Taxidermy Tips
This article appeared in the June 2008 issue of Woods 'N Water Magazine.
Even as a relatively new taxidermist, I have heard horror stories about the things some people try to bring into taxidermy shops. Luckily I haven’t had to deal with any of it…not yet, at least! And hopefully it will remain that way, if enough people read this article.
It seems that many hunters are under the false impression that no matter what happens to their kill, whether it has been shot through the head by a double-barreled shotgun, or the carcass has been lying out in the sun for a couple weeks and is rotted beyond recognition, it’s still alright, because the taxidermist can fix anything…or so they think.
The fact is that it’s just not possible. We can not fix everything. In order for a taxidermist to properly mount a specimen, it must be in good condition. The hunter must know how to care for his or her trophies in the field to ensure that the taxidermist can work with it. It is also important to know how to take care of the trophy after it is mounted so that it can stay clean and attractive.
So, if you are new to hunting trophy animals, continue reading this article and learn the basics of finding a good taxidermist, as well as caring for your trophy both before and after mounting. And even if you aren’t new to this, you might want to read it anyway. Maybe you’ll learn some tips you didn’t know before. This information can apply to both big game and small game mammals, so whatever you like to hunt, these guidelines should come in handy.
Find a good taxidermist
The key to getting a quality trophy is to find a quality taxidermist. If you don’t have one that you go to already, you should take some time to do research on the taxidermists in your area. If you’re not sure where to start, you can contact your state’s taxidermy association and they can refer you to a good taxidermist. Usually the best and most professional taxidermists are members of the NTA (National Taxidermist Association), or a state taxidermy association.
Often a taxidermist’s website, business card, or other advertisement will indicate if he or she is a member of any of these associations. Taxidermists that are NTA or state association members will usually enter their work in taxidermy competitions, which are excellent places for them to learn the newest techniques, therefore helping them become better taxidermists.
Those who do not attend competitions often do not know these new techniques, and while their work may not look too bad, it probably isn’t quite as up-to-date as it can be. You’ll know when you see really good taxidermy. When a mounted animal looks like it can get up and walk away at any moment, then you know you’ve found a good taxidermist. If the animal just doesn’t look dead anymore, but not quite “alive” either, then you may want to keep looking.
A taxidermist’s shop should be clean and orderly, and shouldn’t smell like dead animals when you walk in. It’s a better thing to smell preservatives or tanned hides when you enter a shop. Shops should also be well-lighted, because lighting is a very important aspect when it comes to properly mounting an animal. Good lighting helps the taxidermist properly align the animals’ eyes and other facial details, while poorly lighted, shadowy rooms make it much harder to do so.
Finding a quality taxidermist may take some time depending on where you are, but it will be worth it in the end when you finally find a good shop.
Properly collect your specimen
Even the best taxidermists cannot do much to repair a poorly-handled specimen. So if you want to have the best trophy possible, you’ll want to collect it in such a way that it’s virtually undamaged and very clean.
Eyelids, lips and ears are important features of the face when it comes to mounting the animal, and they must all be intact and undamaged for the trophy to look natural. If the animal is shot in the head, especially at close range or with a powerful weapon, these delicate facial features are often destroyed, making it nearly impossible to fully repair. Also, many taxidermists will charge you extra for doing such repairs, so it is best to never shoot an animal in the head if you are planning on having it mounted.
It is better to shoot an animal in the chest rather than in the head. This kills the animal quickly and the longer hair of the chest area makes it easier to hide bullet or arrow-hole repairs.
Keep bloodstains to a minimum after the animal is down, to avoid staining the coat. Animals in the deer family, such as whitetail, mule deer, antelope, etc. are especially subject to blood staining because their hairs are hollow and porous. Any blood on the skin will soak inside the hair, making it very difficult to clean. Also, bacteria can grow quickly in places where blood has soaked into the skin for a length of time. Bacteria can begin the process of decay in that area, resulting in a loss of hair. Some say that the best way to reduce blood staining is to plug any shot holes, as well as the mouth, nose, and ears, with a rag or paper towels to prevent blood from exiting these areas.
Next, you should get the animal out of the woods as soon as possible, and if it is small enough, promptly put it into a cooler. If your animal is too large to fit in a cooler, just bring it home as soon as you can and put it directly into a freezer.
Some hunters will leave their kills out for too long without putting them on ice, which will cause spoilage. Predators such as foxes and coyotes are especially prone to spoilage; their inner organs can begin to decay within a few hours. A severely spoiled specimen cannot be mounted. Minor decay is sometimes inevitable depending on the situation, but as long as the hair stays firm you are probably okay. If the hair starts to fall out, the specimen cannot be mounted, so make sure you get the animal out of the woods and frozen before spoilage progresses.
When you are bringing your specimen out of the woods, do not drag it on the ground. This can cause the hair to come out even if the animal is fresh, and it can also cut up the skin if you drag it over rocks or brambles. The best thing you can do is carry the animal if it is small, or load it into a vehicle and drive it out of the woods if it is large.
Care for your mounted trophy
Mounted animals require certain maintenance to ensure that they remain attractive and lifelike. This includes keeping them indoors in a climate-controlled environment, and dusting and cleaning them regularly. Also, you should not touch or “pet” your mounts excessively, as hand oils can discolor the coat after a while.
Changes in weather can cause a gradual process of deterioration in mounts that are kept in garages, sheds, porches, or other areas that have no air conditioning or adequate protection from the weather. Also, keep your mounts away from direct sunlight; it can fade their fur. Do not display them in windows or areas where the sun comes in most of the day.
Make sure your mounts stay clean, by dusting them often. Dust will not really do any major damage to them, but it can cause some discoloration to the fur if left there for a long time. I like to dust my mounts about every two weeks, but letting them go longer than that is fine too, even if you give them a good dusting every month. But if you really like your trophies to stay super-spotless, dusting them every two weeks or so seems to do the trick. I have found that using those Swiffer cloths, which pick up dust and debris by static, work great on mounted animals and on wall-hanging furs as well.
I’ve heard some taxidermists put it like this—don’t do anything to a mount that you wouldn’t do to an expensive painting –and that is entirely true, if you think about it. You know not to leave a valuable painting in the full sun, or touch it excessively, or expose it to the elements. You know to keep it clean and free of dust. So whatever works to keep a painting in good condition will also keep a mounted trophy in good condition.
So now you know the basics of caring for your trophy both before and after it is mounted. Good luck on your next hunting trip, and keep these tips in mind so that the next trophy you bring to your taxidermist will be the best in quality, and after it is mounted will continue to look alive and beautiful for years to come after it is mounted.
