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Deer Cape

StickersNKickers

StickersNKickers

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Just wondering how long a tanned deer cape would be good for mounting. In the case of harvesting a deer one year, and then having it mounted in a following year. Any extra care to be taken?
 
Check with your taxidermist to be certain, but I believe that if it was wet tanned and frozen it would be just fine for at least a year.
 
A properly tanned and oiled cape is basically preserved forever. They can be dried for storage and then re-hydrated when ready for use, or tanned and frozen. I mounted some heads of mine last winter that had been tanned for over ten years! A raw frozen cape on the other hand has a shelf life of a year or two before it will start to show signs of freezer burn. :way:
 
HorseDoctor said:
Check with your taxidermist to be certain, but I believe that if it was wet tanned and frozen it would be just fine for at least a year.
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This your best bet for storing it for a long time. If it was a "green cape", I wouldn't store it much longer than a year. Just make sure if you do store it green, to turn the ears ( or have it done for you) as they tend to dry out at the tips. Otherwise when you do try to turn them later it is a SOB to try to keep them from tearing.
 
Skully said:
A properly tanned and oiled cape is basically preserved forever. They can be dried for storage and then re-hydrated when ready for use, or tanned and frozen. I mounted some heads of mine last winter that had been tanned for over ten years! A raw frozen cape on the other hand has a shelf life of a year or two before it will start to show signs of freezer burn. :way:
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10 years and they still look good? Cool!
 
You talking about having your deer caped, rough fleshed, salted, pickled, tanned, and final fleshed with any necessary sewing done? Basically just shy of actually mounting the deer and the finish work? IMO, the prep work to the cape is the most labor consuming part of the process. But if you wanted to stop shy of final fleshing and sewing to save some money and be able to store it for a while then I would like to think you could get it done for under $150. I know there are some taxi's on here that would be able to tell you exactly what they would charge.
 
Yeah, that's along the lines that I was thinking/asking. I don't have any experience with tanning, and wouldn't want to screw up a good mount.

So, if you were going to freeze it for a while, would that be with the cape off the skull? Like I said, no experience. I've got a couple mounts on the wall, but they went straight to the taxi after skinning to the base of the neck.
 
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I know a local taxi that sends large volumes of capes to a pro tannery and he charges $80. Wet tanned and ready to mount or freeze for later.
 
Thanks guys. Now if a guy wanted to start tanning, say on a doe hide to get some practice, what would be the best way to start, and what would be needed? I know, big request of info here.
 
Rick Carter dvd. It'll show you everything you need to know about mounting whitetails. That will let you know if it is something of interest to you with minimal investment.
 
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