Taxidermy Experts Step inside

[Sabine]

I decided to try my hand at taxidermy, so I purchased a wet tanned cape to do a shoulder mount with some horns I already had. The guy I purchased the cape from (Reputable taxidermist in Kentucky) hooked me up with the form I wanted, the cape, and a pile of needed extras. Well...long story short, hair is falling out. I had trouble positioning the cape without pulling hair out, lots of hair. Once it dries, will this stop? Do I have any options, or am I just going to have a deer that looks like it has mange? It looks fine now, but I am afraid to brush it. Is this a problem in the tanning process?

[BigThicketBoy]

Need pics

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[PondPopper]

Yes it will set when dry.
It's probably a wet tan.. Never pull on the hair. Especially on a wet tan.

Is it falling out of are you pulling it out?

[yanta61]

Once it dry the hair will set. Could be epidermis slip was the hide real wet?

[Sabine]

It was pretty wet. It is not just falling out on it's own, but if I tug here and there, I will end up with a plug coming out. I'll let it set for several weeks before I do anything else to it.

[tex4k]

Sure is sick-panicky feeling when that first little patch comes out so easy, you hate to try another spot but you just can't help yourself. Do enough and you'll get more of a feel for what will set and what is a bad cape/tanning job.

[critter69]

Hair is slipping. If depends how bad it is. Letting it dry completely before you comb it or any thing. I had it happen on an elk and it was ok after it dried. But I did use " stop slip " on it. I am having the same problem with the velvet on my sons deer he got. I have applied slip stop and it seems to be working. Afraid to brush it to much though.

[Guest]

Hair is slipping. If depends how bad it is. Letting it dry completely before you comb it or any thing. I had it happen on an elk and it was ok after it dried. But I did use " stop slip " on it. I am having the same problem with the velvet on my sons deer he got. I have applied slip stop and it seems to be working. Afraid to brush it to much though.

Should have froze those horns for a few months then drilled the bases and let the blood drip out. Then mounted it, that keeps the velvet more in tact.

[critter69]

Should have froze those horns for a few months then drilled the bases and let the blood drip out. Then mounted it, that keeps the velvet more in tact.

Froze them right away, problems is he was just about to shed it. Blood was not flowing in them any more. Had already rubbed some off the back of each antler. Blood was hard in the tips when we cut them to bleed out. Tried to inject them with antler tan , but with the blood already dried in them and it would not go. Brushed them with preservative, hung to dry and all seems ok except one spot on one antler.