Antelope rug?

[Opportunist]

This was a thought of mine after seeing a mountain goat rug with the head attached. How feesible is an antelope rug with head attached? Antelope and Mountain goat have one thing in common at least in my eyes, they are unimpressive shoulder mounts. No offense to those with shoulder mounts, antelope have beautiful hides and I thought it might show the animal off better than a shoulder mount.

 I'm a couple of years from drawing an antelope tag in Oregon and I might put in for Wyoming next year for antelope if I draw my Wyoming archery elk hunt, 2 hunts in one. I only really plan on killing one buck. Has anyone seen this done or to the taxidermists have you ever done this or are willing to try it? Thanks

[BC CHASER]

A lot of taxi's wont even do flat skins out of them.  Their hair falls out pretty easy towards the back end. That is a cool idea though. Speed goats are a blast to hunt!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Opportunist,

I have seen deer done as rugs with a rug shell & horns.  It's not a very common way to have horned game mounted so rug shells are more than likely not available but one can be made!  I've never done one, only had a few inquiries about deer rugs.  If you want one done I can do it.   

Like BC CHASER said, antelope are pretty prone to slippage.

[Opportunist]

Are their issues with the hair falling out like BC Chaser was talking about? I know their hair is really brittle. I've heard they can be pretty stinky having no sweat glands, does the tanning process take that away?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yes, Antelope are pretty prone to slippage.  So really good field care would be advisable.  Maybe even learn how to flesh and salt the hide. 

Tanning should get rid of ALOT of the smell. 

[Opportunist]

The one thing I've been told by friends that are antelope fanatics is to take one cooler for ice only, debone the meat right after the kill and get it on ice. I'll be sure to be careful skinning and to cool and salt it with non-iodized salt ASAP. I'll take a second cooler for the cape/hide. I need to practice caping this year on whatever I knock down just for practice, by the way thanks for the article on animal/hide/cape care.

[Michelle_Nelson]

You don't want to salt and than put the hide right in the cooler.  The salt is going to draw out a lot of moisture and you don't want your hide to sit in wet salt the entire way home.  Salt the hide and let it set for 24 hours.  Remove old salt and then resalt with fresh salt.  Keep the hide in a cool dry place (shade).  You don't want to leave the hide in the sun.  You can't use to much salt.

Just make sure you split and turn everything befor you salt.  Other wise the salt will not penetrate and it's not doing it's job. 

[EastWaViking]

I have three antelope mounts and they smell like "normal" mounts.  I don't think a rug
would work, because the hair is very brittle.  Heading back to wyoming again this Sept.
Hoping for mount #4!

[Michelle_Nelson]

I don't see why you couldn't rug an antelope.  Your going to hang it on the wall right?  As long as your not going to put it on the ground and walk on it, it should hold up.

[bucklucky]

That would be a fun rug to sew with a machine though.You would break them hais pretty easily. Probably have to hand sew the whole rug. All I can say is brittle. It would look pretty nice though!

[Opportunist]

It would definitely be on the wall. Is their anyway the backing could be made out of something stiff, to help prevent bending of the pelt?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Stiff as in what?  It will have hangers on it.  I usually use a Twill or Bottom Cloth.

[Opportunist]

Like 1/4" plywood.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Is it that you don't want it to bend or are you afraid if it bends the hair will get damaged?

[Opportunist]

After what I've heard of their hair being brittle I am worried about the pelt bending causing the hair to fall out.