Field Care

Birds

• Do not gut the bird. Rinse off any blood on the feathers with water. Take the bird immediately to your taxidermist or freeze it. Put the bird into a plastic bag for freezing being careful not to damage the feathers, including the tail. If the bird’s tail feathers do not fit in the bag do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag and tie the bag loosely.

Fish

• Do not gut your fish. If you cannot take your fish immediately to a taxidermist, wrap it in a very wet towel and put it in a plastic bag, making sure all the fins are flat against the fish’s body to prevent breakage, and freeze it. Or if this is not possible submerse the fish completely in a bucket of water and freeze it, a fish frozen with this method can be kept safely in a freezer for months.
• Note: A fish will loose its coloration shortly after being caught. A good color photograph immediately after the catch may enable us to duplicate the natural color tones of that particular fish.

Small Mammals

• Animals coyote sized or smaller, should not be skinned unless by a professional. Don’t gut the animal. Small mammals, especially carnivores, will spoil quickly because of their thin hide and bacteria. If you can’t bring the small game animal immediately to us, as soon as the carcass cools completely, put it in plastic and freeze it.

Game Heads and Shoulder Mounts 

• Clean off excess blood.
• When skinning leave plenty of hides for a shoulder mount, especially at the brisket. Cut off the hide several inches behind the front legs and 90 degrees to the back. If uncertain leave the complete hide intact. Excess can be trimmed off but can’t be put back on.
• If possible let us skin the head areas. This area can be tough to do with out damaging the cape.

If you can’t get the specimen to us within 12 hours and the temperature is over 50 degrees it must be in a cooler or freezer.

Do not cut the throat of the animal or tag the animal by cutting a slot in the ear.

• Note: If you can’t bring your hide immediately to us, freeze it to our specifications.

“NEVER’S” For any Big or Small Game

• Never cut the throat of the animal. It’s just an old myth started years ago and serves no purpose. It bleeds out when gutted and can spoil the look of the finished mount.
• Never leave the animal lying on the ground. If it can’t be skinned out right away, prop the animal up with chunks of wood so the air can circulate underneath and cool the body down quicker. This may help prevent hair slippage caused by bacteria and warm temperatures.
• Never hang the animal with a rope around the head or feet. This causes rope burns in the skin and kinks the hair, leaving a possible permanent mark on the finished mount.
• Never drag the animal. This can cause the hair to be pulled out and rubbed off.
• Never go for a headshot. It could ruin your trophy and break the antlers or horns.