Caping Out A Deer
Here’s a comprehensive guide to caping your deer for a successful taxidermy mount:
1. Start by making a clean cut around the deer’s body, halfway between the front and back legs.
2. Carefully cut around each front leg at the knee, following the natural line where the brown and white hair meet on the back of the legs. Extend this cut to where the leg meets the body, repeating on both sides. Continue cutting straight back to the initial cut, then skin the hide down to the head-neck junction, leaving the option to remove the head at the neck joint or leave a few inches of neck attached with the face skin intact.
3. After caping, promptly place the head and hide in a plastic bag on ice or in a freezer to prevent spoilage or hair loss.
By following these steps before and after the kill, you’ll ensure your shoulder mount exceeds expectations. Happy hunting!
