field care for your trophy

[LLtaxidermy]

I wanted to post this for anyone hoping to land a trophy through the ice this year. There are several different ways you can store your fish for mounting but I thought I would share the ones I like. (Auggie please chime in here also!!)
Many people say to vacuum pack the fish which is a good idea it helps to prevent freezer burn. If you are using this method be careful of where your fins are when sealing so you don't damage them. Some guys wrap the fins in damp paper towel to help keep them longer(I don't know that it's necessary but sounds good).
The method I use and like is very easy. I always keep a garbage bag in the car with an old towel and Borax in it. When you get your trophy fish get your towel damp and cover the fish with a thin layer of borax. wrap the fish in the damp towel and put it in the garbage bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag and tape shut,(I just wrap duct tape around it a couple times.)
Either way is good and will keep your catch preserved for mounting for several months.
One thing I cant stress enough is handle your animals with care. Keep in mind that Taxidermy is a job and anything that has to be repaired is "OVERTIME". Not only does damage to an animal cost you more on some occasions but can also affect the quality of your trophy.
Lee

[LLtaxidermy]

As far as birds go i've heard a LOT of different things, put them in pantyhose, tuck the head under the wing, etc, etc. I like to wrap birds in an old towel and a plastic bag. It seems to insulate the birds a little better, especially in the new frost free freezers. Older freezers are a little more forgiving because of the moisture inside them. Birds, especially small birds need a little more tlc out in the field. If you want to have a bird mounted don't handle it the same way as you do the eaters. if possible take something along to wrap up a trophy bird to protect it until you get home and can deal with it.

With small game I suggest just freezing it whole. Put your animal in a bag and freeze. If you don't know how long it will be before you can get it to the taxidermist's wrap n a towel then bag.
Big game is tough for most because it is big. If you can get it caped or skinned and frozen great. fold the hide skin to skin with the hair out. Roll the cape or hide up so the head is in the center of the hide and no skin is exposed. Then just put it in a plastic bag.

With any game the best thing to do is get it to your taxidermist right away. If you can't for some reason don't be afraid to ask one how to care for it. 9 times out of 10 a taxidermist will be happy to help. I personally love it when someone who is educated on proper field care comes in, it makes my life much easier and saves the customer money in the end. Remember the better the specimen the better the work.

[Auggie]

   As far as fish go I like to see them come in wrapped in a thick wet towel and frozen inside of a plastic bag. Vac packed are fine too but if the seal is broken at any time the air allowed inside the bag can still cause freezer burn if left un attended for to much time. On fish like pike rinse as much slime off as you can before it hits the freezer. If you feel the need to wipe with a towel just make sure you go with the scales towards the tail. One thing to AVOID at all times is paper and newspaper. Paper will suck moisture out, not help retain it. As for the borax step, mentioned above, I have never used it or dealt with a fish that has been put up like this.
   Birds need to be handled a bit different but not much. If any blood is present in the plumage rinse with COLD water gently. This is for birds with white plumage especially. Wrap them in a towel and place inside of a plastic bag. As for birds such as turkeys I recommend you take them directly to your taxidermist as they may have a preference on the incision made. You will also get your meat right away. Make the incision as small as possible when field dressing. Tails such as turkeys and pheasants with long tails do not need to be placed between cardboard if you don't pile other things in your freezer on them and are careful. Pintails with long sprigs are almost unheard of so I can't imagine many of you will have this problem unless you travel south to hunt waterfowl.
   Small game freeze it whole in a large bag. Again if you have a lot of blood rinse with COLD water before freezing. Large game is the same. If you have it skinned one thing to remember is to let it cool a bit before you roll it up and toss in the freezer. A fresh cape rolled up will not freeze quickly and hair slippage can occur. Buy fresh I mean right after the kill. When on warm weather hunts like antelope, I like to see them skinned and put in a cooler for a couple hours before rolling them up and freezing. And by cooler I do not mean your igloo. I was refering to a locker plant cooler. Give the butcher $20 to cool it and get froze for you. It may save you $100 + in the end if you don't have to buy a replacement cape.
   Your best bet is to get the specimen to your taxidermist/ or a taxidermist in the area you are hunting, as soon as you can and THEY can tell you any concerns at the time and take care of any skinning or other care for you. If money is an issue many of us accept plastic and a small down payment will get the ball rolling in the RIGHT direction and save you in the end. I have a complete field care guide (print if you like)on my website if anyone is in need of it.

[LLtaxidermy]

Some of this might be a little repetitive but some good advice anyways and a couple new tips I forgot to mention earlier.


When you shoot a bird that is a candidate for taxidermy, I generally recommend retrieving the bird yourself if possible instead of allowing a dog to retrieve it. However, I mount numerous birds that are retrieved by dogs each year. Some dogs will basically ruin a bird and some birds you can't tell they've been in a dog's mouth. If the bird is still alive, the best way to dispatch it that I have found is to open the bird's mouth and stick a small pocket knife through the roof of the mouth into the duck's brain. This causes instant death and I feel is much better than drowning or squeezing a bird as some other recommend. Just make sure that you don't get rough and stick the blade through the top of the head. DO NOT wring the bird's neck.

When carrying the bird, always try to carry it by the feet instead of by the neck. Don't use a game strap if possible. Basically, you want to handle the bird just like you would handle the mount.

When you get the bird back home or back to camp, rinse off any blood/dirt/etc with COLD water. Be gentle with the plumage as you rinse it.

[Auggie]

     I will have to agree that dogs can ruin a bird fast. Get them yourself if you have a hard mouthed retriever. But as far as the pocket knife I have a couple questions. And don't get me wrong here LL, as I am not trying to start a pissing match. But who is holding onto that bird when you are trying to dig it (pocket knife) out of your pocket and get it open while the bird is flopping and the dog is shaking off?
     How are you holding the mouth open and sticking it with the knife while still having a good grip on the rest of the bird?
    This might work for you but by the time you get your knife out mine will be done. Simply reach around the breast and put your thumb on the rib cage behind one wing and fingers on the rib cage behind the other and apply firm pressure. You collapse the lungs and most water fowl and upland will be limp in seconds. As for larger birds like geese and turkeys if you didn't kill them with the initial shot, chances are it was a body shot that damaged wings and or body plumage to begin with and they might not be the best specimen for mounting.
I wouldn't try and stick a knife in a 25lb tom that is flopping around like  :taz:with his 1 1/2 inch spurs.
   

[LLtaxidermy]

I agree with you just something I read and wanted to pass along. As for geese and turkeys, I don't think this was meant for the larger birds but if anyone tries please video it I wanna watch!! If squeezing them works, thats even better I just know too many guys and they are the same ones all the time that want to ring the ducks neck or beat the fish on the head or slit a deers throat thinking it's going on the wall. Guys and gals please don't do this. I'm just throwing ideas out. Auggie your point about who's holding the bird while you fish for your knife makes sense but I do think if a guy held the bird by the legs to get the knife out it would be fine. Most guys have a buddy with to help. If I've learned anything in taxidermy it's that there's never one way to do something, what works for joe blow might not work for others. I do understand where your coming from and I don't think you are nor do I think you would start a pissin match. I am glad you share your thoughts. If this post only helps one person have a better mount we've done our job.