We are about to head out soon and with any luck hope to have a nice buck to take home to the taxi man. I'll need to completely cape the buck out and could use some tips. I'll have to saw off the scull cap for transport back home, and will need to remove the cape from the head in order to put it in the cooler to keep cool. I've caped out lots of animals before but just to the point of cutting off the head and keeping it intact. This time I will need to skin out the face. I've done this before on animals that I wasn't planning to mount, just for practice, but I've never really done it for real. I plan on just going very slow and taking my time making precise cuts. The only part that worries me, of course, is the eyes, lips and ears. Got any tips for me?
caping tips
- Thread starter BigPig
- Start date
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DallanC
Guest
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deserteagle500
Guest
i pay the taxidermist money. there is no way i would be skinnin its face. makes me sick to my little girl stomach. lol
beat this
beat this
LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-07 AT 10:01AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Sep-13-07 AT 10:01?AM (MST)
Good stuff DallanC. Thanks. Do you all think a mule deer's cape will last a few days without the hair slipping inside a cold cooler full of ice? Not frozen, but kept cold.
desert eagle, that is not an option. We'll be way out in the sticks and a long ways from home. I'll need to skin out the face in order to get the cape cold inside a cooler. I'm 100% comfortable that I can handle it. This isn't rocket science. I've done it before, I just need to be a bit more detailed and careful this time.
Good stuff DallanC. Thanks. Do you all think a mule deer's cape will last a few days without the hair slipping inside a cold cooler full of ice? Not frozen, but kept cold.
desert eagle, that is not an option. We'll be way out in the sticks and a long ways from home. I'll need to skin out the face in order to get the cape cold inside a cooler. I'm 100% comfortable that I can handle it. This isn't rocket science. I've done it before, I just need to be a bit more detailed and careful this time.
D
DallanC
Guest
>Good stuff. Thanks. Do
>you all think a mule
>deer's cape will last a
>few days without the hair
>slipping inside a cold cooler
>full of ice? Not
>frozen, but kept cold.
As long as its dry then yes it will. Deer wont slip as bad as other species like Antelope (which is probably the worst). Lay it out in the cooler to let all of the skin cool, if you roll it up the inner layers will retain heat. If there is no room, roll it up and stick it in the cooler for an hour, then unroll and re-roll it starting from the opposite end, that way the inner layers will now be outer layers letting it all cool down.
Side note do not salt AND freeze it... later, either salt and dry it out or freeze it without salt.
-DallanC
>you all think a mule
>deer's cape will last a
>few days without the hair
>slipping inside a cold cooler
>full of ice? Not
>frozen, but kept cold.
As long as its dry then yes it will. Deer wont slip as bad as other species like Antelope (which is probably the worst). Lay it out in the cooler to let all of the skin cool, if you roll it up the inner layers will retain heat. If there is no room, roll it up and stick it in the cooler for an hour, then unroll and re-roll it starting from the opposite end, that way the inner layers will now be outer layers letting it all cool down.
Side note do not salt AND freeze it... later, either salt and dry it out or freeze it without salt.
-DallanC
N
nwbucknbullchaser
Guest
All good info. I would add, don't salt the hide if you don't feel comfortable turning the ears or lips. Just keep it cool until the taxidermsit can do it for you.
In reference to the link regarding skinnning the goat, I typically use a short handled, flat bladed screw driver for getting the hide off the skull around the antlers. Just wedge it under the hide where you made your cut up to the base of the burr and pry it off around the burr. Once you get it started it peels off fairly easy. Only horned critters like antelope are cut with a knife.
Just my .02.
In reference to the link regarding skinnning the goat, I typically use a short handled, flat bladed screw driver for getting the hide off the skull around the antlers. Just wedge it under the hide where you made your cut up to the base of the burr and pry it off around the burr. Once you get it started it peels off fairly easy. Only horned critters like antelope are cut with a knife.
Just my .02.
When it come to the eyes, nose and lips, you can never be too conservative. Err on the safe side, worse case you end up with a big pile of inner eyelid, innner lip, and a big chunck of nose cartlidge that you'r taxi will actually be glad to have, rather than come up short.
antlerrick
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,626
Fork West is right..
Cut the ears off near the skull. Be careful around the eyes and tearducts, get the back of the mouth cut back in the gum line, and then whack the nose off right where the cartiledge starts from the bone in the nose of the skull. Like FW says better to have too much than not enough!
Cut the ears off near the skull. Be careful around the eyes and tearducts, get the back of the mouth cut back in the gum line, and then whack the nose off right where the cartiledge starts from the bone in the nose of the skull. Like FW says better to have too much than not enough!
Remember the tear ducts. Most people who do not know where they are located cut them off beofre they know it. Be prepared right after the eye. Dig as deep with the knife as possible. Be patient and you will do just fine. I tell our taxidermist that it is not a race but he still gives me a hard time because he does 2 or 3 to my 1. Godd luck on your journey and let us know how you do.
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