Shoulder Mount Buck

[HuntingGuy]

Hi All,

Am going whitetail hunting next Thursday for 9 days, and am wondering if you have any diagrams or can explain in detail how to cape out the buck's head without the antlers for a shoulder mount? (i.e skull plate w/ antlers seperate from cape) so I can ship it to my taxidermist?  He tried to explain it but I couldn't grasp it totally.

Any help would be greatly appretiated  

HuntingGuy

[upnorth]

if you have acess to a freezer, the best way is to cut around the last rib, peel the skin as far up the neck as you can, and cut the neck as close to the head as you can leaving the skin intact. fleshing is very delicate and easy to screw up. the only video I've seen on it is from larry d jones. I think it's called field dressing big game. good luck!

[dukkillr]

caping is probably too hard to do for a first time by yourself without screwing it up.  That being said, the idea isn't that hard.  Make a "Y" shaped incision from each antler towards the spine at the base of the neck.  Once each branch of the "Y" have met, then go along the ridge of the spine until the mid body.  then from that point go around the body and skin forward, all the way to the nose.  The eyes, mouth, and nose are hard, eyes especially.  

I would try the neck method mentioned above if you've never skinned anything before.  Practice on a small buck or do one with someone who's got some experience.

[HuntingGuy]

I talked to my taxidermist today and suggested the neck method and just cutting it off as far up as possible, freezing it, and shipping it overnight to him - but he said that the ears and such would thaw out faster, and may be ruined?

Please let me know what you think on this matter, and how it should be shipped if I use the neck method so it won't thaw at any part.

Thanks,

[Redhawk1]

I talked to my taxidermist today and suggested the neck method and just cutting it off as far up as possible, freezing it, and shipping it overnight to him - but he said that the ears and such would thaw out faster, and may be ruined?

Please let me know what you think on this matter, and how it should be shipped if I use the neck method so it won't thaw at any part.

Thanks,

HuntingGuy, I just got back from my taxidermist and asked about your deer situation, and I told him what you said about your taxidermist reply about the ears and other parts might get ruined. His reply to me was for you to look for another taxidermist. I have been buddies with my taxidermist for years and he always gets deer in that have been frozen and he thaws them out and mounts them just fine. He has been a taxidermist for over 30 years now and is the President of the taxidermist association, so I think he knows what he is doing.  The best thing you can go is as upnorth said. The key is to get the hide cooled as fast as possibly and when your taxidermist get it, is for him to skin it out as soon as it thaw's and get in tanned. It will prevent slippage (hair falling out). Good luck on your hunt and hope you have a fun hunt.