Fish

Leave whole and do not gut. Handle gently and try to separate from other fish to prevent loss of scales. Wrap in wet towel and place in freezer bag or trash bag and freeze.

Birds

NEVER HANG ON A STRAP OR CARRY BY THE NECK A TROPHY BIRD INTENDED TO BE MOUNTED . Handle it by the feet and separate from other birds. Keep it as dry as possible and keep it cool. Place in a heavy-duty, sealable FREEZER BAG. Gently remove all air from the bag, seal, and freeze. (place large birds in black trash bag and seal bag with tape)

Small Game

Leave whole and do not gut. Keep as dry as possible. Place in black trash bag. Gently remove all air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

Large Animals

NEVER CUT THE THROAT OF A TROPHY ANIMAL INTENDED TO BE MOUNTED. Try not to drag the animal. If you must drag it, drag it by the horns/antlers in order to keep the head, neck, and shoulders off the ground. After caping animal, keep it cool, dry, and clean. Place the cape with head intact in a trash bag and freeze or bring in for mounting.

How to Cape Large Animals for Shoulder Mounts

Never put a knife to a trophy animal if you are unsure of what cuts to make. If you are unsure, gut the animal and bring it to our shop where we will skin it for an additional fee.

Figure 1

 

1. When gutting the animal, stop cutting the hide when you get to the sternum. (The bone down the middle of the chest to which the ribs are attached.) Do not cut the hide past the bottom of the sternum.

2.Hang animal up by back legs. Locate the area at the base of the sternum. (Figure 1)

Figure 3

Figure 2

3. Find where you STOPPED cutting the hide during the gutting process. Now cut at an angle towards and then down the backside of each front leg avoiding the armpits as in figure 2. On whitetail deer, there is a distinct hair line made between the white and brown hair (See Figure 3) that you can cut down.

 

Figure 4

 

 

4. Cut front legs off at the knees.

5. Now skin animal as you normally would starting with the back legs.

6.Skin down close to head and cut head off by cutting through the muscle and bone but leaving the hide uncut.