Field Care « texaswildlife

Field Care

BEST MOUNTS START IN THE FIELD

Field dressing. All hunters are familiar with this process.Let me add some tips to guarantee the best mount possible for your white tail and other big game.

I know they are heavy, but never drag them by anything other than their antlers.
When you pull on the skin you damage the tissue under the hair which later will cause the hair to come out.
Bring a piece of heavy duty plastic that can be folded into a small shape. This will insure you a clean surface to drag your trophy on after field dressing out of the woods.
Never drag your trophy against the way the hair grows. This will damage the hair.
Always clean any blood off of coat as soon as possible.
After field dressing and cleaning the blood off your trophy, pack the nose, mouth, entrance and exit wound with toilet paper to prevent blood from getting back on the hide. Always make sure you do not have the ears, nose,mouth, or any facial parts restricted or bent, especially during freezing!!
When capping for a shoulder mount, cut a complete circle around your trophy 2-5 inches behind the front legs. Cut the front legs off 3 inches down from shoulder. Now split the back of the leg hide. You should now be able to roll the hide up to the head as you skin out your cape. Leave 3 to 4 inches of neck meat attached to the head for correct measurements.
Keep as dry as possible. Make sure you have cleaned all blood from the cape and have repacked the nose, mouth, and any other area that could drain.
Place the trophy in the freezer without bag for the first hour. This will kill any bacteria that may be growing. Plastic bagging triples the speed of bacteria growth and could damage your trophy. When cleaning the blood, urine of feces from the hide, a simple cotton ball with peroxide will do the trick. Once stain is removed, simple cotton ball with water will do, removing any peroxide.
When trophy’s are small game or mounts you wish to have a life size mount done of, use your plastic to move, after cleaning blood, urine, and feces, don’t forget to pack all areas. Even ears, anus, and eyes if draining.
Get to your taxidermist as soon as possible.
If you plan on mounting later; freeze for a hour with out bag. Then place in a bag making sure not to bend or mush, then freeze!!

CORRECT WAY TO MEASURE

Please use this guide to judge the amount of neck meat needed for correct measurements. This guide will also demonstrate the amount of shoulder needed. Always allow a few extra inches of cape for accuracy and repairs.

SHOULDER MOUNT GUIDE # 2

Please pay close attention to the incision patterns on the shoulder mount.

CORRECT WAY TO MEASURE FOR LIFE SIZE MOUNTS

This guide will help you get an accurate measurement for your taxidermist. Follow the guide and record your measurements. Make sure you Deliver the measurements to the taxidermist with your trophy. This will allow you to harvest all of your meat. You may cut the legs off at the knee joint to release the body from the hide. The tail can be cut at the end of the back bone. Cut the head leaving at least three inches of meat. Split the hide only from behind the front legs to the anus and only down the inside of the leg to the knee joint. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call.