| Taxidermy Texas & Game Birds |
| Field Care |
Quality field care of your trophy mammal, fish or bird starts with you as soon as the trophy
is taken or harvested. It is important to allow your trophy time to cool down before
placing on ice or in a cooler. In order for you to receive the best taxidermy work possible
its vital to get the trophy to your taxidermist as soon as possible. Below is a copy of the
"Trophy Field Care Guide" generously provided by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply.
is taken or harvested. It is important to allow your trophy time to cool down before
placing on ice or in a cooler. In order for you to receive the best taxidermy work possible
its vital to get the trophy to your taxidermist as soon as possible. Below is a copy of the
"Trophy Field Care Guide" generously provided by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply.
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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 after handling.
always use extreme caution when handling the carcass. Use rubber or latex gloves and
thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after handling.
| Field Dressing |
Figure 1-A
With your trophy on its back, make a shallow cut through the skin just
below the breastbone. Make sure that you start your cut well away from
the brisket, allowing plenty of uncut skin for your shoulder mount. Insert
two fingers of the free hand, cradling the blade, to hold the skin up and
away from the entrails.
With your trophy on its back, make a shallow cut through the skin just
below the breastbone. Make sure that you start your cut well away from
the brisket, allowing plenty of uncut skin for your shoulder mount. Insert
two fingers of the free hand, cradling the blade, to hold the skin up and
away from the entrails.
Figure 1-A
Figure 1-B
Figure 1-B
Cut straight down the belly and around the genitals, separating but not
severing them from the abdominal wall. Slit the belly skin all the way to
the pelvic bone. Always start the incision below the caping line. Cut
deeply around the rectum, being careful not to cut off or puncture the
intestine. Pull to make sure the rectum is separated from tissue
connecting it to the pelvic canal. Pull the rectum out and tie string tightly
around it to prevent droppings from touching the meat. Lift the animals
back quarter a bit, reach into the front pelvic canal and pull the intestine
and connected rectum into the stomach area.
Cut straight down the belly and around the genitals, separating but not
severing them from the abdominal wall. Slit the belly skin all the way to
the pelvic bone. Always start the incision below the caping line. Cut
deeply around the rectum, being careful not to cut off or puncture the
intestine. Pull to make sure the rectum is separated from tissue
connecting it to the pelvic canal. Pull the rectum out and tie string tightly
around it to prevent droppings from touching the meat. Lift the animals
back quarter a bit, reach into the front pelvic canal and pull the intestine
and connected rectum into the stomach area.
Figure 2-A |
Figure 1-C
Figure 1-C
If you want to make a full shoulder mount do not cut open the chest cavity. Cut the
diaphragm away from the ribs all the way to the backbone area. Reach into the
forward chest cavity, find the esophagus and wind pipe, cut them off as far up as
possible and pull them down through the chest. Roll the animal onto its side, grab the
esophagus with one hand and the rectum/intestine with the other and pull hard. The
animals internal organs will come out in one big package with a minimum of mess.
If you want to make a full shoulder mount do not cut open the chest cavity. Cut the
diaphragm away from the ribs all the way to the backbone area. Reach into the
forward chest cavity, find the esophagus and wind pipe, cut them off as far up as
possible and pull them down through the chest. Roll the animal onto its side, grab the
esophagus with one hand and the rectum/intestine with the other and pull hard. The
animals internal organs will come out in one big package with a minimum of mess.
Caping, the process of skinning out a trophy animal, is best left to the taxidermist.
Their experience skinning, especially the delicate nose, mouth, eyes and ears is
invaluable toward producing a quality mount. Damage to a hide is costly to repair.
Some types of damage simply cannot be "fixed" by the taxidermist.
Their experience skinning, especially the delicate nose, mouth, eyes and ears is
invaluable toward producing a quality mount. Damage to a hide is costly to repair.
Some types of damage simply cannot be "fixed" by the taxidermist.
Many trophies are ruined in the first few hours after death. As soon as the animal dies, bacteria begins to attack
the carcass. Warm, humid weather like we have in Texas and other Southern States along the Gulf Coast,
accelerates bacteria growth. In remote areas not near your taxidermist, a competent person may be required to
cape out the hide in order to preserve it.
Every taxidermist has a preferred method of caping a hide. Contact your taxidermist prior to your hunt in order to
get instructions on their caping requirements. However, the following techniques are generally acceptable.
the carcass. Warm, humid weather like we have in Texas and other Southern States along the Gulf Coast,
accelerates bacteria growth. In remote areas not near your taxidermist, a competent person may be required to
cape out the hide in order to preserve it.
Every taxidermist has a preferred method of caping a hide. Contact your taxidermist prior to your hunt in order to
get instructions on their caping requirements. However, the following techniques are generally acceptable.
| Skinning Life-Size Big Game |
There are two major methods of skinning for a large life-size mount such as deer, elk or bear. These methods are the
flat incision and the dorsal method.
flat incision and the dorsal method.
The Flat Incision
Figure 2-A
The flat incision is used for rug mounts and a variety of poses. Make these slits
(cutting the feet free from the carcass) and pull the skin off the carcass. The
head is detached as with the shoulder mount.
Note: If you can't take bring your hide immediately to your taxidermist give them a
call and they will give you their freezing specifications.
The flat incision is used for rug mounts and a variety of poses. Make these slits
(cutting the feet free from the carcass) and pull the skin off the carcass. The
head is detached as with the shoulder mount.
Note: If you can't take bring your hide immediately to your taxidermist give them a
call and they will give you their freezing specifications.
The Dorsal Method
The dorsal method of skinning involves a long slit down the back (from the tail head up into the neck).
The carcass is skinned as it is pulled through this incision. The feet/hooves and the head are cut from
the carcass as with a shoulder mount explained later. Only use this method when approved and
receiving detailed instructions from our staff. Use this method only when the skin can be frozen quickly
after skinning.
The carcass is skinned as it is pulled through this incision. The feet/hooves and the head are cut from
the carcass as with a shoulder mount explained later. Only use this method when approved and
receiving detailed instructions from our staff. Use this method only when the skin can be frozen quickly
after skinning.
Figure 3-A |
Figure 3-B |
Caping for a Shoulder Mount
Figure 3-A & 3-B
With a sharp knife, slit the hide circling the body behind the shoulder at
approximately the midway point of the rib cage behind the front legs.
Slit the skin around the legs just above the knees. An additional slit will
be needed from the back of the leg and joining the body cut behind the
legs.
Peel the skin forward up to the ears and jaw exposing the head/neck
junction as illustrated in Figure 3-B. Cut into the neck approximately
three inches down from this junction. Circle the neck, cutting down to
the spinal column. After this cut is complete, grasp the antler bases
and twist the head off the neck. This should allow the hide to be rolled
up and put into the freezer until transported to your taxidermist.
With a sharp knife, slit the hide circling the body behind the shoulder at
approximately the midway point of the rib cage behind the front legs.
Slit the skin around the legs just above the knees. An additional slit will
be needed from the back of the leg and joining the body cut behind the
legs.
Peel the skin forward up to the ears and jaw exposing the head/neck
junction as illustrated in Figure 3-B. Cut into the neck approximately
three inches down from this junction. Circle the neck, cutting down to
the spinal column. After this cut is complete, grasp the antler bases
and twist the head off the neck. This should allow the hide to be rolled
up and put into the freezer until transported to your taxidermist.
These cuts should allow ample hide for the taxidermist to work
with in mounting. Remember, the taxidermist can cut off
excess hide, but he can't add what he does not have.
with in mounting. Remember, the taxidermist can cut off
excess hide, but he can't add what he does not have.
Some Helpful Notes
- When field dressing a trophy to be mounted, don't cut
into the brisket (chest) or neck area. - If blood gets on the hide to be mounted, wash it off with
snow or water as soon as possible. Try to never
saturate a hide. - Avoid dragging your trophy out of the field or woods with
a rope. Place it on a sled, a rick saw or other means of
transport. The rope, rocks or a broken branch can
easily damage the fur or puncture the hide.
Small Mammals
Animals, coyote sized or smaller should not be skinned unless by a professional. Do not gut the animal. Small
mammals, especially carnivores will spoil quickly because of their thin hide and bacteria. If you can't take the small
game animal immediately to a taxidermist, as soon as the carcass cools completely put it in a plastic bag and
freeze it. With the epidemic of rabies evident in many areas of the country, take every safety measure necessary
when handling your trophy.
mammals, especially carnivores will spoil quickly because of their thin hide and bacteria. If you can't take the small
game animal immediately to a taxidermist, as soon as the carcass cools completely put it in a plastic bag and
freeze it. With the epidemic of rabies evident in many areas of the country, take every safety measure necessary
when handling your trophy.
Birds
Do not gut the bird. Rinse any blood from the feathers with water. Take the bird immediately to your taxidermist or
freeze it. Put the bird into a plastic bag for freezing, being careful not to damage the feathers, including the tail. If
the bird's tail feathers do not fit in the bag, do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag and tie the bag
loosely.
freeze it. Put the bird into a plastic bag for freezing, being careful not to damage the feathers, including the tail. If
the bird's tail feathers do not fit in the bag, do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag and tie the bag
loosely.
Fish
Do not gut your fish. If you cannot take your fish immediately to a taxidermist wrap it in a very wet towel and place it
in a plastic bag. Make sure all the fins are flat against the fishes body (to prevent breakage) and freeze it. A fish
frozen in this manner can safely be kept in the freezer for months. A fish will loose its coloration shortly after being
caught. A good color photograph immediately after the catch may enable the taxidermist to duplicate the natural
color tones of that particular fish.
in a plastic bag. Make sure all the fins are flat against the fishes body (to prevent breakage) and freeze it. A fish
frozen in this manner can safely be kept in the freezer for months. A fish will loose its coloration shortly after being
caught. A good color photograph immediately after the catch may enable the taxidermist to duplicate the natural
color tones of that particular fish.
Helpful Tips
- Always have appropriate tags with your trophies when you take them to your taxidermist.
- Do not cut off the ears for attachment.
- Songbirds, eagles, hawks and owls are protected by Federal Law and cannot be mounted unless with special
a Federal Permit. - For remote hunting situations where you are not near a taxidermist or freezer, ask your taxidermist about
techniques to skin out the entire cape (including head) and salting the hide. This is the only method in
remote locations that can preserve your hide for later mounting.
Thanks to McKenzie Taxidermy for allowing us to use this information. We hope it will help you in the field.
This document is copyrighted by Mckenzie Sports Products, Inc. and is intended to help hunters avoid
common mistakes in the field. Printing of more than one copy at a time without written permission is
prohibited.
This document is copyrighted by Mckenzie Sports Products, Inc. and is intended to help hunters avoid
common mistakes in the field. Printing of more than one copy at a time without written permission is
prohibited.