Trophy Care

Game Heads:
Cut the cape off behind the front legs, cut around the animal at a 90° angle.  Then cut around each of the front legs at the knee joints, cut leg off and tube the skin off the upper leg.  Don't cut the brisket.  Then roll the skin up over the head of the animal . Take the head to your taxidermist as soon as possible, even that day if you can, or place in heavy plastic bag and freeze.  Don't cut the throat or hang in the sun because this could cause hair slippage and spoilage.

Full Mounts:
Full body mounts should be taken to your taxidermist as soon as possible or freeze the whole body in a heavy plastic bag. It is best to wipe off as much blood or mud before freezing.  Do not skin Full mounts.  Make sure the butcher knows before skinning if your deer is to be a life-size mount.

Birds:
Birds with little of no pin feathers are the best to mount.  Pin feathers are feathers found on birds that are immature.  Wipe as much blood off the feathers that you can and bag and freeze as soon as possible and take to your taxidermist.

Fish:
Fish should have the slime wiped off and wrapped in a wet towel and frozen in a plastic bag as soon as possible. It is also a good idea to take snap shots, especially if the fish is an unusual fish, and measure your fish.  Take your color pictures and fish to the taxidermist as soon as you can.