Member Articles Page 2

From Field to Mantle

By Walt Fulps

    Missouri offers hunters and fishermen many amazing critters that make spectacular trophy mounts, and Autumn is the time of year when a great number of them will be taken. September 15 is the start of Missouri's archery deer season, and a good number of deer will be taken on that Friday morning. October 28 & 29 is the youth only firearms season, offering kids the opportunity to harvest their first trophy with their proud fathers (usually) standing next to them. Of course, rifle season begins November 11, bringing massive numbers of outdoorsmen to our area. In addition, we have an October turkey season, teal hunting earlier this fall with other waterfowl seasons scheduled for later in the year, and a big trophy brown trout run, as well.

    To take home that trophy of a lifetime, there needs to be a cooperative relationship between you and your taxidermist. Before the taxidermist begins working his magic, you must do yours. As much as it is your taxidermist's responsibility, your actions in the field will also determine whether the final trophy will be worthy of hanging on your wall. No pressure.

Shoulder Mounts

   All indications point toward a great 2006 season with lots of big bucks to be taken. Bow hunters have a terrific shot at a trophy at Woodson K. Woods Wildlife Area near St. James, since rifle hunting has been outlawed there, protecting a good number of 1 year old bucks that would have normally been taken. Several counties will begin seeing much bigger bucks related to the minimum antler point requirements they've had in place for the last 2 seasons. In our area, Pulaski, Maries and Gasconade counties all require a minimum of 4 points on one antler for a buck to be legally harvested. In fact, those three counties all enjoyed a notable increase in 2 year old bucks taken in 2005, and a significant jump in 10-point plus trophies. But after shooting your deer, what then?

   If you’re planning to have that deer mounted, you MUST leave enough undamaged hide for the taxidermist to provide a quality mount. This begins when you field dress your deer. You should only make one single cut that should stretch from below the rib cage down the belly to the anus. Do not cut into the brisket hair, and do not split the rib cage — reach up into the rib cage, instead. And NEVER EVER cut your trophy’s throat. To further preserve the integrity of the cape, do not drag your deer to your truck. Every inch of dragging is scraping a big bald spot on the trophy you're hoping to show off someday soon. If the cape to too terribly damaged, your taxidermist can probably acquire a replacement cape, but this can be very costly.

   After field dressing, the best bet is to take the entire animal directly to your taxidermist or meat processor to have them “cape it out” for you. Most will charge you a nominal fee of $20 to $30 for this service. It’s not difficult to do, though, as long as you do it right. With your deer laying on its back, cut around the entire trunk about half-way between the front legs and the back legs, well behind the brisket area. Also cut around each front leg at about knee level. Then cut from the knee incisions down the back of each leg directly to the chest incision. Now begin skinning forward while pulling the skin toward the head like you’re taking off a sock. Remove the head a few inches below the skull -- you'll need a bone saw or a reciprocating saw ("saws-all") for this task.

   Once the deer is caped, the race is on. Wrap the head in two trash bags, tie securely, and put it in the refrigerator ASAP — within a few hours of death would be great. If your trophy starts collecting flies and smelling bad, it will likely lose its hair during mounting and will require a replacement cape ($$$!). If you know you can get the head to the taxidermist within 24 hours of death, a cold refrigerator is fine. If you know you won't get it here within 24 hours, freeze it solid as soon as possible. However, make absolutely sure that the bags are completely sealed and airtight. Freezer burn is the enemy here, and it can make a trophy specimen unmountable.

Fish Mounts

   With all the talk about deer, you might have forgotten that Autumn is also trophy brown trout time as they begin their pre-spawn migration. Rolla trout fishermen will find trophy browns ready to take big streamers, in-line spinners and small crankbaits at the Meramec River and Roubidoux Creek Red Ribbon Trout Areas, and the Current River Blue Ribbon Trout Area. Of course, the trout parks will always give up big fish, as well, with big browns being at their most vulnerable this time of year.

   Fish are the easiest trophy to handle, but they are also the easiest to screw up. If you think you might have a fish mounted, DO NOT put it on a stringer or in a fish basket. Also, NEVER cut a trophy fish in any way -- leave the fish whole. Those are the only two restrictions, but there are still several things you should do.

   Take a good picture of your fish while the fish is still alive. Once he dies, he'll lose his coloration very quickly, and a picture will give the taxidermist a good reference for making your fish appear alive. You should also freeze your fish as soon as possible. First wrap your fish in soaking wet paper towels, making sure all the fins are laying properly. Then double wrap in plastic bags and freeze solid. Freezer burn is your enemy, so be sure to wrap your fish well. Many of you have likely been taught to wrap your fish in a wet bath towel, but this is not necessary. The purpose of the towel is to keep the fish’s skin from sticking to the plastic bag, causing scales to pop loose. Wet paper towels accomplish this purpose perfectly, and they’re cheap.

   If you can't freeze your fish immediately, you can buy yourself some additional time by coating the fish with 20 Mule Team Borax (in the laundry detergent aisle at the grocery store). Borax is a great preservative and may save the fish's hide if you're a long way from the nearest cooler or otherwise don't have access to a freezer. Don't RUB the borax into the fish -- you'll be causing scale damage. Instead, simply sprinkle it on liberally and wrap it up gently. Then immediately start heading for the nearest freezer! This fish will still rot, so don't expect the borax to keep him fresh until you’re done with your camping trip

Bird Mounts

   Of course, every hunter knows there’s a fall turkey season in October. This time of year also brings various waterfowl seasons into play as well. There are two great big challenges when handling a bird you wish to mount. First is spoilage -- birds get nasty very quickly. Second is feather damage. Of course, if you shoot all the feathers off your duck, it's going to be an ugly mount. Likewise, if you have a perfect bird but damage the feathers by dressing the bird or by letting your bird dog use it as a chew toy, it will look just like you shot the feathers off. With a little care, though, your bird will look great. The best bet, as always, is to take the entire freshly harvested bird directly to your taxidermist. If you can’t get it there the same day, you’ll have to take a few extra precautions.

   Do not cut your bird in any way, and definitely do not pluck it (yes, it happens). If you really want the meat, ask your taxidermist to freeze the carcass for you. If there’s blood on the feathers, gently pour some water on the bird from a cup or small bucket to remove it. Then lay out a stack of newspapers half-again as long as the bird, roll him up like a burrito, and use masking tape to secure. The newspaper should keep the bird in proper alignment during freezing. Then double-wrap the bird in plastic bags without bending the tail. If the bird is too long for the bag, you either need bigger bags, or use two bags and duct tape to achieve the coverage you need. Lay the bird flat in the freezer, and never stack anything on top of your frozen birds -- even when frozen, the feathers are easily bent out of shape. Sharp beaks, toes and spurs will punch holes in the bags, so you may want to tape a cotton ball over these areas to make sure the bags remain airtight. If you prepare your birds this way, you can completely skip the traditional ladies stocking method that’s been taught for years.

Other Critters

   Every year, a good number of small mammals are taken during deer season. If you shoot something you’d like to mount, field prep is easy. Rinse the blood off the fur, and stuff paper towels into the bullet holes. Then take him to your taxidermist fresh, or just curl him up as small as possible, double bag in trash bags, and freeze solid. As with the birds, you may need to cushion claws with cotton balls to make sure they don’t tear open the bag.

   You may not have control over the quality of work your taxidermist produces, but you do have control over your game animal from the moment you pull the trigger. By remembering to protect the skin, scales, feathers and fur to the best of your ability, and by getting your animal cold and keeping him cold as quickly as possible, you've done your part. Other than that, just make sure you choose a taxidermist who knows what he's doing, and you'll have a beautiful trophy to show off for years to come.

                     Good luck, and be careful out there.

Walt Fulps is the Owner of  Ozark Taxidermy  Located in Rolla, MO.