Help preserve your trophy in the field with these simple tips.


CARE TIPS FOR YOUR TROPHY IN THE FIELD

BIG GAME


KEEP BLOOD OFF OF THE CAPE.
Deer, caribou and sheep hair is hollow and absorbs blood. Skin in a manner so as to keep the cape as blood free as possible.

DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF MOUNT YOU WANT:
Head and shoulder, neck, life-size etc. Too much cape is always better than too little.

SKINNING AND FLESHING:
Your best bet is to skin out the hide as carefully as possible. Cut the body off at the neck (Not the hide, but the actual body).

SALTING THE HIDE.
Perhaps the most important thing you can do to save your trophy until you can get it to the taxidermist. About 10-15 LBS of salt is necessary for full body skins. Make sure you work the salt into any meaty area on the hide. DO NOT USE ROCK SALT. Also keep in mind, that salt only affects the immediate area that it is applied. It will not protect facial features, ears, feet or tails.

SKINS ARE JUST AS PERISHABLE AS MEAT:
It is important that you get your trophy to a taxidermist as soon as possible. If you are not going to be able to get to a taxidermist right away, place the trophy in a freezer until you can.
When freezing DO NOT use salt. Salt will dramatically slow the freezing process.



BIRDS AND SMALL GAME
For small game and birds, make no deep cuts, keep game clean cool, and dry. For small game wrap in newspaper place in a paper bag and freeze. For birds, try and keep the feathers as flat, and in their natural position, as possible. Wrap birds in paper towels or newspaper, place in a plastic bag and freeze it. Get your speciaman to your taxidermist as soon as possible.