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

[MAGhunter]

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

[whacker1]

maybe they are in a deep nasty hole and don't want to back the extra weight?

Maybe they don't know any better?

Maybe they only do european mounts?

I don't know, because I have wondered the same thing.

[GoldTip]

I know with my Moose this year I didn't take the cape despite it being a once in a lifetime tag here in Washington and in my opinion a tropy Shiras Moose.  The reasons were two fold for not taking it, one I have normal height ceilings in my Man cave, so large animals are dificult to hang in there.  Two, I already have a shoulder mount of my Canadian Moose in that room, and it is ridiculous how much room they take up.  So I elected to do a European mount on this Moose long before I ever pulled the trigger.

[Kuduman]

There are a number of reasons that people elect not to pack out or cape an animal most involve expense and convenience . Most hunters I know make the decision on taxidermy at the point that they recover an animal. That said most hunters don't realize that capes are  worth $$. Not a tremendous amount but possibly enough that will make an easy pack worth the extra effort. I routinely buy capes from my customers in exchange for $$ or services. Most of the customers I buy from I have taught how to cape and I trust what they are giving me. Some not so much and I wont buy improperly caped or improperly measured capes from people. My advise to all hunters is when your animal is down and if you know a taxidermist that will be willing to work with you and teach you what a taxidermy quality cape is than cape it out and give it to your Taxidermist. In a few years you will have a hefty down on a shoulder mount.

[MAGhunter]

Hey Jeff.  When ever I am in town I will have to come over and meet you.  I grew up in Dayton and graduated there.  I have been hunting there ever since.  I have been hearing a lot of good things about you.  From now on after deer season I will come by and drop off my capes with you before I leave town if you are interested in them.  Hey did you happen to do a shoulder mount for Jack Groom a couple years back.  It was a really nice Whitetail 6 point with triple brow tines on each side.  I would love to see the pics of that one. 

Torei

[Kuduman]

Torei:
 Thanks for the shout out. I have done work for the Grooms but I'm not sure about the one you mentioned. Two years ago I took in about 75 deer so it's hard to remember one particular head. Please stop by and I'll discuss with you my purchase agreements and I'll show you a thing or to about caping and measuring

Thanks

Jeff

[MAGhunter]

Jeff, I posted a pic of it in the deer section.

Torei

[RoyBoy]

i live right next to my taxidermist and i have even asked him. he says that some people who come in there should not even be aloud to own a gun. he has had a person who brought in there animal not even gutted. or they will cut it off right below the head but taxidermist do have extra capes usually. i have had cape put on my grand fathers buck that he shot when he was young. he even stained the rack and it looks amazing. i will post a pic some time to show you some of the deer he has done for me.

[carpsniperg2]

like said there is some people who are just dumb lol i was out at my taxidermist and a guy came walking in with a deer head with about 4" of hide below the jaw and asked for a shoulder mount no big deal right? until he got pissed off when he was told he was going to have to buy a new cape he could not understand why his would not work roflol

[MAGhunter]

Maybe those deer came with no shoulders 

[Michelle_Nelson]

There are 2 types of people in my book.  "Ignorant" and "Stupid".  

"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.  A lot of people that get something mounted are your average every day hunter that went out and got lucky.  They were not planning to kill anything worthy.  I have a hard time bashing these people when they bring me screwed up capes and hides.  Especially if it is there first time bringing something to a taxidermist

"Stupid" is the person that has been repeatedly told and shown over and over how to properly care for, cape, and skin an animal for mounting and is to lazy to comply with the proper field care methods.

For about 4 or 5 years I use to never charge for repairs.  I noticed that no matter how much I tried to educate people on proper field care methods it didn't do much good.  I still got deer with throats cut, neck shots, hides left out of the freezer for a week.  I started getting frustrated and pissed because I spend 1/4 of my time working for free making the same repairs over and over again from repeat customers.  

Than I got to thinking why should I be working for free?  Why should my clients care about changing the way they care for there hide if the taxidermist will fix it for free?

About 3 years ago I started charging for repair work.  I have found that it is a bigger incentive for people.  They pay closer attention to proper field care methods.  I get fewer people coming in with damaged capes and hides.  Now I don't charge for everything like bullet or arrow holes, a small knife cut here and there.  I am talking about deer split up the brisket all the way to the throat, armpits cut out, briskets to short etc.

Most people don't realize the time it takes to make a proper repair.  It's not just sewing something up.  

[Kuduman]

Michelle:
 Excellent point. For the first few years I. also did free repairs and each year I became more and more frustrated until I had to make a change. I have a cape company called whitetail trading company and they charge allot for their capes. I try to have a few extra capes on hand and don't charge near what they do but I keep their brochure handy to let customers know what they can plan on spending.
Hopefully I can supply a replacement but that's not always possible.

I just posted a 1/2 L/S black bear that the customer did a great field care job. what a pleasure to  do that project instead of spending hours sewing repairs and it shows in the finished mount.

I'll get off my soapbox now. 

[boneaddict]

You are just assuming that these people are having taxidermy work done.   many could care less about haveing a shoulder mount done, either becasue of finances, or their living situations.  Just like seeing a bunch of racks with the hair on the skullcaps. 

I was with Goldtip as you remember and I love moose and I love taxidermy.  He offered me that cape and I dwelled on it and I turned him down.  Two more reasons....one, I didn't want to spend the night there in the fullmoon with my flashlight caping the thing as I had places I wanted to go, and I didn't want to mess with preserving the thing while I was off trying to gather photographs for you guys.  It would have been an awesome cape.  It was Big, had a HUGE bell and the ears were about as split as they could get.  My loss for sure.   

I have also left capes because meat comes before hides and some of the places I go....no way.

[Cougeyes]

I usually cape mine out.  Haven't had an animal mounted for several years, but sell the capes to a taxidermist each year, hey it pays for some of the expenses on the year, usually get $75 for deer cape and if someone in the family has a bull tag and doesn't cape it we can get $300-400 for the elk cape.  If a person has the time they should cape the animal out, granted it does add a lot of extra weight to the pack so that has to be justified as well.

[littlebuf]

I know with my Moose this year I didn't take the cape despite it being a once in a lifetime tag here in Washington and in my opinion a tropy Shiras Moose.  The reasons were two fold for not taking it, one I have normal height ceilings in my Man cave, so large animals are dificult to hang in there.  Two, I already have a shoulder mount of my Canadian Moose in that room, and it is ridiculous how much room they take up.  So I elected to do a European mount on this Moose long before I ever pulled the trigger.

probably coulda sold that cape for a nice little piece of change