Elk cape and horn care.

[tibbs]

I have not caped an elk before, so I am curious as to the best way to do it. My plan is cut along the top of the elk to the end of the rib cage leaving as much cape as possible. I would then cut the head off as close the skull as I can. Any other options or tricks that would be helpful? If the weather is hot how long do I have to get the cape in a freezer or Taxi's shop before I have problems? If I have to go with the freezer option, how does that work? There is no way a Wapiti is going to fit in my home freezer without cutting the horns off.

The Elk I have in mind is way up high and in thick pines. Hopefully I can get to him with horses, but if not I will have to make a few foot trips. Who is a good Taxidermist and what is the cost of a shoulder mount?

 

[slamdunk]

Cut from about a foot behind the shoulder (this will leave plenty of extra) up the back till you hit the spine. Then cut a very straight line all the way up between the pedicles, then make a "Y" or a "T" to the pedicles, then circle around them.

You can either salt the cape or cool it down and roll it up (hair out) and keep in out of the sun and heat.
if it's going to be hot and your a few days out from getting it to a taxi, salt it and turn the lips.

 

[Packout]

I have a cape guide on my website you can download.

I would recommend stopping by taxidermists' shops in the next few days. Ask how they would like you to care for it and look at their work. Any taxidermist should like to have you stop by before the hunt to become informed.

As far as salting goes, satling a cape will do nothing to protect it IF the cape has not been properly prepared. The cape must be completely removed from the head, then the cape must be properly fleshed (eyes, nose, lips, ears turned). Salting the hide when the head is still in the cape does nothing to prevent spoilage in the face area. Salting the face without properly fleshing can lead to slipping hair in spots where the salt can not penetrate.

Best of luck on your hunt.

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www.sagebasin.com
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[schmalts]

get the cape off ASAP or frozen. Moisture is your enemy mixed with heat. If you do get the cape off, whittle off as much flesh to get down to the nice white skin. pay special attention to areas around the ear butts, eyes and lips where fat tends to be more present. If you thin and split the lips and eyes, and turn the ears you need just enough salt to rub it in real good to keep it preserved till it is dry (one day in warm dry temp). You CAN keep the cape out in the temps forever if you remove the bulk of the meat from the hide, do as I say and get some salt in it so it dries like a big chunk of jerky. You Taxi will whine a bit but fugg him, if it your only option so beit. He will have to re-hydrate it but it will not spoil or slip hair. But, once again, do that only if there is no other option.
Lots of hunters do not know a Jerky dried cape is safe from spoilage, but it must be done right.
a few years back in NM i did just that as my buddy wanted to keep hunting so I took the meat to get frozen, spent 1 few hours prepping the cape and salted it and then draped it over the enigine of the rental SUV and closed the hood down on it and hiked back in to spike camp. The hood kept the rain off and the criters from getting a snack. I then shipped the cape back home UPS ground as it was void of all moisture and it also was half the weight. A little hard to fold though...

 

[AWHOLELOTTABULL]

+1 to everything said above. I will only add this...if you are spending the night in the back country, unroll the cape at night to let it cool even more then roll it back up in the morning and keep it in the shade. Treating it with salt and fleshing it real good a long with keeping it cool using the night time cooling method has allowed me to keep a cape from sluffing/spoiling for up to 3 days a couple of different times.

It's always an adventure!!!
www.awholelottabull.com

 

[stealth_archer]

Where on your site? I was just there and was unable to locate it...

I am ok with caping, but antler/skull removal I am not that great at, so any info would be greatly appriciated.


Thanks in advance.

 

[nmyotebuster]

bottom of that first page is a link to guide.doc.