seperate the cartilage from the backside of the ear
skin until you have turned the ear inside out. Again, these procedures are hard
for me to explain so please visit your taxidermist and get detailed instructions
from him. He can show you instead of writing instructions. The hair of some
animals such as deer, antelope, elk, sheep, and caribou are hollow and soak up
blood. Try to wash as much as you can off with cold water to avoid having the
blood stain the hair. You must then be sure as much fat and meat is removed
from the cape as possible. When that is done, rub the salt into the whole
surface of the skinned hide. Be sure to get it into any folds or creases.
You can't use too much salt so be generous if you have it. Place the salted
cape in the shade in an area with good air circulation. The salt will draw
out alot of moisture so be sure this runs off. Do not let the moisture puddle
up on the cape.
A few last details of importance. Never put the cape in a
plastic bag. Don't leave the cape out in direct sunlight. And don't store
the cape next to heat sources (camp lights, camp fire, etc). If you follow
these few tips, your next trophy should turn out nice. But as always, please
visit your taxidermist prior to any trip where you feel you may get a trophy
which will be mounted. Every taxidermist has his own instructions and they
will help insure you will get a mount back that you can be proud of.
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