FIELD CARE TIPS

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Mammals
So you've shot a nice buck. Now what? If you think it might be a nice mount you should think about some things that will help keep it nice.

You have to get him out of the woods somehow and if you want to keep the hair on him don't drag him if at all possible. If you must drag the animal take the path of least resistance. DO NOT cut the deer's throat. Actually, don't shoot him in the neck if you have a choice. A rope around his neck is also a bad idea. If you hang the deer hang him upside down. The neck will actually elongate when the deer is hung by the neck or antlers and when measured will actually be smaller than at the time it was shot.

Allowing your deer to hang for a week or two is also not a good idea. The skin begins to dehydrate and makes it difficult to skin the face and turn the ears. Remember, the skin begins to deteriorate from the minute you shot your deer.

If you want to cape the deer, cut the skin behind the front legs and up the backside of the front legs. Cut around his legs at the knees. Skin the deer, leaving the meat on the carcass, not on the hide. Skin to the top of the neck and cut off his head. There is no need to split the skin all the way up the back of the neck. The taxidermist can take care of that part of caping your deer.

If you want to take your deer to a butcher I would recommend that you stop at your taxidermist first. If you freeze the head it should be put in plastic to keep it from being freezer burned. Again, the faster you get it to the taxidermist the better.

If you are particular about the care of your deer take the time to get it to a taxidermist as soon as possible. Things will turn out better for you and your mount. Remember, the mount will be at you for a very long time. Take the time to compare quality in taxidermy. This is not the time for bargain hunting.

Birds
If you shoot a bird, try to save one that is not all shot up or chewed up by your dog. Handle the bird by its feet. Also, don't put it in a hunting vest or the bottom of your boat. Remember, the better shape the bird is in, the better your mount should turn out. Place the bird in a plastic bag and freeze it to take to your taxidermist.

Fish
There are some options when you catch a fish. You can decide to have a reproduction made or you can have the fish skin mounted. A photo of your fish is a good idea to capture coloration for either skin mounts or replicas. If you do keep the fish, don't keep it on a stringer all day. In my opinion, the best thing to do is to quit fishing and take care of the fish. Place it in a wet towel, then plastic. Freeze the fish on a board or a flat surface or take it directly to a taxidermist. If at all possible keep the fish on ice while traveling.

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