What do you think about cutting the cape off a trophy animal??

[huntnphool]

Goldtip, do you have any idea how much you could have sold that moose cape for?

[jackelope]

"Ignorant" is someone who doesn't know better.  They have never caped or skinned an animal for mounting.  So how can you expect them to do it right the first time.

i wouldn't call someone who doesn't know how to cape an animal "ignorant". i would call them inexperienced. lets be realistic here, Michelle.
i have never taken an animal to a taxidermist, nor have i ever saved a cape.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I have been on both sides of the fence on this one, I know that I have left in the mtns, or in the tundra

6 moose capes
12-18 caribou capes
7-10 nice caribou racks.
3-5 bear hides.

When you are hunting and you are not planning on getting it mounted and you have already done 7-10 packs out of over 100 pounds a piece, then getting some cash for a cape does not matter.

Now that I am a taxidermy, I try and bring out my capes also, even if it means an extra trip back in.  BUT BONE said it best, MEAT out first if cape is still in good shape and the meat is going to make it then I will go back in. If there is a doubt in my mind once I get all the meat out that it needs to get iced down, cooled down or put in freezer, then to bad for the cape.

I do encourage anyone also that wants to learn how to caoe something out to let me know and I would gladly show them...

Joe

[boneaddict]

He does know Rob, because I was right there with him, and really appreciated the offer.  Its just one of those things where its not worth it.  Hell I still have one in my freezer that is now 3 years old. 

And I hear you blackbear.  Carrying a moose out from 9 miles in one trip at a time I took one look at that beautiful AK moose cape and took an ax to it.  I think I even skinned the cap so that would be a few less ounces on that heavy old rack.  I dman near lost the rack to a brown bear that could have used it for a toothpick.

[GoldTip]

He does know Rob, because I was right there with him, and really appreciated the offer.  Its just one of those things where its not worth it.  Hell I still have one in my freezer that is now 3 years old.  

And I hear you blackbear.  Carrying a moose out from 9 miles in one trip at a time I took one look at that beautiful AK moose cape and took an ax to it.  I think I even skinned the cap so that would be a few less ounces on that heavy old rack.  I dman near lost the rack to a brown bear that could have used it for a toothpick.

Yep, I knew what the cape was worth, there had been a thread on here from Charlie I think talking about what Moose capes were worth.  But I figured giving it to Doug, he could either use it for a mount he would someday do, or he could sell it, honestly didn't care, as he had just spent his evening helping me out.  It was black ass dark when we got to the point of cape or split the brisket to make sure it cooled over night, making sure it cooled over night was worth more to me than the cape was.  And he didn't exactly die in a premium spot to spend the evening getting the cape off him.   If I ever draw Idaho or draw the raffle tag here, I will make the same call depending on the circumstances.

[boneaddict]

If I get to be invited to be on the same mountain again, make sure Silent Bob goes grouse hunting again before harvest night. 

[GoldTip]

If I get to be invited to be on the same mountain again, make sure Silent Bob goes grouse hunting again before harvest night. 

Trust me, you'll be invited if I ever get the same chance again.   

[Michelle_Nelson]

"Ignorant" is someone who doesn't know better.  They have never caped or skinned an animal for mounting.  So how can you expect them to do it right the first time.

i wouldn't call someone who doesn't know how to cape an animal "ignorant". i would call them inexperienced. lets be realistic here, Michelle.
i have never taken an animal to a taxidermist, nor have i ever saved a cape.

ig·no·rant  (gnr-nt) adj.

1. Lacking education or knowledge.
2. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.
3. Unaware or uninformed.

How am I not being realistic?  The word ignorant was not being used to degrade or talk down to anyone.  The Key words in the deffinition was "lacking education or knowledge".  

[MtnMuley]

To each his own.   Certain conditions of the hunt and meat transport play a big factor in my decision making of caping.  Personally, I'd rather use the cape as a tool to keep the meat clean in most of my backcountry trips.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I had better shoot a real monster or a really unique animal before I would mount it.  I would still pack out the hide or cape if it was in good shape and worth it as long as the meat was going to be fine.  I would keep it as a stock cape. 

I see so many big trophy animals come through my shop it is hard to get excited about mounting anything I shoot.  I hunt for meat.

[billythekidrock]

I have seen a lot of photos on here and other places where the hunters would cut the cape clean off right below the jaw line and leave the hide on the skull.  Now do you think its because a lot of these hunters cant afford a shoulder mount or is there a way for a taxi to remove the hide from the skull and sew it back on the body cape?  I realize that someone could just buy a cape elsewhere but to me that seems like a waste of money when they could have just caped it right to begin with.

Torei

Could be that a "trophy" is in the eye of the beholder.

Where do these coastal blacktails fit in? Are they "trophies" or a mounters based on size alone?





In my opinion both those bucks are not mounters and even though both came home with perfect capes, they were not saved. Sometimes it is just too hard to get a cape to a taxi.

BTW. One of those is on a plaque and the other sits in a box somewhere. 

[GoldTip]

Those both look like Mule deer to me............bwaaahaaahaaahaaaa

[billythekidrock]

Those both look like Mule deer to me............bwaaahaaahaaahaaaa

LOL
Remember it is location, location, location.

Actually they were both killed within a few miles of Olympia.

[actionshooter]

Those both look like Mule deer to me............bwaaahaaahaaahaaaa

LOL
Remember it is location, location, location.

Actually they were both killed within a few miles of Olympia.

 Olympia is pretty close to the boundry, think they were lost?

[billythekidrock]

Those both look like Mule deer to me............bwaaahaaahaaahaaaa

LOL
Remember it is location, location, location.

Actually they were both killed within a few miles of Olympia.

 Olympia is pretty close to the boundry, think they were lost?

LOL