Velvet Taxidermy: Options/Opinions

[hunting4sanity]

My son got the chance to go on an elk depredation permit hunt, he got a spike and even though it's just a spike he really likes the velvet look and is trying to get a euro or just a plague mount.  I've never had any experiences with velvet taxidermy and was curious what's the best way to preserve the velvet and where to get that done?  I've heard that freeze drying is the best way to preserve the velvet, but the only taxi he's talked to sends them off to Colorado in the winter to have that done.  Any options in the Tri Cities or Yakima areas would be a lot more convenient, but open to all possibilities.

[turkey slayer]

Clinton Hall out of  Eastern,Oregon

[Elkstuffer]

Clinton Hall out of  Eastern,Oregon

  I highly recommend Clinton. He does fantastic work.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Does he do freeze drying?

[elkhunter1977]

X2 on Clinton!... I know him well and he does an awesome job on his velvet service. Not to mention he is an outstanding taxidermist.

[BULLBLASTER]

My taxi uses some type of velvet tanning solution that he dips the rack into. It tans Tue velvet just like the cape is tanned. He did my Whitey from 2010 and was able to leave the velvet hanging just they way itwas when I shot it. IMO it looks more natural than artificial velvet. I haven't seen any freeze dried but I have seen the TV show about people freeze drying their pets and they look lifelike. Freeze drying probly a good option but there is also the tanning sulilution.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I don't think Clinton does freeze drying, does he?

[hunting4sanity]

I still need to call Clinton Hall, but I'm a procrastinator.  Shipping it off to have it freeze dried is always an option, I was just hoping for something closer to home.  For now it's in the freezer..................waiting.

[bucklucky]

I have been using Clinton for quite a while for revelveting antlers, He is the best there is IMO. He will add the veining and round up the tips a bit . If you have pictures that he can match what it looked like when it was freshly killed thats the best bet. I dont think the natural velvet preserved looks natural , it looks dried and shrunken so all the main veins in the velvet colapse and dry so the velvet gets flattened. And the tips are not as boulbus as they should be and sometimes get a raisin affect. But if it was pretty dry to start like just about ready to shed it , then preserving the velvet looks natural.

 You can just keep it in the freezer and freeze dry it yourself, just takes longer  There are no freeze dryers I know of locally.

  Another thing to think of , the fake velvet looks too perfect so making little knicks in it will make your velvet look more natural if you have it re velveted .