From the field to taxidermist

[42769vette]

I will be going mule deer hunting next week. It is a 16 hour drive. I just got to thinking, how will I transport a buck home to get to the taxidermist if successful? It sure won't fit in a cooler.

I'm perfectly comfortable caping, but have never gotten all the way to the skull.

What do you guys do? The only option I see it completely caping out the face, and putting the cape in a cooler. I'm hoping you guys have a trick I'm not thinking of.

Tempature is forecasted to be mid 20's to mid 50's. I will not have access to a freezer to freeze everything, and haul ass.

 

[Ace12]

Either cape it out or keep it in the shade and cold as possible. Which shouldn’t be hard with those temps

 

[hobbes]

You better visit your taxidermist and get a lesson in skinning the head. You'll make a mess of the skin around the pedicels, earbutts, eyelids, preorbital gland, and the mouth and nose without some instruction. In other words, if you've not skinned the head on something (fox,coyote, bobcat, deer, etc.), you are likely to make a mess of the cape.

 

[deerlick]

See if their is a taxi local to where your at that could skin out the face for ya

 

[Touchdown88]

You should be fine if you can skin it up to the base of the skull then fold it with the fleshed sides next to each other so it doesn't dry out.

 

[Northpark]

If you’ve never done it before I would suggest finding a local taxidermist to do it. Honestly though learning how to do it is pretty easy. Just gotta do a few animals to get a feel for it.

 

[42769vette]

See if their is a taxi local to where your at that could skin out the face for ya

That's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that.

 

[42769vette]

I went to the taxidermist today, and got a little skinning the face 101. Its not as hard as it looks.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Don't put the cart in front of the horse, gotta kill a big buck before you worry about the taxidermist.

 

[OpenCountry]

Have a local taxidermist do it if you don't feel confident doing it yourself. Its not a difficult task as long as you take your time . Slow down around the eyes and tear ducts. The rest is pretty straight forward.

 

[blacktail sniper]

not that hard to do just take your time! cape it out throw it in the cooler and roll home get it in the freezer all good

 

[42769vette]

Don't put the cart in front of the horse, gotta kill a big buck before you worry about the taxidermist.

I couldn't agree more, but I hate to get out there, kill one, and say "now what"

 

[BBob]

Fold the hide skin to skin (hair out), roll up the hide and set the head and hide on a tarp, throw some bags of ice on it and wrap the tarp up. If it's in the back of the truck exposed to sun put a blanket or sleeping bag over it (I use a cheap reflective space blanket/tarp over the top). Drive home add ice as needed. Simple.

 

[Cordellh]

Isn't there a bunch of rules about transporting brain matter across state lines now?

 

[wapitibob]

Ask the taxi how he wants the hide cut off the body and let him know you won't be caping it. That's what we did before heading to WY and we cut the cape just like he wanted and removed the head per his instructions. We delivered the head/cape 1-1/2 days later (17 hr drive). We just kept it cool with ice and there were no problems.

 

[hobbes]

Isn't there a bunch of rules about transporting brain matter across state lines now?

Depends on the state and which state lines you're crossing, but all the more reason to fully cape the deer and remove scull cap with antlers. All brain tissue and skull/brain lining can then be removed and disposed of following any CWD regs.

 

[FLAK]

I went to the taxidermist today, and got a little skinning the face 101. Its not as hard as it looks.

Its not bad, main thing is to go SLOW.

 

[FLAK]

Course I still haven figured out turning those ears, I usually whack em at the base.

 

[Nomadx2]

Skin up to the skull. Wrap the cape & skull in a heavy duty plastic garbage bag. Put the head & cape in the cooler with antlers sticking out. Put a couple of bags of ice on either side of the head & cape. Change out ice and drain cooler as necessary. You'll fine until you get home.

 

[42769vette]

Isn't there a bunch of rules about transporting brain matter across state lines now?

There are. Im good in Kansas, and Indiana, but not sure about Missouri, or Illinois. Thats the main reason I decided to watch him do a face, so I could know I'm within the regs.