Here is some info for you
Field Care. . . . . .
It is important, once an Elk or Moose is down, get it skinned out. Elk and Moose are BIG animals they hold their body heat for a long time. It's also important that you do not leave the animal lay on one side to long. They will hold their body heat longer on the side that is against the ground. Deer sized animals are easier to manage and take far less time to skin out and break down.
Once your animal is skinned out, get it to a freezer or to a taxidermist as soon as possible. You will want to keep the Cape as cool and dry as possible. Don't put the hide in a plastic bag. Place it in a burlap bag, it will allow air to circulate and keep flies and other insects off your trophy. It will also allow heat and fluids to escape.
Heat and moisture are a hides worst enemy. They promote bacteria growth that will cause the hair to slip (hair falling out), sometimes in large patches. Once this has started it doesn't stop until all the hair has fallen out of the infected area. If it is hot outside you will need to work as quickly as you can. If it is below 40 degrees you will have a little more time to work.
DO NOT. . .
* Leave the cape / Skin in a walk in cooler for longer than 48 hours.
* Get the cape / skin wet.
* Lay the cape/skin in the sun, keep it in the shade.
* Drag the animal behind a 4-wheeler when bringing it out of the woods. This can damage the hair and cause bald spots.
* Ride the animal / hide around in the back of your truck all day showing it off to friends and family. Take pictures and get the animal in the freezer or to the taxidermist
* Don't cut the throat to bleed out your animal. If the animal is dead it really does no good. Once the heart has stopped pumping, the blood stops flowing. By cutting the throat you can cause a great deal of damage to the cape. Once the animal is shot, more than likely the animal has bled out internally.
Freezing. . . . . . .
If you are going to freeze an Elk or Moose I would suggest you cape it off the skull and freeze the cape only. My suggestion would be to call your taxidermist and set up a time to watch them cape an animal before attempting this on your own.
If you decide to freeze the Head or Cape don't roll it......FOLD IT! It will help the Cape thaw out more evenly and quicker. Also don't put the skull in the middle of the hide when folding. It can take up to 3 days for a skull to freeze all the way buried in the hide. When you put the hide in the freezer place it on a plastic bag NOT in it, to prevent it from sticking to the freezer. After the animal is frozen than place it inside a couple plastic bags. Don't forget to place your animal in a plastic bag after it is frozen.
Salting the Hide. . . . . . .
For extended trips in the field and out of state, especially during warm weather it may be necessary to salt a Cape in order to preserve it for mounting or tanning. I do not normally suggest this unless you are proficient in properly skinning the cape from the skull, splitting the lips, eyes, nose, and ears, and removing the flesh and fat.
I buy my salt at the local feed store in 50# bags. It is called Feed, Feeder,or Stock Salt. This is a fine grain salt like table salt. Make sure it is Non-Iodized. DO NOT use rock salt.
Lay the skin out flat and apply the salt liberally. On an average bear hide I will use a whole 50 pound bag of salt. There is no such thing as too much salt. Let the salt stand on the skin for 24 hours, then shake it off and salt it again. You shouldn't have to use as much salt the second time, but be sure that the entire skin is covered. Let it stand for another day and then shake the skin off and let it air dry. Large hides should be rolled before they are completely dry otherwise they are difficult to transport.
Consult with your taxidermist on how to complete these tasks and then you can properly salt a skin.
