Stripping

never_catch · Feb 28, 2010

Git yer minds outta the gutter fellas ;-) Just curious what you guys think about stripping AWESOME velvet bucks...ok hypothetically you just killed whatever you personally consider a true absolute once in a lifetime buck in the velvet, typical or nontypical whatever you like best. Taxidermy cost is not an issue for any of us either...remember we're in la la land for a minute so it's definitely getting a full body mount. Anyways you slam this monster buck in the velvet...do you strip the velvet to get it in the books or say hell with that and have him mounted with the velvet still on??

After going to the expo a couple weeks ago it simply amazed me once again looking at Houdini and Sampson hard horned...

Whether I struck the lottery and killed one on a billion dollar auction tag or a $35 over the counter tag, I'll always leave a buck in the velvet no matter what...even if it means my name never goes in the books next to a great score. I'm one of those people that is straight up addicted to velvet bucks though...

What's the general opinion on this or what would you do??

~Z~

tabbyhntr · Feb 28, 2010

I'm right there with ya buddy! Velvet is beautiful!

Feleno · Feb 28, 2010

Velvet on just as he had when shot. Tis a beautiful thing

completesportsman · Mar 1, 2010

I don't like velvet bucks as good as hard horned bucks but, if it was taken with velvet on it would be mounted with velvet on, if it was mine.

bakerb · Mar 1, 2010

I would leave the velvet on, but I'm also a bowhunter, so I could always enter it in P&Y if I wanted

Bake

appleman · Mar 1, 2010

Strip it right away-hate velvet-hard is the only way to go!!! Although I admit that those two big strip bucks in full body mount sure dont look as heavy and impressive as the pictures of them in velvet???

Wiszard · Mar 1, 2010

Preserve the buck as he was when he was harvested. I don't read anyway....don't need my name in a book!

Steve

bayside · Mar 1, 2010

I'd leave it exactly how I killed it. I love a good velvet buck. Looks so good, and looks a little heavier too. I also was kinda bummed to see Houdini hard horned. It didn't seem as impressive to me.

losthuntr · Mar 1, 2010

a lot of bucks get stripped because the velvet gets damaged on the pack out or rots before you can pump it full of velvet tanning preservative I think a lot of the big bucks that are killed in velvet get stripped for that reason not so much as getting entered in the books I'd never enter a buck in the books no matter the size but if I killed it in velvet it would stay in velvet

Bman9900 · Mar 1, 2010

Doesn't even P&Y require a buck be stripped to be officially entered? I think P&Y has a velvet category, but if you want it officially in the book it must be stripped. I don't care how big a buck is, if I kill it in the velvet, I will keep it in the velvet and there is no way I'd strip it to get my name in bold print just to be in the book!

Phantom Hunter · Mar 1, 2010

I don't like velvet racks, and think it is crazy to mount a buck with coat changing from summer to winter (they look ragged). That said, if you kill him in velvet--mount him in velvet.

Phantom Hunter

BrowningRage · Mar 1, 2010

The simplest answer is usually the right one...

I would mount any trophy exactly as I harvested it... If it was not possible to preserve the velvet, I would not feel bad about stripping it for a mount... I hope I have to make this "difficult" decision one day soon...

Bman9900 · Mar 1, 2010

I have a mount just as you described - with "ragged" summer hair in velvet and I love it. Why? Because that is what he looked like when I killed him!

Roy · Mar 1, 2010

B-Man - I like the integrity of that buck! That actually looks pretty good and very natural - captures the natural beauty of the buck at the moment you took him. I am not a big fan of velvet bucks period but if I ever did take a big one in the velvet and in trasition phase I would leave it like that. My friend took a really pretty black bear in color phase and it was absolutely gorgeous. Likewise I wouldn't fix any broken tines either, unless I broke it by accident after I killed it. I just think it shows the character of the buck. I took one a few years back that still had a few strips of velvet on his rack and a split ear - I left them on the mount. It actually is a good talking point and helps me remeber the buck and the experience I had hunting him.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

bakerb · Mar 1, 2010

I love that "ragged" looking muley mount above. That's awesome!

I like to mount them as taken. I have a whitetail at the taxidermist now that had a ripped ear (many other scars as well, some fresh, some old, and lots of fresh puncture marks in his cape that were only visible after caping), and if that sucker comes back from the taxidermist with a nice pretty unripped ear, I'm gonna be mad

Bake

Roy · Mar 1, 2010

Exactlty BR - That sound's like a real nice problem to have!

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

muzzhunter · Mar 1, 2010

Definitely gotta leave it on!

never_catch · Mar 1, 2010

Some have probably seen it before but here's my velvet dink from 2008...I've been asked by a couple people why I left the velvet or "fur" on it and I just look at them thinking "are you f'n serious??" Hind sight I kind of wish I would have had a euro done on him instead of the shoulder/pedi mount though...he takes up a hell of a lot more room on the wall at the cabin then I thought he would.

As far as giant velvet muleys though...like Sampson or Houdini...I think they looked a million times better than they do hard horned!!

~Z~

eelgrass · Mar 1, 2010

If he's a HUGE buck that you're sure will make the book after stripping, couldn't you strip the velvet off, measure the rack, and then have it mounted with "artificial velvet" (or whatever it's called)?

That's what I would do if possible.

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

MTQuivers · Mar 1, 2010

Artificial Velvet usually looks terrible. Leave it on!!!!! Pope and Young counts it and B&C should. Their loss!!!

Jason Yates
Basin Archery Shop
http://www.basinarcheryshop.com
5% OFF to all MonsterMuleys.com Members!!!
Discount code = monstermuleys

BOHNTR · Mar 1, 2010

>Doesn't even P&Y require a buck
>be stripped to be officially
>entered? I think P&Y
>has a velvet category, but
>if you want it officially
>in the book it must
>be stripped. I don't
>care how big a buck
>is, if I kill it
>in the velvet, I will
>keep it in the velvet
>and there is no way
>I'd strip it to get
>my name in bold print
>just to be in the
>book!

P&Y accepts velvet entries from ALL antlered species. Once they are accepted, they are entered into the all-time records.....however, they are not ranked and will appear in the next published record book. Velvet antlers are NOT eligible for world record status.

BOHNTR )))---------->

Dikndirt · Mar 1, 2010

Good velvet on short haired grayed out bucks is a beautiful thing. I usually pluck out red summer hair if possible.

sageadvice · Mar 1, 2010

I'd just be happy to get a buck of that caliber. I've a few Blackies that are in velvet and they get all shaggy if not taken care of. My hunting partner killed a velvet 200" mainframe, 220 type 8X7 on BP Colo hunt last year. I saw pic's of it in velvet then later saw it in person around Christmas. He stripped it cause the velvet was starting to come off anyway and though it didn't look great, needed color, it still looked huge!. No record book stuff for him on any of his many qualified trophies. I on the other hand would choose to have mine recorded if we're talking the All Time Record Books of North American Big Game. I'll shoot first and decide about the velvet later! Good Question Though.

Joey

Bman9900 · Mar 1, 2010

Thanks BOHNTR, I was hoping you'd weigh in!

Jazz · Mar 1, 2010

Don't much care about how it would score I just don't like velvet as much as hard horned so for me Strip It.

Senjo99 · Mar 1, 2010

I much prefer the looks of hard horned bucks, so I'd probably strip it regardless of the score.

LuckyHntr · Mar 1, 2010

When I shot my high country mule deer I stripped him. He had some velvet already coming off anyway. As I pulled off the velvet it was like opening up a present. I could see much more of the antler, the character of the antler, like blading with the velvet off than when it was on! It was exciting.

Then you must color the antler but that isnt't difficult and you can do it yourself. I have pictures of the super white antlers and they still looked huge!

I am not sure what I would do with an archery buck?

Bloomgren · Mar 2, 2010

LAST EDITED ON Mar-02-10 AT 08:00PM (MST)[p]I am one who would leave the velvet on if possible. I have 5 mule deer that I was able to save the velvet on and some were not so lucky.

I am one who likes to leave my animal they way it was when I shot it if possible. The high country buck I took this last year had perfect velvet before he decided to do down hill acrobats before he came to rest. He was dead within 50 yards after the arrow passed through him but tumbled another 100+ yards farther down the mountain. Needless to say the velvet was ruined. I had a choice of having the velvet stripped and antlers colored or have a taxidermy shop revelvet the antlers. I chose the second option!They will be able to match the same color of velvet that he originally had.

Jared "J-Rod" Bloomgren

www.myspace.com/jaredbloomgren
http://www.camospace.com/Bloomgren

"Getting close to game undetected and maintaining self control while delivering a well placed shot are the true keys to bowhunting success." -M.R.James