Taxidermy question

[LukeDuke]

I killed a deer of a lifetime (for me) with my bow, and finally got him to the taxidermist.

Due to a number of factors out of my control - I did a poor job caping him.

Taxidermist says the brisket part of the cape is damaged.

My choices are:

1) Have the taxidermist patch the cape
2) Use a different cape

What would you do?

[Bill]

I'd ask him to get and use a different cape if it's a trophy mount.

[LukeDuke]

I'm not concerned about paying extra.

For sentimental reasons, I guess, I'd prefer to use the same hide.

But if the patch job shows forget it...

[Hockley]

First let this be a lesson learned. Second, I would try to kill a mature deer from the same general area and use a cape that you provide him. For instance, if you killed him in SE Texas and he puts a South Texas cape on him, it won't look anything like your deer. To me the cape means just as much as the head gear.

[lmartin5]

I would try my best to salvage the original cape if it were me.


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[8pointer]

Get a new cape. I've had to do it for 2 or 3 of my mounts.

[Patton]

Get a new cape. I killed a buck in 2014 that had his throat/jaw practically ripped in half from a fight, had to get a new cape, granted I still haven't seen it yet....

[LukeDuke]

Does anyone have any experience / feedback with having the cape patched?

[Patton]

Depends, how bad is it jacked up? Like a 2" straight line slit? Or was it cut off ready for a neck mount and not a shoulder mount?

[Deer Tracks]

Unless the cape was very unique in some way, ask for a new one. In a few years, you won't even think about it when you look at the mount. But you WILL notice and probably regret using the original if it looks altered.

[ACCURACYINC]

I'd go with a different cape personally. Your taxi should be able to match it up pretty close to the original cape and only you will likely know the difference.

[Patton]

A new cape is your best bet if its cut up bad. If you have a good taxi, they will often try their best to get a cape from the same area. Like said above, you don't want a S TX Cape on an E TX buck.

[Grayson]

Where was the deer killed?

[Mac]

Does anyone have any experience / feedback with having the cape patched?

Patched or stitched up? Patched will probably never look right. If it's not completely mangled or in a difficult area you shouldn't be able to notice it. The hair in the brisket is long and should hide stitches. BUT since your taxi is asking you he prob thinks the best route is going to be a new cape and I would trust him. He knows what he's capable of fixing and making it look good.

[bowtechbandit]

few things to consider. sometimes the brisket is butcherd up pretty bad due to the skinner cutting the animal up the front of the legs and not the back of the legs. if it was cut up the front there is a chance you are actually missing some brisket= get new cape. if it was cut straight up the center of the brisket, but not into the throat area a good taxidermist should be able to sew that up and no one ever know the difference=keep the cape. if this deer was killed in bow season and still had a slick summer coat id say 50/50 on looking perfect. if the killed anywhere north of the red river, or any Midwest deer, they have enough hair to cover a lot more than you would think. again, needs to be a good taxidermist. I would ask his personal honest opinion, if he is a good taxidermist he will shoot you straight, and if he says its not salvageable, have him get a new cape. as mentioned above, unless he had some really cool/unique characteristics on the cape or double white throat patch... you wont ever know the difference. I worked for a taxidermist for about 5-6 years when I was younger. you would be surprised what they can fix.