Keeping the hide on the skull

[Sam]

Hi everyone,

This is my first question on this great website. I have enjoyed reading all the reports and have even commented on quite a few. After hunting in AZ for over 30 years, I think I finally have enough money to keep a deer cape and mount one, if it is good size. I have a hunt coming up in late November. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to connect on a few good size coues, mulies and elk; but have only mounted the antlers.

 

I have a couple questions in regards to keeping the hide on the skull of a deer. After skinning the deer, and pulling the hide up as far as possible towards the base of the skull, is it ok to leave the hide on the skull for a day or two? How quickly do I have to get it to a taxidermist before the hide is damaged? I'm worried about cutting around the eyes and mouth and turning the ears out. I would hate to damage the hide; but, I would also hate to leave it on the skull too long and have it rot. I was thinking that salting the hide and leaving it attached to the skull in a cooler would be ok for a few days.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Sam

[cbryant11]

i had heard not to salt them.....and to fold it hide to hide or skin to skin,,,,I would go ask the taxidermist that you would like to use on his opinion.....cbryant

[Red Rabbit]

Sam,

You can leave it on the skull for a few days untill you can get it to your taxi. I would have some water bottles and jugs frozen to surround the head and keep it cold in an ice chest. Use "bottled" ice so the cape and head do not get wet. Be sure to get all the neck meat out up to the base of the skull when first field dressing.

 

Good luck on your hunt.

 

Doug~RR

[ceg]

Hey Sam, Clay here at Mogollon taxidermy. You don't want to put any salt on your cape. The best thing you can do is skin it up to the base of the head and leave the head to be caped out by the taxidermist. It will need to be put on ice if you can't get it to the taxidermist within a day or so. Doug is right, try not to get the skin wet. Also try to keep it out of direct sunlight, as this heats the hair side fo the skin and facilitates slippage. Make sure you cut your cape extral long and don't cut the armpits; keep you incisions on the back side of the legs or tube the legs out to the knee. Good luck with your hunt.

[mr.smith]

An easy way to tube out the front legs is to remove the quarter with the skin still on and peel it down. a lot of people try to skin the leg with it still attached to the torso. That really limits you.

 

Maybe it has already been done but if not it would be great to see a caping tutorial thread done by a taxidermist.

[Ernesto C]

Just keep the hide and head on ice. If this is not possible sumerge (sp) the cape in water. (inside ice chest or a creek). You probably will be ok if you leave the head with out water or ice for one day, then after that you must take it to the taxidermist.

 

Ernesto C

[Sam]

Thanks for the info everyone. Salting the hide is a bad plan. Doug - I always use frozen jugs to keep the meat cold too. It is amazing how long frozen milk gallons and two litter soda bottles last. I always bring one big cooler full of them and keep it wrapped in a blanket until I need them throughout the hunt. Our food cooler stays much cleaner too by using the frozen bottles. Clay and Mr. Smith - thanks for the tips on caping and piping out the legs. Clay, I may be calling you the first week if I get lucky. I'm going to send you a PM also.

 

Now let's just hope I have a nice buck to bring in.

 

Sam