Support/Tips

Here are some tips to protect your fish while transporting and storage of your fish against fin damage, scale loss, bumps and dings, as well as freezer burn. 

This is a nice diagram of where to cut for a shoulder mount. When in doubt leave more hide! If you want a pedestal mount, make the cut just in front of the hind legs and down to the elbows of the deer.

With a sharp knife slit the hide circling the body behind the shoulder at approximately the mid-way point of the rib cage behind the front legs. Slit the skin around the legs just above the knees. An additional slit will be needed from the back of the legs (Figure 2A and 2B). Peel the skin forward up to the ears and jaw exposing the head/neck junction(Figure 3). Cut into the neck approximately three inches down from this junction, circle the neck cutting down to the spinal column. After this cut is complete, grasp the antler bases and twist the head off the neck. This should allow the hide to be rolled up and put in a freezer until transported to the taxidermist. These cuts should allow ample hide fro the taxidermist to work with mounting. Remember, the taxidermist can cut off excess hide but can't add what he doesn't have. Note: When field dressing a trophy to be mounted, don't cut into the brisket (chest) or neck area if blood gets on the hide to be mounted, wash it off with snow or water as soon as possible. Also avoid dragging the deer out of the woods with a rope. Place it on a sled, rickshaw, or 4-wheeler. The rope, rocks or a broken branch from a deadfall can easily damage the fur or puncture the hide. If you need to drag it out with a rope, attach the rope to the base of the antlers and drag your trophy carefully.

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For your convenience I have created a document that you can print or download to your phone that explains the caping process both with images but also explains it.