Mounting Antlers in Velvet

[Yokel Matt 918]

As the title suggests i'm trying to mount the Antlers of a Roe buck i shot recently. They are still in full velvet and i'm just wondering whether this is actually going to work or a big waste of time which is going to look crap? I understand there are several methods of removing soft tissue including simmering in washing powder, leaving for the flies, acid etc but I was concerned that the velvet may suffer.

 

Basically, after a bit of Blue-Peter style DIY with a junior hacksaw, scissors,knife, toothbrush (old!) and, needless to say, a strong stomach I've removed all the flesh, skin and other gunk out of the head. I had intended to keep the full face with a half eye-socket look but the nose area was such a fiddily pain in the arse i just cut it off at an angle.

 

It then came down to using fingernails and a toothbrush :sick:

 

I'm not sure what to do about the velvet.. or if i need to do anything at all. I take it i need to keep the flies off it and just let it dry naturally??? I'll get a pic up in due course but any info would be great.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Local

[tommydeer 2]

Any good taxidermist can treat the velvet, you would be better off putting it into a freezer finding a taxidermist that can do the work your after and then get it to him as and when you want to

[Yokel Matt 918]

Any good taxidermist can treat the velvet, you would be better off putting it into a freezer finding a taxidermist that can do the work your after and then get it to him as and when you want to

 

Cheers Tommy

 

In a ideal world this is exactly what i'd do but the wedding fund doesn't stretch to taxidermy - its going to have to be a DIY effort

[stubby 175]

I tried the washing powder idea on a fox head, well after 3 months soaking it looked and smelt like a boiled lambs head :sick:

its now buried, letting the worms do their work,

dug up one Id buried under a compost bin around a year ago, perfectly cleaned out, just had to glue teeth back in, as for your "velvet" dont know ifit will work the same, but after taking the fox brush, I rinsed it through a few times in methalayted spirit, and left to dry, no problem with flies, or loosing hairs

[dicehorn 38]

Any good taxidermist can treat the velvet, you would be better off putting it into a freezer finding a taxidermist that can do the work your after and then get it to him as and when you want to

 

Cheers Tommy

 

wedding fund doesn't stretch to taxidermy

 

Ah - Stuff the wedding

[NID 0]

Hi Local,you can get Borax from your local chemists,or get a diy kit from Snowdonia taxidermy to treat the velvet.

You can get uarthane head forms were you skin the head,insert glass eyes in the form and put the skin onhere's the link,atb NID.

 

http://freespace.virgin.net/sts.northwales/cat.htm

[Yokel Matt 918]

Any good taxidermist can treat the velvet, you would be better off putting it into a freezer finding a taxidermist that can do the work your after and then get it to him as and when you want to

 

Cheers Tommy

 

wedding fund doesn't stretch to taxidermy

 

Ah - Stuff the wedding

 

Good call on the Meths.. as for stuffing the wedding - i'd be on the back of a milk-carton in no time mate

Edited April 21, 2009 by Local

[tommydeer 2]

Use the wedding.....ideal present

 

Or if you think the antler is hard enough (check the tips on the tines) just power wash it off, it is possible, i do it quite a lot at work. Then just colour them up yourself with pottasium permanganate crystals, job done!