08/20/2024
Over the past few years of the TN velvet hunt, We have had the opportunity to work with more than 200 velvet whitetail in our taxidermy shop. I thought I would touch on a few things about the proper handling of your trophy as you point towards your taxidermist.
Hopefully this will assist with some of the concerns and answer a few common questions.
(1) Prepare for the moment
Now is the time to be thinking about, preparing, and gathering all of the things that you may need to make your hunt a successful one, as well as to ensure that you have all of the tools and gadgets that will make your recovery and retrieval as fast as possible, as well as safe, for both you and your trophy.
Flashlights for tracking, rope(s) for dragging, tie downs, knife for field dressing, and plenty of fluids to keep you hydrated during the hunt, as well as after the retrieval of your deer. It’s probably going to be HOT!
Also, a proper placed shot is never more critical than one placed in 90+ degree heat. The last thing that you want is a gut shot deer recovered the next day. This is not good for the cape or the antlers. Make sure all of your equipment is spot on and get plenty of practice with that bow or crossbow!
(2) The Shot
Things don’t always go as intended when we send that arrow, I personally have hit deer all over with all weapons. Even though some won’t admit it, none of us are perfect.
With that said, do your best to put that arrow in the boiler room. If hunting in a field , make your best effort to let him get out in the field several yards to hopefully, make him expire closer to the edge of the woods. This will be easier on both you and the cape/antlers.
(3) After the shot
Give him ample time to die after the shot. If you don’t feel good about your shot, give him more time. Every year I read and hear stories of guys tracking deer and often they speak of “finding where he laid down”. Most never find the deer after that. The truth is if they had gave him a ample time, he would have been laying right there in that spot, hips up, chin on the ground, dead! A deer don’t know what happened when he was shot but once he lays down and hears you and your buddy walking towards him talking, THE JIG IS UP. His strong will to survive just drastically increased and the last several hours of his life along with the next several hours of yours will be long and miserable.
(4) Recovery and Retrieval
Now you have him in your hands. What about the velvet antlers?
It is best to have help but that is not always the case. Don’t pull him by the antlers as you would a winter deer. Although the velvet is NOT as fragile as some say or think, the antlers themselves are not as strong as they will be in November and will have some “give” or movement when pulled on or bent. You don’t want to break them. If you need to move him from a ditch or a few yards to the field edge, support the rack/head with one hand and pull the front leg with the other, while carefully walking backwards. The velvet is flesh/thin skin and will scuff, but it is not going to slip off in your hands! Treat that rack just as you would a piece of new, oak furniture. You must handle it to move it, but don’t drag it across a door facing. Don’t beat and drag your antlers against trees brush, ATV, or tailgate. . A Jet Sled is one of the best $50 investments that I have ever personally made. You can put that buck in it, tie the head up to keep it over and inside the sled and roll on with him. During the off season, mine has many home and truck uses.
(5) On to the taxidermist
Once loaded on your ride, get him to your destination as fast as possible. If your taxidermist offers free caping as we do, get straight to him. If not, get him to your desired location and carefully cape him as fast as possible. This is not the time to stand around talking about the hunt while having a few drinks. Handle the business and MOVE ON to a freezer or taxidermist shop.
I have seen hunters and other taxidermist mention putting a bag or towels around or over the antlers.
ABSOLUTELY NOOO!!!
This will create a greenhouse situation, creating and trapping heat and holding the moisture in, thus encouraging the growth of bacteria. The safest situation that that rack can be in before a freezer, is in open air, back of your truck, 65mph down the road with the wind blowing over it!
Killing a velvet deer can be very rewarding and they make very unique and pretty mounts. No need to be afraid of the situation to be faced post kill. Just use good common sense and he will be fine. I have had awesome results with my velvet preservation technique and have NEVER lost the velvet on a rack. I have even saved a few that probably shouldn’t have been saved.
Hope everyone stays safe, has fun, and gets that trophy!
Hope to see several of you and hear the stories from the hunt.
Feel free to message me if you have any questions that I didn’t answer. I will answer them as fast as I can.
“Your Trophy, Our Passion, Nature’s Legacy!”
Regular Velvet shoulder mounts start at $540, $100 service fee due at drop off(goes toward the total cost of mount but also covers immediate services rendered). Velvet euros are $180.
Nature’s Legacy Taxidermy
Bolivar, TN
Tim - 731-518-7388
Sheila- 731-518-7394
