*Two of my favorite* wildlife photographers which I highly suggest you “like” and follow on Facebook are:

Bill Allard of William Allard Wildlife -
https://www.facebook.com/William-Allard-Wildlife-14300585…/…
and
Untamed Images – Wildlife Photography by Jason Loftus
https://www.facebook.com/untamedimages/?fref=ts

These steps will give your taxidermist the best possible start in providing you with an outstanding finished mount.

A. Hang the hog from the hind feet.  (this procedure can be performed on the ground but will take a little more energy and time to complete)
B. One circular cut around the mid-section.
C. One circular cut at the wrist joint on both front legs.
D. Single cut from the wrist joint up to the elbow joint along the back of the front leg.
E. Skin / peel / tube the hide as if removing a sweater starting at the mid-section cut (B) working towards the skull.
F. Remove the hide from the carcass all the way to the intersection of the spine and the base of the skull then remove / separate the skull from the spine.
G. You have just caped out a hog. The skull is intact along with the hide.
H. Allow the hide to cool / dry and place in a breathable game bag. Keep the cape / hide in a cool place out of the sun or heat.
I. Once you get home place the cape/hide in a freezer. A frozen cape/hide will remain in good condition upwards of 6 months. If freezing it is not an option you need to get the cape to your taxidermist right away.
J. It’s always best to contact your taxidermist and touch base with him/her prior to heading out in the field. Find out how they want you to prep the cape / hide in the field and get their hours of operation.

Hide and Cape Preparation

How to properly salt your hide.

Shipping Instructions

Field judging Black Bears can sometimes be difficult even for the most experienced of bear hunters.  The animal you are judging is usually completely black aside from color phase bears, they have thick fur and the shadows they create can be deceiving.  There are several methods you can have at your disposal to help you determine if the bear is a shooter or not.

Improve your skills at judging trophy black bear size in the field.

A:  If you are harvesting a bear for the meat. – Make sure the bear is NOT in a family group consisting of a sow with cubs or a single bear weighing less then 50 pounds.
B:  If you are harvesting a bear for the meat AND the hide/skull/trophy. – You will need to learn to observe and determine what you are looking at. The more bears you are able to get close to and observe, the easier this practice becomes.

The Bears Head:

Big Bears:  Will have a very large, blocky looking head.  Their ears will look small, and almost off to the side of their skull a little.  On really big boars you might even see a crease down the center of their forehead, if that’s the case, it’s a good bear.  Other features to look for on a bears head would be scarring around the face, boars have ferocious fights, so it’s not uncommon for them to have plenty of battle scars around their muzzle, eyes and ears and these are helpful clues.

Small Bears:  Will have a small, narrow head, almost dog like. Their ears will appear to be much larger and defined.  Almost like “Mickey Mouse” is a common description among many experienced bear hunters. 

The Bears Behavior:

Big Bears:  Big dominant boars, behave like big dominant boars.  And they usually won’t be in much of a hurry unless they know you’re there and you’ve spooked him.  When big boars walk they will sometimes have a big swagger to their stride, much moreso then a bear who’s on the submissive end of the spectrum.  When I shot my first Island Black Bear we watched him stand up on two legs and scratch his back on a tree for a couple minutes, without a care in the world.  When big boars decide to move they move deliberately, there is no indecision in their movements which can be noticed in younger, startled and confused bears.  Because they are dominant, the big boars will usually have a bit of a schedule and will often be caught feeding in the same places, at the same times of day.  They can do this because they are the boss!

Small Bears:  Are very cautious, they will get out of  your way quickly (so will a big old boar too if he’s spooked).  They will usually always be more alert then a dominant bear because they have to be, or they could become dinner.  Smaller bears will often seek the safety of a tree when in trouble or they just won’t stop running until they hit the coast.  When small bears run, they will appear much more agile then a larger bear.  They will will look more like a big dog running, then a lumbering old boar.

*Tip – When you’re observing a bear, and he/she doesn’t appear to be spooked, sit there and watch them for 1/2 hour or so.  Bears are pretty fascinating creatures when you watch them do their thing, and by observing you’ll learn more about them and that makes the hunt more fun.

The Bears Body:

Big Bears:  Sometimes the big boys are called “belly draggers” for a reason, and it’s possible for Island Bears to get this big.  Big Boars may appear to be so big, you can’t see underneath their body when they are moving around.  That’s a big bear!  If the bear you’re looking at appears to have long legs, it’s probably because he has a smaller body in proportion.  Big bears will have very muscular looking arms and legs, especially their front shoulders/neck area.

Small Bears:  Can you picture the size of a really large breed dog? OK.  That’s about the size of an “average” Island Black Bear.  An average Island Bear will weigh 150-250lbs.  An large 6?+ boar could likely weigh 300+ and the big bears do look much different as you can see in the photos.

What Are Some Additional Signs Of A Big Bear?

If it’s a big bear you’re after then you need to pay attention to the sign you see around you.  Tracks and Scat are very good indicators as to the potential size of a bear, and will let you know if a particular bear is frequenting an area.

Judging Bear Size From Tracks:

This method was shown to me by my Father who was a big game guide for nearly 30 years.  It has since been shown to me by several taxidermists and many more experienced bear hunters than I so I believe in this method.

      

If you can find fresh bear tracks in an area, maybe mud or soft sand (common where we hunt spring bear on the Island) measure the distance across the front pad and simply add 1.  This will give you a rough “square” of the bear.   So if you measure the bear track and it came out at 5?inches across, you would add 1 and could guesstimate that bear was roughly a 6? foot bear.

I have tried this method on many of our harvested black bears and I have to say it’s pretty damn close!  The only problem with this method is you need to find the bear that left the track!

Judging Bear Size From Scat:

Spend a couple days bear hunting on the Island and you’ll observe several dozen or so piles of bear scat scattered across the road.  Not only can they help you see what the bears are eating but they can give you a pretty good indicator as to the size of the bear that left it.  Here’s a tip for you.  It’s not necessarily the size of the pile… It’s the diameter of the nuggets!  A really BIG bear has a really big butt and it’s not uncommon for them to leave scat the diameter of a beer can behind!  If you look at 10 piles of bear scat and then come across the one left by the big kahuna trust me… You’ll Know!

If you discover an area that has BIG tracks and some BIG (large diameter) scat, then it might be worth hunting that area a little harder.  Big Island Black Bears don’t have enormous ranges and unless you’ve spooked them heavily they will keep coming back to the same places to feed.

Hopefully you found article helpful and through experience you’ll become a much better bear hunter.  Because of their abundance it’s pretty easy to rack up experience if you’ve got the time to put a couple weekends in every year and then the patience to watch and observe what goes on around you.  Pay attention to the sign, and have a good time out there!

2013 hunting season is upon us. Drawing applications were submitted, results have been handed down, and final preparations for another awesome season are in full swing.

With great pride my shop will honor all the women hunters with a 25% off any shoulder mount for the entire length of your hunting career followed by a 10% off on all half-size, and life-size mounts.

For our youth who are the future of this sport, M.U.T. supports and encourages them with 25% off any shoulder mount through the age of 17.

Promote proper hunting ethics in and out of the field. Poaching kills more than just our wildlife, it kills our heritage.

www.mountsunlimited.com

Be safe and Happy Hunting!
-Kerwin

When we bring our mounts home, they usually look like they did when they were tagged. The antlers are shining in all of their glory and the eyes and nose often look real. The problem is as the years pass by our favorite mounts begin to lose their luster. They start to collect dust. They begin to look like they have spent a decade in a smoky bar room. Typically this does not happen because the taxidermist did a bad job but simply because hunters didn’t know how to take care of their mount after bringing it home.

First and foremost, never hang your mount over a fireplace, wood stove, or any other heating unit. When most hunters consider where they want to put their big buck they think it would look great over the fireplace. We remember that is where granddad always put his. Dry heat is the worst thing for a mount. Heat is a big no-no. “Heat dries out the hide of a mounted animal, which causes it to shrink and causes the hair to become dry and brittle, making the animal appear older than it actually is. Keeping your mount away from excessive dry heat will help it look good for a long time.

Keep your mounts away from direct sunlight. The ultra violet rays of the sun have the same effect on mounted animals that they do on everything else. Have you ever noticed that a painted wall fades after a few years of being in direct sunlight? The UV rays can fade the hide of your buck and its’ rack making it appear old and

dingy. UV rays can make the hide brittle and can make it shrink much like dry heat if it is placed in the sun for years. When choosing a place to hang your mount, choose a location that is out of direct sunlight.  Never hang your mount in a moist damp area like a basement. If your basement isn’t damp, it should be fine. Moisture can create mold and all kinds of problems for a mount that should remain dry at all times.

Dusting:
The accumulation of grime, dust and smoke is the beginning of deterioration. Mounted trophies should be dusted frequently and regularly.

When you hang your new mount on the wall, realize it isn’t maintenance free. The easiest way to keep your mount looking great is to regularly dust it. Dust will collect on deer hair, turkey feathers, and any type of mount. The dust makes a mount look old. It makes the nose and eyes of a deer appear dull. Next to the antlers, people notice the eyes and nose of mounts first.

Mounts and Rugs:
Mounted heads can be dusted with a clean soft cloth, by vacuuming with a soft brush attachment or air blown using compressed air in a can or an air compressor following the direction of the hair as it lies naturally. Never brush, wipe, or blow air against the natural direction of the hair, as this action can cause the hair to break off or pull out damaging the hair and create tufts of hair to stand up which doesn’t look good.

Mounts having an open mouth – African Lion, Leopard, Hyena, Crocodile, Hippo, Cougar (Mountain Lion), Wolf, Fox, Bear, etc. – also need attention to this detail in order to keep your mount fresh in appearance.  Most open mouths are treated with a final coat of either lacquer or acrylic gloss to impart a “wet” look to the mouth.  While this is common practice, often times mouths are made to look a little too wet for my taste.

Regardless, in order to maintain the wet look, the open mouths of mounts need to be dusted as well.  The best way is to use a can of compressed air … the type sold in office supply, computer, or even home improvement stores will do.  Just be aware to not shake the can while using it.  The freezing air that will shoot out can dull the shiny, wet finish in the mouth.

You simply want to direct the air to the deep recesses of the open mouth, starting at the back of the mouth and working your way forward.  This will blow any dust out of the mouth.  If it still looks a little dull in there, the use of a clean, new makeup brush can further dislodge any dust particles that have not been blown away with the air only.  If needed, the canned air can also be used to blow out the nostrils of a mount. I cannot recommend using the reverse airflow of a vacuum cleaner, as the air from this is very widely dispersed, and not concentrated as when using canned air.  The air from a vacuum cleaner is also pretty warm and that will not do much good to the finish of the mount.

The dampness of the mouth and the outer lips of the mount can also be treated with a very light application of the Pledge spray polish.  Apply it lightly to a clean detailing towel, and go over the lips … and even the nose pad.

 If you want your trophies to last without drying out and cracking NEVER wash your trophies with soap and water. Washing should only be done by a professional Taxidermist, as this procedure requires that only the hair be washed without getting the hide wet. This process takes special technique and training.

Eyes:
Over the course of time, the glass eyes of your trophy mounts can become dull looking … one may say “dull and listless.”  This is due to several factors:  the ordinary dust in the home along with the accumulative effects of smoke in the air from cooking and if you are so inclined, nicotine from the effects of second hand smoke. It is the same buildup smokers experience on the inside of their automobile windshields.

The glass eye can easily be brightened up with a tiny amount Windex ® applied to a Q-tip or a flat Artist’s Brush, after which it is carefully wiped over the glass eyes until they appear bright and clear again.  Be careful not to use too much cleaner on the brush, as you don’t want the fluid running down into the lower eyelids, wetting them.  You also want to avoid getting a cleaner like Windex ® on any of the finished fleshy parts, such as the eyelids.  The ammonia contained therein can dry the oils in the animal’s hide causing cracks to appear over time.

Using the double-end cosmetic swab, gently rub the eye clean and dry. The nice feature on these swabs is the pointed end.  While it is small and pointy enough to get into the front corners of the eye, it is soft enough not to damage either the glass eyes, or the eye finishing!  Notice too, how shiny and reflective the glass eye is at this stage!

Antlers:
Be sure to dust them well.  Spray of Scott’s Liquid Gold furniture polish on a detailing towel. Another product that works great is the Swiffer ® dusting cloths.  Just be aware of any parts of antlers that can “catch” the material.  It will pull off little strands, and they are just annoying to hand pick from the antlers.

This will keep the antlers from drying out and help them retain their natural color and soft sheen.

Horns:
African and other horned species such as Pronghorn Antelope are notorious for having little “grabby” surfaces. This is especially so with the horns of Wildebeest and Cape Buffalo. They are best dusted with the vacuum cleaner’s dust brush attachment.  After removing all heavy dust, go over the horns, especially the areas of the bosses, and a little further up the horns where the texture is “ragged”, using a nylon cleaning brush like those sold in hardware stores or home improvement centers. They are inexpensive and are good to have for cleaning your trophies.

NEVER USE ANY OIL OF ANY KIND ON AFRICAN OR SHEEP HORNS!  The oil will blacken the horns of African mammals, and unnaturally darken the horns of sheep, in some cases giving them a splotchy appearance. Oil of any kind should never come in contact with African and or sheep horns.

A clean white towel, dampened with water is all you will ever need following a good dusting with the vacuum cleaner. NEVER USE OIL ON AFRICAN OR SHEEP HORNS!  PERIOD!

(North American Pronghorn horns you can apply WD-40 with a cloth to keep them from drying out while keeping their natural look).

Insects:
One of the newest problems with preserving game animals is insects. Moths, beetles, and other insects love to eat mounts. Some burrow into the mounts; others eat all of the hair. I have a squirrel that looks like he spent a few minutes under a lawn mower. The only hair he has left on his body is on his tail. These insects can turn your favorite high dollar mount into a mangy, bald piece of foam in no time. To prevent this from happening to your favorite mount, regularly inspect your mounts for insects. Look into the mouth, ears, and other cavities where insects could hide. Then check the hair for insects or evidence of them such as moth cocoons.

Moth Proofing:
Regular moth proofing spray, available in aerosol cans, which is safe for clothing is sold in most hardware stores, can be used for this job. Spray a very light mist all over the mount and comb into the hair. On furred animals such as fox, the fur can be fluffed up to a natural appearance, by using the blower side of a vacuum or a hair dryer. . Do not drag your feet once you find insects on a mount! If you do, you may end up losing every mount you have.

Fish Mounts:
Fish mounts require little care other than frequent dusting and occasional wiping with a water dampened cloth.

Bird Mounts
Birds should be kept clean by frequent dusting. They should NEVER be washed in any way, unless, done by a person trained in the technique. If the bird skin was properly degreased and washed before mounting, it should not be necessary to do anything to it other than keep it well dusted, eyes polished and the bare skin of the legs, feet and beak lightly refreshed with a thinned coat of satin varnish.

The Egyptians mummified their cats, dogs, and other animals at their death. In a way this is actually a form of taxidermy. It was all about preserving the bodies after death. Many of these mummies of animals have been found along with what is believed to be the owners of the animals.

Ancient Egyptian Mummification

During the Middle Ages taxidermy took a serious twist. The preservation methods improved greatly. Birds were often stuffed to use during falconry hunting. Although they were stuffed with some strange materials at times, the skin preservation had improved tremendously.

There is a mounting of a rhinoceros in a museum in Italy that is said to be the oldest mounting in the history of taxidermy. The mounting is believed to have been done in the 16th century. The preservation techniques were good enough that the mounting of the rhinoceros is still in great shape.

Pierre Belon, a naturalist is the first person to have written a book on how to do taxidermy. This book was written in 1555. Other instructions on this subject were later written during the 1600’s. The preservation methods have changed considerably since these books have been written.

Taxidermy became very popular during the Victorian era. People would go on their travels and want a memento of where they had been. Many times this was a mounting of an animal or bird. Also many museums started using mountings in their displays. This gave taxidermists a lot of business. The art of anthropomorphic taxidermy started about this time. This special niche of taxidermy uses animals in poses that would actually be found in humans instead of animals. There is a very famous piece that was done by Walter Potter. In this mounting kittens are posed as if at a tea party having tea and mice.

The 20th century brought about the modern era in taxidermy. Posing animals and birds as they would appear in real life became popular and is still popular today. Some of the well-known taxidermists of the 20th century are Van Ingen & Van Ingen, William T. Horneday, Leon Pray, and Carl E. Akeley. The mountings started having a form placed inside the preserved skin instead of being stuffed with straw and other materials. The forms make it possible to have a more realistic shape and look to the animal. The forms are made to look like the animal would if seen in the wild.

Although taxidermy is not as popular as it was in the Victorian era, it is still an art form which people can appreciate. People still enjoy their trophies and museums still use mounts in their displays. Today the art of preservation has reached its pinnacle and the mounts will last for a very, very long time.

Dangers of insect infestation in taxidermy

Moths and certain types of beetles can infest woolen clothing in closets, because their larvae enjoy eating the keratinized proteins in hair shafts. Once a hide is mounted, the hair and fur of that animal become a potential moth buffet. While adult moths and beetles aren’t really an issue, the sight of them is probably the first clue that an infestation has occurred. After the larvae get their teeth into mounted animal, bald patches, tracks, and broken hairs will start to become noticeable.

Unfortunately, unlike dust or fading, there really isn’t a way to fix that. Methods of handling moth or beetle larvae include temporarily freezing mounts, fumigating rooms, or using special sprays or other chemicals to treat trophies. However, these will only get rid of the larvae; they can’t restore the look of your trophies. Cedar chips, mothballs, and Epsom salts can be used as preventatives, but all have their own limitations.

Though usually associated with cleaning skulls and bones for mounting, dermestid beetles are opportunistic feeders that will move on whatever’s next once the meat is gone. This can include wool clothing, fur coats, or mounted trophies. Signs of an infestation include shed beetle shells, crawling larvae, and signs of damage on mounted trophies. Because dermestid eggs are extremely durable, getting rid of an infestation can be a problem. Boric acid is useful for dehydrating beetle eggs and larvae and causing them to die; while frequent vacuuming can help get rid of larvae, beetles, and eggs. Preventing dermestid beetle infestations mostly consists of keeping a close eye out for the kinds of things they like to eat, and removing any adult beetles before they have a chance to lay eggs.

Cockroaches are opportunistic feeders that will eat fur, glue, and everything in between. Unfortunately, seeing them on or near your trophies (particularly in the light) generally indicates a wide-spread infestation, and the only solution might be to seek professional help. Many roach sprays will damage trophies, so removing bugs manually, sprinkling boric acid around the areas roaches frequent, and fumigating the house as a whole, might be the only viable alternative. Preventing roaches mostly consists of keeping the house clean, fixing water leaks, and keeping any food items in secure, airtight packaging.

Unfortunately, once a mounted trophy has been damaged by infestation, all that can often be done is to prevent further damage. By keeping your home and the room your trophies are kept in clean and inhospitable to bugs, however, you can help keep your trophies in flawless, undamaged condition.