The other day I stopped over by Morgan Taxidermy,http://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-Taxidermy-Studio/154940964544654 Owen lives and works about a mile from Spur of the Moment Ranch. Wisconsin Deer Hunting is one of his busiest times of year. It is a tradition in Wisconsin, for guys and the gals to participate in the big hunt that begins the morning of the 17th of November 2012. Most of the hunters I have met all dream of bagging that big trophy during the Wisconsin Deer Hunting season. Often times when the hunters finally score that big trophy, they want to remember it; and show it off to their friends and family; many will want to have it mounted as it is one of those once in a lifetime moments if you are a hunter.
So I asked Owen, just what should a hunter do if they want to have their trophy mounted. Owen explained that the most important thing to do besides getting in touch with their taxidermist as soon as possible, was to keep the deer cool and dry. If it is warm, keep the animal in the shade, he said the sun is more damaging than the warm weather. Keep the deer in a ventilated area. Your other choice is to freeze it; or keep it at 30-40 degrees.
Owen told me that one of the most common mistakes that people make when they are unsure what to do; is that they cape the head too short making it difficult to get the proper length for mounting. Caping is properly dressing out the animal for mounting purposes. When Owen gets the animal, he explained that the mounting process involves fleshing out the deer. He said that he send s the hide to a professional tannery. Morgan taxidermy does not tan the hides in house. He orders the forms for the mount; and finally puts the mounts together. Actually, the process takes much longer than one might expect, usually about a year.