Becker Report post Posted August 1, 2011 Hey all just wanted to give some reminder tips for you this year that might help in preserving your trophy of a life time.... #1 Keep your hide cool and DRY!!! repeat DRY....Moister causes bacteria and therefore hair slip. This is one of the number one problem most people have in losing their capes. Keep it cool and DRY!!!! #2 Take your time skinning no matter what. How well your mount looks is determined by how the taxidermist receives it. We are generally good at repairs and fixes BUT the less damage the better. (we always hear, "oh the taxidermist can fix that" NOT ALWAYS) If you fully cape it out put extreme caution around the eyes, nose, and lips. Especially the eyes. Eyes can really make or break the appearance. These are where 99% of unnecessary holes occur. #3 Leave plenty of cape, especially in the arm pits for shoulder mounts. A rule of thumb, cut a circle around the middle of the body and around each knee. Follow the hair pattern along the back of the leg to the center body cut and bring it all in. Forms these days have a lot more of the shoulders and brisket areas. It is really hard to repair cuts in the armpits (short thin hair). Stay out of there. #4 You can always talk to your taxidermist for their preferred skinning methods. Most will have no hesitation in taking a few minutes to explain procedures and get you on the right path. Hope these little tips help, now some mounts to look at. Hope you all enjoy!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector Report post Posted August 1, 2011 Beautiful mounts and great tips, Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hunterdan Report post Posted August 2, 2011 Devin, WOW! Nice Mounts. As always you and Chris put out some of the very Best work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted August 2, 2011 very good advice. Great mounts! I recognize some of the trophies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortpants Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Great tips and beautiful mounts! How about elaborating just a bit and share with us your method for keeping a head skinned to the top of the neck cool but dry. I can keep 'em dry cuz I don't put 'em in the cooler for fear of them getting wet. I put 'em skin to skin and roll the hide up and just try to get to the taxi asap but that can be 24 hours on some hunts! I've never had any issues and always been told better warm and dry than cold and wet. I'm nervous about my upcoming goat tag though. I heard they slip easy? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Becker Report post Posted August 3, 2011 No Prob Shortpants. Best and easiest way I have found is to triple even quadruple bag the ice itself in trash bags (heavy duty ones). In your case with an antelope it would most likely fit in a large cooler or even one of those cheap plastic tub/containers. With the ice bagged up tight and layered you can surround the head with multiple bags thus keeping it cool and dry! If it is something bigger obviously improvising is key. however with the bags of ice self contained you can place them anywhere you would like inside the cape, underneath, and on top. If you are really worried about it as a safety precaution leave the plug unplugged in the cooler or poke holes in the bottom of the plastic container and you wont risk floating your cape. I have some customers that have used those rubberized drybags to keep their capes dry. Of course with those they have to pull the cape off the head. I myself have never had a problem using the first mentioned technique. Anyone else have any tips??? And yes goats can slip easy but with some caution it is more than easily avoided!!! Great tips and beautiful mounts! How about elaborating just a bit and share with us your method for keeping a head skinned to the top of the neck cool but dry. I can keep 'em dry cuz I don't put 'em in the cooler for fear of them getting wet. I put 'em skin to skin and roll the hide up and just try to get to the taxi asap but that can be 24 hours on some hunts! I've never had any issues and always been told better warm and dry than cold and wet. I'm nervous about my upcoming goat tag though. I heard they slip easy? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Beautiful mounts Devin! You and Chris sure do turn out the goods! Shorty!!! Cape the head!! You Can Doo IT!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azsagebrush Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Great tips and beautiful mounts! How about elaborating just a bit and share with us your method for keeping a head skinned to the top of the neck cool but dry. I can keep 'em dry cuz I don't put 'em in the cooler for fear of them getting wet. I put 'em skin to skin and roll the hide up and just try to get to the taxi asap but that can be 24 hours on some hunts! I've never had any issues and always been told better warm and dry than cold and wet. I'm nervous about my upcoming goat tag though. I heard they slip easy? all i can say is "whisker biscuit"! azsagebrush Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted August 3, 2011 For Ice, I have found that the 2L soda bottles filled 4/5 with water and frozen in the deep freeze work very well. Fill your meat chest full of the frozen bottles. Be sure to stick one up the neck to the base of the skull if you do not fully cape the head. (I also use the frozen bottles in the regular ice chest so the food does not get wet from melting ice.) I prefer the 2L soda bottles over gallon water and milk jugs as the soda bottles are stronger and do not crack and leak. When I came back from Wyoming last fall after the successfull antelope hunt, I kept the head and cape in a chest and would keep dry ice on/around it during the week I was photographing in Colorado on the extended drive home. Most grocery stores and SuperWalmarts carry dry ice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Rabbit Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Devin, I really like the habitat of the double antelope base. Doug Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
youngbuck Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Thanks for the tips. Any specific tips for bears in August? It is hard to find cool and dry that time of year. Would you ever recomend salting if a guy couldn't make it to a freezer in a couple days? If not any other tips? Bear hides hold in a lot of heat, just wondering if there is anything special you guys would recomend for them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZBob Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Great mounts! I don't recall seeing green Ocotillo "branches" like you used in the last mule deer mount. Would you mind saying where you found the reproductions? Bob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Awesome mounts and thanks for the tips!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Becker Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Bears are always tricky. I dont recommend ever salting anything. When you salt capes the salt pulls out the moister and makes a nasty mess. We have racks and stands that let all that drain off. If you salt it and bunch it up your gonna have a super big mess. Your best odds on bears is to pull it off the body. Lay it out open in the shade for awhile (maybe 20 minutes) to let that heat escape. then using methods mentioned above when you get back to the truck. Make sure you leave prepared for anything. You always want to plan ahead incase you do harvest that trophy!!! AZBOB We preserve real ocotillo's. I'd tell you how but its a trade secret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortpants Report post Posted August 3, 2011 Great tips and beautiful mounts! How about elaborating just a bit and share with us your method for keeping a head skinned to the top of the neck cool but dry. I can keep 'em dry cuz I don't put 'em in the cooler for fear of them getting wet. I put 'em skin to skin and roll the hide up and just try to get to the taxi asap but that can be 24 hours on some hunts! I've never had any issues and always been told better warm and dry than cold and wet. I'm nervous about my upcoming goat tag though. I heard they slip easy? all i can say is "whisker biscuit"! azsagebrush Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
