Proper field care
There are many variables that can make or break the quality of your trophy mount.
Here are some general guide lines to consider after recovering your trophy.
Quality taxidermy starts with proper game care. We are always willing to provide anyone with skinning instructions. Please call us if you have any questions regarding the process and we will help you. - Jeff 715-282-6128
Here are some general guide lines to consider after recovering your trophy.
Quality taxidermy starts with proper game care. We are always willing to provide anyone with skinning instructions. Please call us if you have any questions regarding the process and we will help you. - Jeff 715-282-6128
DEER FIELD-CARE GUIDE
• Never cut the neck, throat, or brisket.
• Stop at the sternum when you field dress your trophy.
• Do not drag or hang your trophy by the neck with a rope. Use a dolly, cart, or sled to avoid damage and hair loss.
Hang only by the hind quarters.
• Keep the skin cool and dry. Get the skin to us as quickly as possible.
• Stop at the sternum when you field dress your trophy.
• Do not drag or hang your trophy by the neck with a rope. Use a dolly, cart, or sled to avoid damage and hair loss.
Hang only by the hind quarters.
• Keep the skin cool and dry. Get the skin to us as quickly as possible.
SKINNING (for shoulder mounts):
Starting at the sternum where you stopped at the field dress, cut 360° (between meat and skin) over and around the back reaching the opposite side.
Cut 360° just above each knee. Next, slice underneath the back of each leg straight up at a 90° angle until you meet the belly cut circumference.
Continue skinning until you are as far down the neck as possible.
Cut off the head at the neck juncture and bring the head and cape into us whole.
(See diagram at left)
• If you cannot get the head/cape to us right away, double bag wrap the head and place into freezer (remove excess air). Do not salt.
• We always encourage our clients to take pictures of their trophies. Close-ups of the eyes, ears, and nose pad help us with the re-creation process.
• Always have appropriate tags with your trophies when you bring them in.
• Never cut or slice the ears for tag attachment.
• For situations where you are hunting in remote areas for an extended period, ask us about techniques for skinning, salting the entire cape, and antler detachment.
• Always have appropriate tags with your trophies when you bring them in.
• Never cut or slice the ears for tag attachment.
• For situations where you are hunting in remote areas for an extended period, ask us about techniques for skinning, salting the entire cape, and antler detachment.
BEAR FIELD-CARE GUIDE
Always attempt to use a professional service when skinning large animals. If you feel inclined to skin this animal please follow this process:
On the belly-side starting in the center of the neck, make a crisp straight cut to the tail slightly around the genitals.
Slice down the inside of the leg(s) until you reach the pad. Cut through the center of the footpad stopping at the base of the toes. (just under the digit pad).
Skin all of the legs, Continue peeling all of the skin away from the meat. You should end up at the neck.
Cut off the head at the neck jucture leaving the detailed skinning of the head to the taxidermist or other experienced and trained person.
Do not roll the skin up but, fold in half. Double bag wrap the head and place into freezer (remove excess air).
* Do Not Salt *
Salting is only done after hide is completely fleshed of all meat and fat. Eyes, ears, nose and lips turned. This is a very delicate and critical process and should only be done by your taxidermy professional.
On the belly-side starting in the center of the neck, make a crisp straight cut to the tail slightly around the genitals.
Slice down the inside of the leg(s) until you reach the pad. Cut through the center of the footpad stopping at the base of the toes. (just under the digit pad).
Skin all of the legs, Continue peeling all of the skin away from the meat. You should end up at the neck.
Cut off the head at the neck jucture leaving the detailed skinning of the head to the taxidermist or other experienced and trained person.
Do not roll the skin up but, fold in half. Double bag wrap the head and place into freezer (remove excess air).
* Do Not Salt *
Salting is only done after hide is completely fleshed of all meat and fat. Eyes, ears, nose and lips turned. This is a very delicate and critical process and should only be done by your taxidermy professional.
This diagram is for bear rugs, for life size or half size mounts, do not cut above the chest!
Pete Plumb with a fat spring walleye.
FISH FIELD-CARE GUIDE
• Do not gut the fish.
• Do not place the fish on a stringer.
• Do not club, step on, or strike the fish. If you require quick dispatch insert a sharp object behind the eye until you reach the brain.
• Do not toss the fish in the back of your boat, or on a river bank.
• Keep the fish moist, cold, and away from heat or direct sunlight.
* Take as many quality pictures as possible before you wrap the fish. Color fades/ or darkens as the fish expires.
WRAP TECHNIQUE (for skin mounts):
Sometimes it is not always possible to have all the materials necessary to prepare your trophy fish, but a sound effort will be beneficial. Materials: 1 towel, roll of saran wrap, and masking tape
Soak the towel in water and wring the water out. Roll the fish in the towel placing fins against the body. Enclose the towel with saran wrap to retain the moisture. Use the masking tape to secure the saran wrap. Surround the fish with ice (by itself).• Double bag wrap the fish and place into freezer (remove excess air).
CATCH and RELEASE
* Take as many quality pictures as possible before you release the fish. Color fades/ or darkens as the fish expires.
• Weigh the fish if possible.
• Measure the full length and approximate girth of the fish.
Fish reproduction blanks are increasingly popular for many anglers today. One of the critical advantages of deciding on a replica is that it will last forever.
• Do not place the fish on a stringer.
• Do not club, step on, or strike the fish. If you require quick dispatch insert a sharp object behind the eye until you reach the brain.
• Do not toss the fish in the back of your boat, or on a river bank.
• Keep the fish moist, cold, and away from heat or direct sunlight.
* Take as many quality pictures as possible before you wrap the fish. Color fades/ or darkens as the fish expires.
WRAP TECHNIQUE (for skin mounts):
Sometimes it is not always possible to have all the materials necessary to prepare your trophy fish, but a sound effort will be beneficial. Materials: 1 towel, roll of saran wrap, and masking tape
Soak the towel in water and wring the water out. Roll the fish in the towel placing fins against the body. Enclose the towel with saran wrap to retain the moisture. Use the masking tape to secure the saran wrap. Surround the fish with ice (by itself).• Double bag wrap the fish and place into freezer (remove excess air).
CATCH and RELEASE
* Take as many quality pictures as possible before you release the fish. Color fades/ or darkens as the fish expires.
• Weigh the fish if possible.
• Measure the full length and approximate girth of the fish.
Fish reproduction blanks are increasingly popular for many anglers today. One of the critical advantages of deciding on a replica is that it will last forever.
Jeff with a spring gobbler.
BIRD FIELD-CARE GUIDE
• Do not gut the bird.
• Do not squeeze the bird's neck, or carry it by the head/ neck.
• Do not club, step on, or strike the bird. If you require quick dispatch squeeze the body to collapse the lungs.
• Do not let your dog recover a downed bird.
CHOOSING A BIRD
If possible avoid birds that have been saturated in water. Blood stains should be prevented (see Transporting and Storage).
Choose one with very minimal shot damage.
If possible, choose one without broken wings or broken primary wing feathers.
Try to pick the best specimen in matters of quality if they are of similar size. Winter birds and more mature in age birds generally carry the best plummage
Depending on season and age, many birds have pin feathers that will fall out during the mounting process.
• Do not squeeze the bird's neck, or carry it by the head/ neck.
• Do not club, step on, or strike the bird. If you require quick dispatch squeeze the body to collapse the lungs.
• Do not let your dog recover a downed bird.
CHOOSING A BIRD
If possible avoid birds that have been saturated in water. Blood stains should be prevented (see Transporting and Storage).
Choose one with very minimal shot damage.
If possible, choose one without broken wings or broken primary wing feathers.
Try to pick the best specimen in matters of quality if they are of similar size. Winter birds and more mature in age birds generally carry the best plummage
Depending on season and age, many birds have pin feathers that will fall out during the mounting process.
TRANSPORTING and STORAGE
• Keep the bird out of water and away from heat or direct sunlight.
• Plug the mouth with paper towel or other absorbent material to keep fluids from leaking on the feathers.
• It is good to tuck the head under the wing and slip the bird in women's stockings to keep the feathers in tact.
• If possible, get the bird to us after the hunt or double-plastic bag wrap the entire bird "as is" and place into a freezer (remove excess air).
• Keep the bird out of water and away from heat or direct sunlight.
• Plug the mouth with paper towel or other absorbent material to keep fluids from leaking on the feathers.
• It is good to tuck the head under the wing and slip the bird in women's stockings to keep the feathers in tact.
• If possible, get the bird to us after the hunt or double-plastic bag wrap the entire bird "as is" and place into a freezer (remove excess air).
Trapper Jeremy Brand with a
nice November coyote.
SMALL MAMMAL FIELD-CARE GUIDE
Special care should be taken with small mammals espescially canine types such as fox, coyotes and wolves. These species as well as pronghorn antelopes are known for hair slippage due to their hollow hair structure.
Poor field care can result in a second-rate mount even in the hands of a highly qualified taxidermist. Health of the mammal, warm temperatures or high humidity can negatively impact your mammal hide quality.
Hair slippage isn't usually prevelant until during the tanning process, which will be too late to save the hide, and extreme preventative measures should be used upon recovering these mammals.
• Do not gut the mammal.
• Do not place the mammal in plastic, unless it is going directly in the freezer.
• Do not drag the mammal.
• Do NOT get the mammal wet or submerge in water.
*Simply leave it WHOLE, double bag wrap it and place into freezer A.S.A.P.(remove excess air).
***Do not salt***
Poor field care can result in a second-rate mount even in the hands of a highly qualified taxidermist. Health of the mammal, warm temperatures or high humidity can negatively impact your mammal hide quality.
Hair slippage isn't usually prevelant until during the tanning process, which will be too late to save the hide, and extreme preventative measures should be used upon recovering these mammals.
• Do not gut the mammal.
• Do not place the mammal in plastic, unless it is going directly in the freezer.
• Do not drag the mammal.
• Do NOT get the mammal wet or submerge in water.
*Simply leave it WHOLE, double bag wrap it and place into freezer A.S.A.P.(remove excess air).
***Do not salt***