Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 05:15:39 PM
Sorry, double post from taxidermy thread due to timliness of the issue.
I am looking for a relatively new taxidermist that wants to try out a deer to mount. No reason that I want it to look like crap, I"m just not where I feel I can justify $400-500 to mount a deer so I'm willing to go with a newbie who is a bit lower on costs. Please feel free to post or PM.
Oh yeah, The head and cape are still in the back of my truck. Killed Monday evening. I did salt the cape but the skull, brain, and eyes are still inside. I'm not sure what I need to do next. I guess I should act sooner than later. I could fit into a cooler with some dry ice to bide my time. Buhler? Buhler?
Thanks guys.
Post by: huntnphool on October 14, 2008, 05:19:28 PM
Post by: cagifford on October 14, 2008, 05:38:44 PM
http://www.peysertaxidermy.com/Assets/namericaprices.pdf
Post by: huntnphool on October 14, 2008, 05:46:01 PM
http://www.fidalgotaxidermy.com/
Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 05:54:38 PM
Post by: huntnphool on October 14, 2008, 06:01:00 PM
What about putting it in a cooler with some dry ice for a few days while I research around (ie, do what I should have done last week)? :bash:
Honestly you need to get it off the skull and cooled. IF you cant get it to them just cut off the skull plate and toss it, plan on buying a cape in the future from whoever you have mount it. Unfortunately there is no room for procrastination when it comes to death and decay. How long will it really take to get it to someone to pull it off? :twocents:
Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 06:31:42 PM
I heard I can freeze it for the time being (ie, a few days).
Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 06:34:46 PM
Honestly you need to get it off the skull and cooled. IF you cant get it to them just cut off the skull plate and toss it, plan on buying a cape in the future from whoever you have mount it. Unfortunately there is no room for procrastination when it comes to death and decay. How long will it really take to get it to someone to pull it off? :twocents:
I'd do it myself if I knew how. I gutted, skinned, and will butcher this deer myself, just never been where I want to mount. Anybody want to help me???
Post by: miah on October 14, 2008, 06:53:35 PM
Post by: washingtonmuley on October 14, 2008, 07:04:56 PM
If you are around spokane I will cape it for you for free. 360-461-4847
Post by: M_ray on October 14, 2008, 07:18:44 PM
Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 08:58:01 PM
Post by: Ray on October 14, 2008, 09:20:07 PM
Post by: yelp on October 14, 2008, 09:36:53 PM
Post by: jwroberts on October 14, 2008, 09:58:19 PM
Post by: EastWaViking on October 14, 2008, 10:18:54 PM
Pay for a good taxidermy job or just forget about it. Anything else is a gamble of wasting even more money than the little extra it might cost to get it done by a decent pro. :twocents:
I agree, and even at 500+ dollars, once you figure in the cost of the form, eyes, tanning, and labor time, the taxidermist is not making all that much profit for a lot of work and expertise.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 14, 2008, 10:49:39 PM
Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 11:04:39 PM
I bothered to salt the cape because I know how to do that much. I don't know how to deal with eyes, nose, ears, etc without tearing them off. I could have skipped the salting but I didn't think it would do any harm. :dunno:
Nathan told me to roll it up, put it in a bag, and freeze it until then. He said that for a few days that would be okay. From the gunshot to the freezer was only 27 hours. It sat outside last night at 35-40 degrees, in the back of my canopy-covered truck (w/tinted windows) since.
Post by: Michelle_Nelson on October 14, 2008, 11:15:03 PM
I just posted an entire write up on trophy care way befor the season opened! It's a sticky in the Deer, Elk, and Other Big Game Forum! :bash:
Post by: Bean Counter on October 14, 2008, 11:47:49 PM
Thanks for posting. I guess I'll read it before I get to shooting a 6x6 next year and I really want a good mount. :drool:
Post by: bucklucky on October 15, 2008, 08:00:21 AM
Post by: deaddog on October 15, 2008, 08:56:40 AM
My point being why salt the main body of the cape and not the face? The salt on just part of the cape isn't doing any good for the rest of the cape.wow why are you pissed. OH by the way bean counter, congrats on the 5x5. great job, the real trophy comes from the hunt, not the head.
I just posted an entire write up on trophy care way befor the season opened! It's a sticky in the Deer, Elk, and Other Big Game Forum! :bash:
Post by: huntnphool on October 15, 2008, 09:02:39 AM
Post by: Bean Counter on October 15, 2008, 10:01:42 AM
I agree, deaddog. We were actually on a 3 pt mullie opening day. Part of me actually wishes I had got that one instead--we hunted him all day long and nicknamed him Houdini. He not only gave me the slip a few times but even a couple other hunters who I watched from atop a mountain try to track him down. I took a few shots at him around sunset. I thought we may have had him, so we spent 2 hours looking in the moonlight--he gave us another disappearing act yet again. Great memories. :)
I put it in my coworkers garage freezer last night--triple wrapped in garbage/plastic bags. I will spent the next day or two researching which taxidermist I think will be the best fit. Thanks to all who chimed in. I appologize to those who feel as though I have disrespected this animal.
Post by: huntnphool on October 15, 2008, 10:14:40 AM
huntnphool, I will try to post a pic later today. For advance notice, this wont win any awards and probably doesn't score too high.
Now this may sound hypocritical coming from someone that has been passing bull moose after bull moose because they just wont score high enough, but its really not about the score. You should be damn proud and don't ever let anyone steal your thunder. The majority of hunters on this site won't tag a deer this year, any deer!!! You just put yourself in the upper percentile and I'm sure the "Green Monster of Jealousy" has already reared its ugly head somewhere. Congrats again on the trophy, cant wait to see the pics.
Post by: Bean Counter on October 15, 2008, 10:36:24 AM
As it turned out, I actually secured access to this private land because I had a doe tag for the area. It was my hope to fill that tag first, not my buck tag, as my doe tag is only good until this Sunday and I could get a buck in November. So I'm grateful, but I think I'll need to head back there this weekend to get the darned doe!
My buddy and I were sitting in a blind in a field, waiting for the deer to come out of the timber off the hill in the evening. They did, but the bucks actually came out first--and closer to us than the does. The landowner, who grows wheat, doesn't hunt and wants all of the deer gone, but he does let another party on first in the season who he has known longer. He wasn't too mad about me getting this buck as his other friends had already gone home for the season.
I don't think you're hypocritical. When you get a special draw for something it doesn't make sense to shoot the first moose that comes along. Even though I'd probably have lower standards than you, I'd at least wait till I found one with decently developed palms and a few good points.
Post by: dbllunger on October 15, 2008, 11:59:21 AM
Post by: dbllunger on October 15, 2008, 12:44:27 PM
Post by: Bean Counter on October 15, 2008, 01:08:35 PM