Velvet preservation

[MuleyFever]

So a while back I killed a buck in velvet. My taxidermist told me he freeze dried it to preserve it. Could this be done by just leaving it in a freezer for a few months or longer?

Also, how have you done a euro mount on a velvet deer?

 

[kpk]

No. My understanding of freeze drying is that it's also done under vaccuum which pulls all the moisture out. I'm still waiting for my velvet whitetail to come back that I got last Sep.

 

[dotman]

My taxi said he had to drain all the blood out first which was a 5 day process of injecting a fluid in to the veins of the rack. Just setting them in a freezer doesn't sound right but I don't know.

I'm having mine done as a euro and he told me it is a slow process on a velvet rack as you don't want to damage the velvet. Sounded like it is a slow boil all by itself for short periods over and over and over.

How much did you pay, for the velvet to be preserved and euro the skull I paid $270.

 

[MuleyFever]

I dont remember the cost. It was quite a few years ago now. My taxi ended up just cutting the skull plate off and mounting it on a fake skull. It was actually my idea as he had not had someone ask for a velvet euro before and was not comfortable trying to boil it. Looks good though.

My thought was to maybe wrap it all up in tinfoil and then boil it.

As far as leaving one in the freezer I found a guy that said he left one in the freezer for a year then pulled it out and it was all dried. I dont have one to do this year, just thinking about next year already.

 

[elkmule123]

I've had a couple done, and have one more in the taxidermist right now. I've used two different taxidermist for the first two. Both cut off the horn, preserved the velvet and cleaned the skull, then reattached the horns to the skull. I like the way the second (current) taxidermist cuts the horns off. He does it like he does his detachable elk horn mounts. His is velvet euro is around $200 but he gives me a discount when I bring in the cape.

 

[shedcrazy]

I have talked to people who leave them in a deep freeze for a year and they say the velvet will never fall off or rot when you take them out. I paid a taxidermist 100$ to preserve my last buck. It's done by injecting formaldehyde or denatured alcohol. I love the look of a velvet euro buck

 

[Tony Trietch]

The blood under the velvet will freeze in the freezer and then thaw when you pull it out. Freeze dried has nothing to do with a cold freezer we keep food in. It is the most expensive way to preserve the velvet. You can do it your self with a product called "Velvet Tan". It is sold at taxidermy shops.
Dotman is correct. You cut very small holes into the tip of each point and then it gets hung upside down to drain as you inject the velvet tan (like formaldehyde but safer) into the veins starting at the bases. You work your way down each beam and towards the tips until no more blood comes out and it it clear like the velvet tan. it takes a few days typically and is best done immediately after the kill. The longer you wait to inject, the longer the blood has to turn solid and then it gets tough.
I take the solution and a big syringe with me and leave it at the truck when I am hunting early season deer. If you do not have the solution, get it into a freezer asap after the kill and get it to a taxi s he can do it. When it thaws he can inject it through.

I did this one myself.

View attachment 30070

 

[Tony Trietch]

Here he is finished.