12/28/2024
I like a really sharp knife as much as anyone but when you are skinning your deer (or any critter) a just barely sharp enough knife is better.... IF you plan to preserve the skin. Many deer capes are ruined by using too sharp a knife combined with hurrying or just not being sure how to do it. This cape was heavily damaged with cuts through the skin in places that I needed, to do a proper shoulder mount. The buck was a piebald with most of the white markings starting near the brisket area- otherwise I would have suggested replacing the cape. The skin is on the manikin now and the mount is in the early stages of drying. It's not perfect but given how bad it was I feel pretty good about it now. Damage like this impacts the finished mount and causes the taxidermist a few extra hours making repairs. When there is a lot of repair work in obviously visible areas it dictates using a slightly smaller necked form to avoid the shrinkage pulling the extra stitching open as the mount dries. Just a reminder.... if you are planning a shoulder mount on any animal leave extra skin and don't cut into the thin haired area of the brisket. I posted a You Tube video several years ago to help hunters understand how to remove the cape for a shoulder mount. Interested people can find it by searching on You Tube for Fox-fire Taxidermy.
