caping chinese water deer for taxidermy

[shakey jake]

hi guys
girl friend wants to try taxidermy. ive got two cwd capes with skull inside. ive tried the search function and google but can find any info on how to skin the things.
anyone on here had a go?
loads of videos on how to prep a skull but not seen the one i need.
can any one help
shakey

 

[Bowland blades]

cut along the upper edge of the neck starting at the shoulders, stopping at the scull and be careful not to cut any hair but you will with a CWD . Behind the front legs do not cut up the neck though just skin it . Wrap it all up and to the taxidermist asap , freezing can work but its best if you dont .
Doing this as a finished mount is not a first timer thing whatsoever though. I can skin just fine but any taxidermy i have done looks like that Cat hunter page ( only far worse )

 

[Morkai]

hi guys
girl friend wants to try taxidermy. ive got two cwd capes with skull inside. ive tried the search function and google but can find any info on how to skin the things.
anyone on here had a go?
loads of videos on how to prep a skull but not seen the one i need.
can any one help
shakey

Yeah, I just lifted its lip, and ran the blade under until I got to the eyelids, same as skinning the body and pulled it like turning a sock inside out.

This method did only leave the outside of the ears but this is what I was left with.

A CWD sock puppet.

 

[Morkai]

Mines in the freezer, wanna try and make a throw for the office chair....see how much hair it loses....

 

[shakey jake]

wow, what a great response. just pulled the fresh one out the freezer and skinned it.
@Morkai if your ever un cambridge i owe you a pint

 

[Morkai]

wow, what a great response. just pulled the fresh one out the freezer and skinned it.
@Morkai if your ever un cambridge i owe you a pint

No worries, glad it was useful.

 

[sikamalc]

Make a small cut at the back of the head to take the skull out.
Trying to take it through the neck is almost impossible due to the thickness of the hair.

 

[shakey jake]

Make a small cut at the back of the head to take the skull out.
Trying to take it through the neck is almost impossible due to the thickness of the hair.

ok, that was my initial thought, when you say small, would you start it around the rear edge of the ears? how far down the neck?
or across the neck?
sorry about so many questions. got a second one to do

 

[sikamalc]

Lay the cape straight. Take a razor sharp scalpel and cut from just at the back of the skull, slightly back from where the ears are in a straight line for about 5 inches. Enough to extract the head/skull inside. The cut is easy to disguise afterwards with good neat stitching.

 

[Cheviot]

hi guys
girl friend wants to try taxidermy. ive got two cwd capes with skull inside. ive tried the search function and google but can find any info on how to skin the things.
anyone on here had a go?
loads of videos on how to prep a skull but not seen the one i need.
can any one help
shakey

see if this helps

 

[Morkai]

wow, what a great response. just pulled the fresh one out the freezer and skinned it.
@Morkai if your ever un cambridge i owe you a pint

Did your GF manage to do what she wanted with the cape?

I'm moving house soon so I'll have space to do something with the hide in my freezer.

Did she manage to get the hair to set?

 

[shakey jake]

Did your GF manage to do what she wanted with the cape?

I'm moving house soon so I'll have space to do something with the hide in my freezer.

Did she manage to get the hair to set?

not yet mate, skinned it off as you described and it went well. id guess fresh is best but wait and see what the pro thinks

 

[Sol]

Freezing wont make any difference in it besides freezer burn (if it happens) but honestly for deer Its not really an issue, Its the freezer burnt birds that are the issue but even then we just Inject them with water to rehydrate the dried parts

Many American competition winning pieces have been in the freezer for 10-15 years.

Just like meat the recommended defrosting method is putting it in a fridge in a black bag.

 

[Morkai]

Freezing wont make any difference in it besides freezer burn (if it happens) but honestly for deer Its not really an issue, Its the freezer burnt birds that are the issue but even then we just Inject them with water to rehydrate the dried parts

Many American competition winning pieces have been in the freezer for 10-15 years.

Just like meat the recommended defrosting method is putting it in a fridge in a black bag.

Any idea if I'll be able to get any hair to set on a CWD pelt?

 

[Sol]

You can for sure get it "set" assuming you tan it correctly but I imagine it would go the direction of reindeer/caribou rugs where the pins will break pretty easy.