Velvet Care????

[Verndog]

For those that have, what special precautions do you take if you harvest a deer in velvet and hope to have in mounted? Each person has some thoughts and just wanted to see what new ideas you guys had.

[bowhunter4life]

keep it dry!, cool, if cannot get to taxidermist with in few days. freeze it ,make sure to leave in open " not in plastic bag. good luck

[Guest 300ultramag.]

i heard your suppose to hit em' with some needle in the tine? dunno

[cbryant11]

i wish i knew i have a rack in my freezer from 2 years ago. is it still good? i know my wife wishes it was outa there

 

[bowhunter4life]

i wish i knew i have a rack in my freezer from 2 years ago. is it still good? i know my wife wishes it was outa there

 

 

it is ok, you have " freeze dryed it" get you some velvet tan, apply and your done!

[Red Rabbit]

You can inject formalin/formaldehyde with a syringe (wear rubber gloves and safety goggles) in the veins every 1/4" under the velvet, or submerse it in formaldehyde, or keep if in the freezer to "freeze dry" it. Also, some companies can flock the antlers with synthetic velvet.

 

Search taxidermy.net

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

 

 

Vern,

 

I was told once that you should avoid getting oils, like from your hands on the horns? But I'd say in the freezer or on dry ice as fast as you can is a Very good idea.

 

Best of luck to you guys on the opener!

 

Tell the Family I said, "Hello!"

[elpepe25]

buddy of mine just froze it took it to the taxi and they stipped it and put fake velvet on and its awesome.

[tomgobbler]

You first need to take very good care of it from the time the deer hits the ground, handle it as very little as possible, and then freeze and get it to your taxidermist, decide right away if you want it stripped and fake put on or not..... if not and you want to try and do it your self BEFORE you can inject formaldehyde (which is very hard to get unless you work at a funeral home) or anythig else you first have to get the blood out of it, it is a living organism, if the tips are still really round and soft you can pock them with a syringe ALL over, and all up and down the antler, but especially the tip, then you take your syringe with water and start down at the base and squirt the water under the skin, this will force the blood out the "pin holes" you made at the tips, this will take quite a while untill ALL blood from every square inch has been forced out, you have to go all the way around and keep forcing more and more until every point, every inch has been covered, and nothing put clear liquid comes out the tips, if any stays it will rot. then mix a strong salt water solution and do it again, (some start with the salt water solution to begin with) and once again go over the intire antler gettign that salt water under everypart, once again this takes some time ( for the more adventureous you can drill a hole from the underneath side up through the center of the antler for a little ways and then take your garden hose with an attachment and force the water from the underneath side up through the pours, and the blood with come out quicker, but it takes some getting used to to drill it out right and everything) then after you have doen that there are several comercial solution you can either soak them in or once again inject under the velvet, but the most important part is to get the blood out first, you cant replace it with a "preservative" untill it is gone, once it's gone then you begin to "tan" the velvet for lack of a better word, but esentially that is what you are doing, tanning it from the inside out......

they are a pain, but look pretty when finished......

 

you can also send them off to have them freeze dried, or leave them in your freezer for years and it will esentially do the same thing, or have them stripped and fake flockign put on....

 

good luck to ya

tommy

[bowsniper]

Get it cold and then frozen fast as possible. A taxidermist will charge anywhere between $200 -$400 for velvet preservation, formaldehyde or freeze drying. Freeze drying works well, don't know about formaldehyde. You can try to freeze it and tan it yourself with mixed results. The artificial is by far the cheapest, but personally, I don't like the way it looks.

 

Mark

[HEADACHE]

I didn't know you could do anything when I shot my first velvet buck.

I just left it outside for a few days until it stopped stinking and it has been stuck on there looking as new for five years or so ???

 

 

[BigBfever]

You can inject formalin/formaldehyde with a syringe (wear rubber gloves and safety goggles) in the veins every 1/4" under the velvet, or submerse it in formaldehyde, or keep if in the freezer to "freeze dry" it. Also, some companies can flock the antlers with synthetic velvet.

 

Search taxidermy.net

 

 

2 ways inject a velvet preserve or formaldehyde at the top of the antlers and let it drain through the skull if your just doing a skull mount or make small incisions (1/8in) at the base of the antlers and let it bleed out if you are going for the full head mount.

[AAA]

The EASIEST and most EFFECTIVE in my opinion is put it in the freezer ASAP. When it's froze solid, ship it overnight to a taxidermist that has a freeze-dry machine. They freeze dry it for 30-80 dollars and send it back to you. Preserved! No liquids, cutting, injecting, etc.. I know of a few of them if you need some references.

[bowsniper]

The EASIEST and most EFFECTIVE in my opinion is put it in the freezer ASAP. When it's froze solid, ship it overnight to a taxidermist that has a freeze-dry machine. They freeze dry it for 30-80 dollars and send it back to you. Preserved! No liquids, cutting, injecting, etc.. I know of a few of them if you need some references.

 

 

You bet I need a couple of references! I have been paying way too much! Please let me know where I can get it done for that price!

 

Mark

[BigBfever]

Backcoutry hunters decribe it best, this is from another Forum, Backcountryhunting.net

 

Generally when archery seasons begin out West, most monster mule deer will still be in the velvet stage of antler development. Many hunters want to preserve their velvet trophy, but are either not able to get it frozen and preserved or get it to a taxidermist in a timely manner. As a result, the velvet slips and they no longer have the ability to mount it with the velvet on. Here's what I've done over the years that's worked for me.

 

If you want to properly preserve velvet antlers IN THE FIELD, you will have to inject & brush them with formaldehyde and/or some of the new less toxic chemicals (4 in 1 solution works great as does Knobloch's antler in velvet tan). I personally prefer the 4 in 1 solution to Velvet Tan, as it was easier to use for me, however, both will work. Remember, formaldehyde is a carcinogen. A very respected taxidermist whose specialty was velvet antlers taught me this technique which works well.

 

First, (using rubber gloves and eye protection) take a razor blade and make small incisions at the tips of all points (less than 1/8"). Next hang the antlers upside down, allowing the blood to drain. Starting at the bases inject the solution into the veins (you'll see and feel them) that follow the antler. You will begin to see the solution "push" out blood towards the tips. Continue injecting the solution as you work the untreated blood towards the tips. When you reach the ends, make sure you've treated ALL the veins on each antler. You'll quit injecting solution when the color of the solution is the same coming out as it was going in.

 

Allow the antlers to hang upside down overnight. After the solution/blood has stopped dripping out the ends, use a very fine painters brush and lightly brush the velvet with the solution. This will prevent bugs from entering the velvet that has no blood. After allowing the velvet to dry, lightly "brush" out the velvet to give it the natural uniform look. Remember; wear eye protection and gloves when using formaldehyde or any other chemicals. Slow down and don't be in a hurry to finish. If done correctly, your trophy will last forever.