Animal Illusions - Professional Taxidermy

Field care tips for getting the best trophy mount possible:

Shoulder Mounts

When skinning for a trophy mount, do not cut into the chest (brisket) or neck which can cause damage.
The taxidermist can cut away excess hide.
Start by cutting the hide 6 to 8 inches behind the front legs at approximately the mid range of the rib cage around the body.
Cut around the legs above the knees.
Then you will need to make another cut from the back of the leg joining the body cut behind the ribs.
After these slits, peel the skin forward to the ears and jaw to expose the head and neck junction. Under the pulled away skin, cut the neck away from the back of the head, at the neck junction. Circle cut the spinal column for release.
After completing a good cut, saw the head off the neck. Skinning out a trophy animal’s head is a job that would be best to leave for the taxidermist. Taxidermists’ experience skinning, especially the delicate nose, mouth, eyes, and ears, is invaluable in producing a quality mount. Damage to a hide is costly for repairs. Some types of damage simply cannot be “fixed” by the taxidermist.
Roll the hide up with the hair side out to avoid drying of the skin, before reaching your taxidermist. Now your hide is ready for transportation.
If unable to reach your taxidermist within several hours, find cold storage for your trophy to prevent hair damage and spoilage.
If possible, freeze everything that you intend to take to the taxidermist.

Fish

Upon catching the fish, follow these directions IMMEDIATELY! Take 12 close up photos of your fish, the more detail the better. Fish lose their natural, original color very quickly after being caught. Keep in mind the pose and lighting necessary to display maximum natural color. These photos will increase the ability of your taxidermist to duplicate the original color tones.
Do not put fish on a stringer.
Do not gut out your fish.
Sprinkle fish liberally with 20 Mule Team Borax, use enough so the entire fish is covered. (Borax can be purchased at a grocery or general retail store.)
If you are not taking your fish to a taxidermist within several hours, wrap the fish in a plastic bag and place on cardboard, then put the fish on ice in a cooler.
As soon as you have access to a freezer (the sooner the better), remove the plastic bag and wrap fish in several layers of wet paper towels. Return to plastic bag, push out all the air and seal the bag shut. Freeze and call your taxidermist.

Birds

Rinse any blood from the feathers with water as soon as possible.
Take special care not to damage or break feathers.
Do not skin or gut the bird.
Wrap bird, in whatever is available, plastic bags are preferred. Then bird can be placed, temporarily (for several hours) in a cooler.
Take the bird immediately to your taxidermist. If you are not taking the bird to your taxidermist, place it in a plastic bag, push out all the air and seal the bag shut. Freeze and call your taxidermist.
Take care not to damage tail feathers when packaging for the freezer. If the bird’s tail feathers do not fit in the bag, do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag, remove all the air from inside the bag and seal the bag.

Small Mammals

Do not skin or gut the animal.
Take immediately to a taxidermist due to the possibility of bacteria spoiling the animal’s hide and carcass.(Carnivorous animals must be hung from the back legs to reduce the spread of bacteria from the intestines)
If you are unable to contact the taxidermist within several hours, after the carcass is cool, place it in a plastic bag and freeze.

A note of caution:

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

Animal Illusions - Head and Shoulders Above The Rest






			Field care tips for getting the best trophy mount possible: Shoulder Mounts When skinning for a trophy mount, do not cut into the chest (brisket) or neck which can cause damage. The taxidermist can cut away excess hide. Start by cutting the hide 6 to 8 inches behind the front legs at approximately the mid range of the rib cage around the body. Cut around the legs above the knees. Then you will need to make another cut from the back of the leg joining the body cut behind the ribs. After these slits, peel the skin forward to the ears and jaw to expose the head and neck junction. Under the pulled away skin, cut the neck away from the back of the head, at the neck junction. Circle cut the spinal column for release. After completing a good cut, saw the head off the neck. Skinning out a trophy animal’s head is a job that would be best to leave for the taxidermist. Taxidermists’ experience skinning, especially the delicate nose, mouth, eyes, and ears, is invaluable in producing a quality mount. Damage to a hide is costly for repairs. Some types of damage simply cannot be “fixed” by the taxidermist. Roll the hide up with the hair side out to avoid drying of the skin, before reaching your taxidermist. Now your hide is ready for transportation. If unable to reach your taxidermist within several hours, find cold storage for your trophy to prevent hair damage and spoilage. If possible, freeze everything that you intend to take to the taxidermist. Fish Upon catching the fish, follow these directions IMMEDIATELY! Take 12 close up photos of your fish, the more detail the better. Fish lose their natural, original color very quickly after being caught. Keep in mind the pose and lighting necessary to display maximum natural color. These photos will increase the ability of your taxidermist to duplicate the original color tones. Do not put fish on a stringer. Do not gut out your fish. Sprinkle fish liberally with 20 Mule Team Borax, use enough so the entire fish is covered. (Borax can be purchased at a grocery or general retail store.) If you are not taking your fish to a taxidermist within several hours, wrap the fish in a plastic bag and place on cardboard, then put the fish on ice in a cooler. As soon as you have access to a freezer (the sooner the better), remove the plastic bag and wrap fish in several layers of wet paper towels. Return to plastic bag, push out all the air and seal the bag shut. Freeze and call your taxidermist. Birds Rinse any blood from the feathers with water as soon as possible. Take special care not to damage or break feathers. Do not skin or gut the bird. Wrap bird, in whatever is available, plastic bags are preferred. Then bird can be placed, temporarily (for several hours) in a cooler. Take the bird immediately to your taxidermist. If you are not taking the bird to your taxidermist, place it in a plastic bag, push out all the air and seal the bag shut. Freeze and call your taxidermist. Take care not to damage tail feathers when packaging for the freezer. If the bird’s tail feathers do not fit in the bag, do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag, remove all the air from inside the bag and seal the bag. Small Mammals Do not skin or gut the animal. Take immediately to a taxidermist due to the possibility of bacteria spoiling the animal’s hide and carcass.(Carnivorous animals must be hung from the back legs to reduce the spread of bacteria from the intestines) If you are unable to contact the taxidermist within several hours, after the carcass is cool, place it in a plastic bag and freeze. A note of caution: Because of the various diseases that wild game can transmit to humans, always use extreme caution when handling the carcass. Use rubber or latex gloves and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water when finished.