Savage Taxidermy Studio

certified taxidermists

field care tips
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1. With the deer on its back make a shallow cut through the skin just below the breastbone. Make sure that you start your cut well away from the brisket, allowing plenty of uncut skin for your shoulder mount. Insert two fingers of the free hand, cradling the blade, to hold the skin up and away from the entrails (figure A).

2. Cut straight down the belly and around the genitals, separating but not severing them from the abdominal wall. Slit the belly skin all the way to pelvic bone (Figure B.)

3. Cut deeply around the rectum, being careful not to cut off or puncture the intestine. Pull to make sure the rectum is separated from the tissue connecting it to the pelvic canal. Pull the rectum out and tie string tightly around it to prevent droppings from touching the meat. Lift the animal's back quarter a bit reach into the front of the pelvic canal, and pull the intestine and connected rectum into the stomach area.

4. If you want to make a full shoulder mount, do not cut open the chest cavity. Cut the diaphragm away from the ribs all the way to the backbone area. Reach into the forward chest cavity, find the esophagus and windpipe, cut them off as far up as possible (Figure C), and pull them down through the chest.

5. Roll the deer onto its side, grab the esophagus with one hand and the rectum / intestine with the other. Pull hard. The deer's internal organs will come out in one big package with a minimum of mess.

Caping, the process of skinning out a trophy animal, is best left to a certified taxidermist.  Their experience skinning, especially the delicate nose, mouth, eyes, and ears, is invaluable toward producing a quality mount.

Damage to a hide is costly to repair; some types of damage simply cannot be "fixed" by the taxidermist.  Many trophies are ruined in the first few hours after death.  As soon as the animal dies, bacteria begin to attack the carcass.  Warm, humid weather accelerates bacteria growth. In remote areas, or an area not near your taxidermist, a competent person may be required to cape out the hide in order to preserve it. 

Every taxidermist has a preferred method of caping a hide.  Contact your taxidermist prior to your hunt in order to get instructions on their caping requirements.  However, the following techniques are generally acceptable.

There are two major methods of skinning for large life size mount such as deer, elk or bear. These methods are the flat incision and the dorsal method.

The Flat Incision
The flat incision is used for rug mounts and a variety of poses. The areas to be cut are shown in Figure 1, at right. Make these slits (cutting the feet free from the carcass) and pull the skin off the carcass. The head is detached as with the shoulder mount.

The Dorsal Method
The dorsal method of skinning involves a long slit down the back, from the tail base up into the neck. The carcass is skinned as it is pulled through this incision. The feet, hooves, and head are cut off from the carcass as with a shoulder mount (explained below). Only use this method with prior approval and detailed instruction from your taxidermist, and only when the skin can be frozen quickly after skinning.

NOTE: If you can't take your hide immediately to a taxidermist, freeze it to your taxidermist's specifications.

   1. With a sharp knife slit the hide circling the body behind the shoulder at approximately the mid-way point of the rib cage behind the front legs.

   2. Slit the skin around the legs just above the knees.

   3. An additional slit will be needed from the back of the legs. (Figure 2A and 2B.)

   4. Peel the skin forward up to the ears and jaw, exposing the head/neck junction.

   5. Cut into the neck approximately three inches down from this junction and circle the neck, cutting down to the spinal column. (Figure 3.)

   6. After this cut is complete, grasp the antler bases and twist the head off the neck. This should allow the hide to be rolled up and put in a freezer until transported to the taxidermist.

These cuts should allow ample hide for the taxidermist to work. Remember, the taxidermist can cut off excess hide but can't add what you have already removed.

NOTE: When field dressing a trophy to be mounted, don't cut into the brisket (chest) or neck area.  If blood gets on the hide to be mounted, wash it off with snow or water as soon as possible. Also, avoid dragging the deer out of the woods with a rope. The rope, rocks or a broken branch from a deadfall can easily damage the fur or puncture the hide. Place it on a sled, rickshaw, or 4-wheeler. If you need to drag it out with a rope, attach the rope to the base of the antlers and drag your trophy carefully.

Small Mammals

Animals that are coyote-sized or smaller should only be skinned by a professional. Do not gut the animal. Small mammals (especially carnivores) will spoil quickly because of their thin hide and the bacteria they carry. If you can't take the small game animal immediately to a taxidermist, put it in in a plastic bag as soon as the carcass cools completely, and freeze it. With rabies evident in many areas of the country, take every safety measure necessary when handling your game

Birds

Do not gut the bird. Rinse off any blood on the feathers with water. Take the bird immediately to your taxidermist, or freeze it. Put the bird into a plastic bag for freezing, being careful not to damage the feathers, including the tail. If the bird's tail feathers do not fit in the bag, do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag and tie the bag loosely.

Fish

Do not gut your fish. If you can't take your fish to a taxidermist immediately, wrap it in a very wet towel and put it in a plastic bag. Make sure all the fins are flat against the fish's body (to prevent breakage), and freeze it. A fish frozen with this method can be kept in the freezer for months. Note: a fish will loose its coloration shortly after being caught. A good color photograph immediately after the catch may enable the taxidermist to duplicate the natural color tones of that particular fish.

 

Tips

Always have appropriate tags with your trophies when you take them to your taxidermist.

Do not cut the ears for re-attachment.

Songbirds, eagles, hawks, and owls are protected by Federal law; they cannot not be mounted without a special Federal permit.

For situations where you are hunting with no available taxidermist or freezer, ask your taxidermist about techniques to skin out the entire cape (including the head) and salt the hide in the field. This is the only method in remote locations that can preserve your hide for later mounting.

NOTE:

Because of the various diseases that wild game can transmit to humans, always use extreme caution when handling a carcass. Use rubber or latex gloves, and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after handling any kind of carcass.

©2000 McKenzie Taxidermy Supply