Caping Elk Head
- Thread starter Bikes
- Start date
legacy
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,071
LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-08 AT 09:02AM (MST)[p]This is for a deer, but if my memory serves me right, the anatomy is similar...
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=73198
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=73198
M
manny15
Guest
I've done quite a few, but around the eye always grossed me out for some reason....
LAST EDITED ON Aug-07-08 AT 10:00AM (MST)[p]Just a couple other recommendations. Legacy's link is a very good one.
Do not cut your antlers as shown in the link. It leaves a fragile skull cap that can break. The cut infront of the antlers is correct, but the other cut should come through the back side of the skull and not down just behind the antlers. Instead of a V cut (as shown in the link) the skull plate will look more the a flat L.
Make the cut n the back of the neck from the head to the shoulders. This allows the knife to cut with the grain of the hair.
Also do no salt the cape unless the eyes, ears, nose, and lips have been properly turned and fleshed.
Best of luck
-------------------------
www.sagebasin.com
-------------------------
Do not cut your antlers as shown in the link. It leaves a fragile skull cap that can break. The cut infront of the antlers is correct, but the other cut should come through the back side of the skull and not down just behind the antlers. Instead of a V cut (as shown in the link) the skull plate will look more the a flat L.
Make the cut n the back of the neck from the head to the shoulders. This allows the knife to cut with the grain of the hair.
Also do no salt the cape unless the eyes, ears, nose, and lips have been properly turned and fleshed.
Best of luck
-------------------------
www.sagebasin.com
-------------------------
legacy
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 2,071
>Do not cut your antlers as
>shown in the link.
>It leaves a fragile skull
>cap that can break.
>The cut infront of the
>antlers is correct, but the
>other cut should come through
>the back side of the
>skull and not down just
>behind the antlers. Instead
>of a V cut (as
>shown in the link) the
>skull plate will look more
>the a flat L.
+1 Good Point!
>shown in the link.
>It leaves a fragile skull
>cap that can break.
>The cut infront of the
>antlers is correct, but the
>other cut should come through
>the back side of the
>skull and not down just
>behind the antlers. Instead
>of a V cut (as
>shown in the link) the
>skull plate will look more
>the a flat L.
+1 Good Point!
B
birdbuster
Guest
I haven't ever done it but watched the process dozens of times with elk. Here are a couple gotchas. +1 on the 'L' cut. With an elk working around the antler bases can require some force. Dull that screwdriver down some or you may put a whole in the hide. You also have to be sure and get all the way up under the burr. The pre-orbital on an elk is big and deep. Be sure to skin way up inside it. Remove the upper canines and send them to P.O. Box.........
SDBugler
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,217
I agree with leaving more skull plate attached.
He makes a good point about cutting from the inside and cutting in the direction of the hair to eliminate cutting hair whenever possible.
This method of caping (rolling the hide up and around the neck) and cutting the head off is pretty difficult if you are alone in the field with an elk on the ground. In that situation I like to use the gutless method and make my first cut from behind the ears and down to the base of the tail. Then do the cut around the body. This way I can wok on the back quater first, then the front quarter, then the neck. repaeat the procedure on the opposite side and then you should be able to cut the head off.
I also like to cut around the mouth first before coming forward from the back to prevent cutting the gums to short.
He makes a good point about cutting from the inside and cutting in the direction of the hair to eliminate cutting hair whenever possible.
This method of caping (rolling the hide up and around the neck) and cutting the head off is pretty difficult if you are alone in the field with an elk on the ground. In that situation I like to use the gutless method and make my first cut from behind the ears and down to the base of the tail. Then do the cut around the body. This way I can wok on the back quater first, then the front quarter, then the neck. repaeat the procedure on the opposite side and then you should be able to cut the head off.
I also like to cut around the mouth first before coming forward from the back to prevent cutting the gums to short.
B
birdbuster
Guest
Actually on an elk the very first cut I make is from the head down the spine and then around the belly. Always use the gutless method on elk unless you're in a pasture with a loader! You've got to break it down to move it anyway. As SDB said, cape one side, remove those 2 quarters and tenderloin, turn it over, cape the other side, remove those two quarters and tenderloin, remove the head at the atlas bone (the cupped bone at the top of the neck), then when you've caped the head it is much easier to cut the skull in the proper place from behind. I plan on following just this procedure in 3-4 weeks!
dgwoody
Active Member
- Messages
- 354
>I plan on
>following just this procedure in
>3-4 weeks!
Hey birdbuster, don't you mean you plan on doing it in about eight days? Hope that old back of yours is ready to pack out a monster bull too, gotta get you practiced up for yours, what better way to do it then to pack out mine first?
>following just this procedure in
>3-4 weeks!
Hey birdbuster, don't you mean you plan on doing it in about eight days? Hope that old back of yours is ready to pack out a monster bull too, gotta get you practiced up for yours, what better way to do it then to pack out mine first?
