Dry velvet

[Tabs]

Could anyone offer advice on preparing this head?
He has dry velvet still attached as per images, hard underneath.
If I left it on, I assume it would attract moths etc, however removing would leave no colour.

Also anyone know why he hasn’t stripped velvet entirely? He had some fence wire wrapped on hind leg, degloved but completely healed above, have images but not attached, still chasing does and smaller bucks. Remarkable animals!

 

[deerstalker.308]

I’ve just peeled it off before, you can always stain the antler up after, you’ll probably find it’s a bit darker than you’d think anyway as the blood will have done some staining

 

[deerstalker.308]

Equally, leave it, if the moths do get in in time then you can always re clean it at that point and do as above

 

[vulpes vulpes]

I have a similar head, full velvet but hard antler. I just boiled it out and cut the skull as norm and then give it a very liberal coat of crawling insect killer, (aerosol) all the velvet is still attached after 10 years.
I give it a top up spray every couple of years.

 

[T.eddie]

Just on this, I've got my first head with velvet on it, is the consensus that if I just boil the head as normal and not remove the velvet it should stay okay?

 

[VSS]

Just on this, I've got my first head with velvet on it, is the consensus that if I just boil the head as normal and not remove the velvet it should stay okay?

Depends how hard the antler is, I think. If it's still a bit rubbery it'll need preserving with something. Formaldehyde?

 

[T.eddie]

Depends how hard the antler is, I think. If it's still a bit rubbery it'll need preserving with something. Formaldehyde?

Ah fair enough, I'll double check in the morning as it's in the chiller currently, worse case I'll just scrape it off

 

[VSS]

Ah fair enough, I'll double check in the morning as it's in the chiller currently, worse case I'll just scrape it off

You can only scrape it off if the antler is properly hard underneath.

 

[T.eddie]

You can only scrape it off if the antler is properly hard underneath.

Oh I see what your saying now, so if it isn't and I've got no way of preserving, the skull will have to be binned?

 

[VSS]

Oh I see what your saying now, so if it isn't and I've got no way of preserving, the skull will have to be binned?

There is a way of preserving it, but I forget. I think it was formaldehyde.
Mouse asked the same question on here a few years ago (her first deer was a muntjac in velvet), so if you do a search you should get the answer.

Edit: I found it for you:

Preserving my muntjac

Obviously I would like to keep the head of my muntjac buck because it is my first deer. However, the antlers are in velvet and quite soft. Is there anything I can do to preserve them so that they stay intact on the skull?

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

 

[deerstalker.308]

Oh I see what your saying now, so if it isn't and I've got no way of preserving, the skull will have to be binned?

With your munty from today I doubt you’ll be able to make a good job of preserving the velvet, just boil it, there will be hard enough antler under it by this time of year likely as not. They’ll be white and a lot smaller than the velvet might make you think but they’ll be there. You can always choose to darken up the tips if it bugs you, but it’ll still be a good memory regardless

 

[T.eddie]

Thanks both!

 

[VSS]

Thanks both!

Just pop it in the freezer for a start. You can then deal with it at your leisure, after doing enough research. Mouse's 1st muntjac head is still sat here in the freezer, 4 years later!
Don't know how easy it is to get formaldehyde in small quantities? I have a 5-gallon can of the stuff. You'd only need about 10ml, probably. I could send you some in a little bottle if you like, but not sure if that's allowed?

 

[T.eddie]

Just pop it in the freezer for a start. You can then deal with it at your leisure, after doing enough research. Mouse's 1st muntjac head is still sat here in the freezer, 4 years later!
Don't know how easy it is to get formaldehyde in small quantities? I have a 5-gallon can of the stuff. You'd only need about 10ml, probably. I could send you some in a little bottle if you like, but not sure if that's allowed?

I need to do some research on how to use it in all honesty, freezer may be the best bet for now

 

[ChrisWill184]

Just thought I'd ask but is like the one pictured ie a roe with some velvet still on or something else? Have you got a picture?

 

[VSS]

Just thought I'd ask but is like the one pictured ie a roe with some velvet still on or something else? Have you got a picture?

I think it's probably this one:

A special morning

I've recently had one of the farms I've got signed off for up to .308, it's not overflowing with deer compared to one of the others which hasn't been signed of (annoyingly) Anyway I thought I'd take a trip up early morning to see if I can find any deer that might be feeding before the sun is to...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

 

[T.eddie]

I think it's probably this one:

A special morning

I've recently had one of the farms I've got signed off for up to .308, it's not overflowing with deer compared to one of the others which hasn't been signed of (annoyingly) Anyway I thought I'd take a trip up early morning to see if I can find any deer that might be feeding before the sun is to...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

Yeah that's the one