collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Pictures on how to skin your deer/elk properly to save the cape for mounting.  (Read 25383 times)

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
I have been wanting to do this for awhile. Its just nice too see actual pictues instead of drawings . I have had customers cut the armpitts out too many times not knowing how to skin there deer and elk or any antlered or horned animal out properly.

Step 1: If you can, hang the deer but the hind legs, it is much easier to skin  :) But if its in the field you can do this with the animal layin gon the ground too. First thing I do is cut around the front knee joint , then take your knife and cut up th eback of the leg where the whit hair and brown hair come together. Noe on other species you'll have a hair pattern where the long hair meats shorter hair. Just go straight up to the armpit.

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Now when you get to the armpit make sure you stay on the hair line where the white hair or thinner hair on other animals meets the longer hair. You can see this on all horned or antlered animals. Once around the armpit go straight bach to where the cape will be cut off which is the center of the deer or where the sternum come together.

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
I like my capes split up the back, its easier to skin off the animal and easier to take care of the cape. Take your knife and start at the base of the head and go right down  (or up if its hanging) the back to your center cut.

Offline 270Shooter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2008
  • Posts: 3828
  • Location: Yakima
Thanks :) :)

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Now you can finish skinning your animal all the way down to the base of the head.

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Now cut the head off at the back of the head .

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Hope this helps a little to get you bearings on where to properly cut the capes.Some of the pictures are a little decieving , the center cut on that cape Looks lower on the deer than it actually is but once I cut the back half of the hide off the front portion got pulled towards the head about 5 inches or so. If your still not sure on the right cuts to make just tube the whole thing to the base of the neck, that means dont make any cuts exceprt for the front knee joint and the center cut at mid belly .

Offline arrowflinger

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 1095
    • https://www.facebook.com/ChasingWildCreatures
Thanks for the info Charlie..................Hope to use it one of these years.

Offline scoyoc5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 1242
  • Location: Spanaway,Wa
  • NRA lifetime member
thanks for the illustration bucklucky....that's a big bodied forky too!
Switchback XT,Goldtip,Muzzy MX-3,Winners choice...Aim small miss small

Offline bow4elk

  • Pacific Northwest Bowhunting
  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 3412
  • Location: Olympia, WA
  • Contact me at: tom@pnwbowhunting.com
    • https://www.facebook.com/pacific.northwest.bowhunting/
    • Pacific Northwest Bowhunting
Well done!  Got a mop?  :chuckle:
Official Measurer: Pope and Young Club, NW Big Game Inc., National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, Oregon Shed Hunters
First Hunt Foundation mentor
Washington State R3 Coordinator

Pacific Northwest Bowhunting http://www.pnwbowhunting.com

Offline Black Ghost

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 393
  • Location: Littlerock, WA
    • Bears Den
Nice work BL, I hate doing short necks!!!!!!

Offline Antlershed

  • Trade Count: (+8)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 4811
  • Location: Olympia, WA
That makes it look pretty dang easy. Thanks!

Offline Michelle_Nelson

  • Trade Count: (-1)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Apr 2007
  • Posts: 7974
  • Location: Rochester, Washington
  • Bring on the Bears!
Nice Charlie, wish I would have thought about doing this with my buck this year.  Didn't think about it til it was to late.

Offline Hunting Cowboy

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2007
  • Posts: 1073
  • Location: Skagit Valley
Nicely done Charlie. Always seems more clear when someone takes the time to show you how to do something the right way. Nice forky too!

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
I wanted to do an elk one also since it seems everyone that tries to save one for me ends up cutting the briskett and armpits out  :bash: Most of my deer capes I get are completely tubbed which in turn means good cape! Its always easier to follow what a photo shows you!

Offline bowsandhose

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2008
  • Posts: 1975
  • Location: Snohomish
glad you took the time to post  :tup: Thanks
Any animal with a bow is a trophy.               IAFF
Save a 1000 elk kill a wolf.

Offline CoastieCoug

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Pilgrim
  • *
  • Join Date: Oct 2008
  • Posts: 14
  • Location: Tenino, WA
Could have really used that three weeks ago  :bash: :chuckle:
Kevin

Offline getumclose

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Sep 2008
  • Posts: 29
Cool Charlie,  Thats what i imagined when you explained it to beau and I.

Offline oneezreiter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2008
  • Posts: 792
  • Location: Renner SD
Great instructions, You did a good job of explaining it.  How do you get the head out?
Of all the branches of men in the forces there is none which shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than the submariners." 

Sir Winston Churchill

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Great instructions, You did a good job of explaining it. How do you get the head out?

That's a whole nother post. You would have to see it done to get the idea on the head, I don't think I can take enough pictures to show how to properly cape a head out. Its actually pretty easy but there are a few points that can be easily messed up like the eye lids and the nostrils and last the corner of the mouth. You first start by making a Y incision between the buck pedicles towards the back of the head and where the y meets you cut straight down the back. You would then skin the back of the head towards the earbutts and but through the base of them as close to the back of the skull as possible, see this is where pictures could really help . Then you would use a knife and or screwdriver to pry around the antler bases once that is done you can begin skinning the head being carefull ounce you get to the eyes and tear ducts. This part is where I will stick my fingers into the eye from the hair side and feel the eyelids and pull them out as far as I can and carefully cut around the eye where the lids connect to the eye ball. The front corner of the eye can be tricky for a rookie also, just need to keep to the bone and cut through the cartilage and connecting tissue. Once through the corner of the eye you have to deal with the tear duct. For this I use a screw driver and slid it down tight against the bone kind of prying the tearduct out as you go. . Now you can continue skinning towards the nose , be carefull not to cut through the lips, you'll want to put your finger inside the mouth to feel where the corner of the mouth is. Ounce you get to it you can cut through the cheek muscle about 2 inches back from the mouth corner on each side. Now you can open the mouth and cut through the gum line, stay just above the teeth, there is a faint line you can see most of the was around the gum's except for the jaw, right behing the front lower teeth you will have to gut along the top portion to the front of the back teeth and then you can cut along that line just bellow the molars. The top gum line below the nose you will cut straight through along the bone into the nasal cavity and then up about an inch in to the bridge of the nose, this will keep all the nostril intact. Now you can skin down to your cut lines you just made and pull the cape off the head. Yes I know, it is probably very hard to follow and seeing it done in person will make it much easier to learn the capping process . This should give you an idea at least ;)
« Last Edit: July 10, 2009, 08:38:01 AM by bucklucky »

Offline stringflinger4elk

  • Kill'em and Grill'em and pass me the Bottle!
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 58
  • Location: Grapeview , ten Buck two
  • Give em' the Shaft!
good explanation thanks :)
God is Great, Beer is GOOD! and People are crazy...
The Key to drinking all day is to make sure you start... early. 
Sorry what did you say I was daydreaming about my Photo shoot for the cover of Bowhunter Magazine!

Offline oneezreiter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2008
  • Posts: 792
  • Location: Renner SD
Would it be best to just bring it in when you get to the head if you are a rookie? 
Of all the branches of men in the forces there is none which shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than the submariners." 

Sir Winston Churchill

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Would it be best to just bring it in when you get to the head if you are a rookie? 

Most definately, ASAP. Dont want to wait to bring it in either. Or you can freeze it if it is a day old or so. If it has been out for a couple days or more it needs to be caped off and tacken care of immediately. Fresh is best as it will help insure that the cape will be good and no slipping will occure. Freezing is an option also but not recommended because it now has to go through the defrosting and thawing process.

Offline oneezreiter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2008
  • Posts: 792
  • Location: Renner SD
OK.  That will be my plan then if I manage anything this year.
Of all the branches of men in the forces there is none which shows more devotion and faces grimmer perils than the submariners." 

Sir Winston Churchill

Offline saylean

  • Team Slayer Packmule
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jun 2007
  • Posts: 8380
  • Location: Stanwood
Guess I should chime in here too, thanks for the write up Charlie. It gives a good example. :tup:

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
Thanks man!

Offline Skinner

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 494
  • Location: Castle Rock, Wa
  • 2007 Methow bear
Thanks buck we're gonna try and save ya some but hopefully you can give us the other part (taking it off the skull) b4 hunting season.  Hard to put a couple bulls with horns in the freezer.  I want to stock up on a couple b4 I bring them up.  Thats if the're not monsters, but I guess I would need to bring em up anyways! ;)
IAFF Local 828

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
If I had a frozen buck head I could get you some pics. You could always skin around the horns and ears and peal it down and cut your horns off and freeze the bulls head and cape too. Thats not too hard to do. ?? Just a thought.

Offline Skinner

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 494
  • Location: Castle Rock, Wa
  • 2007 Methow bear
Thats what I was thinking!
IAFF Local 828

Offline bucklucky

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 9541
  • Location: Skookumchuck Wa.
    • Charlie Smith
For you newcommers.

Offline Dipsnort

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Feb 2009
  • Posts: 568
I'm sure you charge by the hour to cape the head for those of us who don't feel comfortable with doing that part correctly.  Can you give an idea of what the charge for doing the head might be?

Offline fireoff

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 86
  • Location: Puyallup
Re: Pictures on how to skin your deer/elk properly to save the cape for mounting.
« Reply #31 on: September 03, 2009, 12:06:43 AM »
TY Charlie, very good pics!

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

New York deer by Bearhunter308
[Today at 10:14:19 PM]


Anybody breeding meat rabbit? by jackelope
[Today at 10:02:50 PM]


DIY Ucluelet trip by metlhead
[Today at 09:40:00 PM]


Survey in ? by metlhead
[Today at 09:35:57 PM]


Alaska Fishing Guide and Lodge Recommendations by Tbar
[Today at 09:31:49 PM]


Colorado Results by cem3434
[Today at 08:35:51 PM]


NEED ADVICE: LATE after JUNE 15th IDAHO BEAR by Sliverslinger
[Today at 08:31:23 PM]


Resetting dash warning lights by Sandberm
[Today at 08:13:27 PM]


Please Report Problems & Bugs Here by Mossy
[Today at 06:17:02 PM]


What's flatbed pickup life like? by Special T
[Today at 05:52:28 PM]


Oregon spring bear by Fidelk
[Today at 04:58:27 PM]


Idaho General Season Going to Draw for Nonresidents by idahohuntr
[Today at 01:51:40 PM]


Seekins PH2 & Element sale by BigJs Outdoor Store
[Today at 12:40:26 PM]


Kokanee Fishing Tournament!! 🎣 June 13-14, Joseph OR by WRKG4GD
[Today at 11:42:02 AM]


wings wings and more wings! by birddogdad
[Today at 11:00:11 AM]


Jim Horn's elk calling, instructional audio CD's. by WapitiTalk1
[Today at 09:46:03 AM]


Wyoming elk who's in? by link
[Today at 07:00:33 AM]


CVA Optima V2 durasight rail mod by craigapphunt
[Today at 05:56:00 AM]


Last year putting in… by wa.hunter
[Yesterday at 11:02:00 PM]


HUNTNNW 2025 trail cam thread and photos by huntnnw
[Yesterday at 10:34:36 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal