| Field Care
GAME HEADS
1. If you intend to mount the trophy you are hunting, obviously
you would not shoot
the beast in the neck or facial area. And more importantly, DO
NOT CUT THE
THROAT. I have always been amazed by the fact that so many
hunters feel the
need to cut the throat of the animal and then expect their
Taxidermist to give
them a high quality mount. The quality of the finished mount
depends a great
deal upon you and the care it was given in the field.
2. If you do not know how to cape out the animal, take it to your
local processor
and they should know how to properly cape it out. Or, take
the entire animal to
your Taxidermist and have him cape it out for you. One
important note; it is
always better to have too much skin than not enough. So, if in
doubt, take more
than you'll think you'll need.
3. Avoid excessive dragging of the animal on the ground. This
will damage the
hair.
4. Get the cape on ice as soon as possible and remember to keep
it dry.
5. If you can't get it to the Taxidermist immediately and choose
to store it in your
freezer for the time being, wipe as much blood as possible
from the hair and
keep it as dry as possible. Moisture and bacteria will cause
the hair to fall out
of the cape. Double bag the head and tape the bag around the
antler burrs or
horn bases to prevent air from entering the bag and causing
freezer burn.
Remember, extended time in your freezer will cause freezer
burn which may
affect the finished mount.
6. Click on HOW TO CAPE AN ANIMAL to see an illustration and instructions on how to
properly cape out an
animal to be mounted.
BIRDS
1. If you intend to mount a bird you are hunting, avoid using large
shot that will
severely damage the specimen (a Taxidermist can only work
with what he is
given). Also, avoid close shots if at all possible, for obvious
reasons. If you hunt
with dogs, do not let the dog mouth the bird excessively, if at
all.
2. Upon retrieval of the bird, pack the mouth and nostrils with
cotton or toilet
tissue. This will keep blood and body fluids off the feathers.
Also, clean
as much blood off the feathers as you can. This will help
prevent staining of the
feathers and bacteria growth, which promotes slippage.
3. Never place a bird to be mounted in your game bag. At this
point, the less
damage we inflict upon the specimen, the better off we will be
in the long run.
4. If you can't get the bird to the Taxidermist immediately, place
the bird head first
into a pair of your wife's old pantie hoses (this keeps the
feathers lying flat and
secure to the body), place into two plastic bags, seal and place
in your freezer.
5. Get the bird to a Taxidermist as soon as possible. Keeping
the bird in your
freezer for an extended period of time could result in freezer
burn of the feet and
facial areas, and this could affect the overall appearance of your
finished mount.
FISH
1. First and foremost, DO NOT GUT THE FISH. Do not cut the
fish anywhere.
2. Take photos of the fresh fish, if possible, to ensure the
Taxidermist has accurate
information to refer back to when it's time to paint the fish.
3. Get the fish on ice as soon as possible.
4. If you can't get the fish to a Taxidermist immediately, wrap the
fish in a wet
towel or wet newspaper, place inside two plastic bags, seal,
and place in the
freezer as flat as possible.
5. Get the fish to a Taxidermist as soon as possible. Keeping the
fish in your freezer for an extended period of time could result in freezer
burn of the fins and
the fish itself, and this could affect the overall appearance of
your finished mount.
SNAKES
1. Safety is paramount when dealing with these critters.
2. You can't bash in the head of the snake and expect to have an
acceptable
looking mount in the end. SO DON'T DO THIS.
3. Take the live snake and place it in a tow sack or other suitable
container. I
prefer to use a five gallon tin bucket that one would buy
popcorn in. Place the
lid securely on the bucket and place the bucket into your
freezer. Freezing the
snake alive may sound cruel but this is the best way of
dispatching the beast and
most importantly, the safest way for you. I prefer to leave the
snake in the
freezer for two days before removing it from the
bucket. Contrary to popular
belief, once a snake is frozen, it is dead. It will not thaw out
and come back to
life. Dead is dead. The snake will be coiled up very tightly,
which makes for a
nice compact package that doesn't take up much freezer
space. You can then
place the snake in two plastic bags, seal it tightly and return it
to the freezer.
4. Get the snake to the Taxidermist as soon as you can to avoid
freezer burn and
possible damage to the specimen.
5. Remember, safety is foremost when dealing with these
things. No mount is
worth getting snake bit over.
LIFE SIZE
1. If you harvest an animal you intend to have mounted life size,
do not skin or
make any incisions of any kind.
2. Clean as much blood as possible from the specimen and keep
it as dry as
possible.
3. Put the specimen on ice as soon as possible.
4. If you can't get it to the Taxidermist immediately and choose
to store it in your
freezer, wrap the feet (individually) with a plastic bag and tape
it securely to
prevent air from getting to the feet. Also, wrap the head with a
plastic bag and
tape securely (this will help to prevent freezer burn to the
extremities of the
specimen). Once this is done, double bag the entire specimen
and place it in your freezer.
ANTLER MOUNT
1. Do not remove the antlers from the skull.
2. If you cannot deliver the specimen to your Taxidermist
immediately, simply
double bag the entire head and place it into your freezer.
Freezer burn is
irrelevant in this case.
EUROPEAN MOUNT
1. Simply remove the head of the specimen and deliver to your
Taxidermist or
double bag the entire head and place it into your freezer. Long
term storage is
not recommended because freezer burn will literally weld the
skin to the skull,
making it very difficult to remove. This could result in scar
damage to the
finished piece.
I hope this information has been helpful. If you have any further
questions, please contact FLESHNER TAXIDERMY for assistance.
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