Trophy Care - It all Starts in the Field
Trophy care starts in the field immediately after you have harvested your animal. Proper steps taken here will save you a lot of grief and headaches later, and your taxidermist as well! Some species, especially Bighorn Sheep, are virtually impossible to find a replacement cape for, so preparation and planning before the hunt should be seriously considered. We will discuss a few hunting scenarios here, and examples of how you may take care of your trophy in each situation.
(Please note: our field care page is not fully complete, please check back as we are continually adding new information.)
(Please note: our field care page is not fully complete, please check back as we are continually adding new information.)
Retrieval from the Field: Tips and ideas.
There are many different situations you may find yourself in after you have taken an animal. In many cases it may be possible to get a vehicle right to your animal and load it. When this is not possible, other means must be employed
to retrieve your animal. Regardless of the method you choose, always be attentive to the weather, as warm temperatures can cause problems for both cape and meat if you are not prepared to deal with the situation. Below are examples of hunting scenarios you may encounter and suggestions on how to deal with each situation.
to retrieve your animal. Regardless of the method you choose, always be attentive to the weather, as warm temperatures can cause problems for both cape and meat if you are not prepared to deal with the situation. Below are examples of hunting scenarios you may encounter and suggestions on how to deal with each situation.
Early Season Moose Hunt
You are hunting moose in a Forestry Zone in Early October. On the second day of your hunt, you kill a big bull a mile from the road, and you want to get him mounted. It is early morning, so you have all day to get him out, but you better get busy. You are in an area where there are no quads allowed, and the country is rough and there is only a small game trail leading to the flat where you shot your bull. To complicate matters, it is warm and getting warmer; summer-like weather is going to dictate that you get your animal out as quickly as possible. You need to get this critter out of the woods, but a moose is a big animal, it's going to to take some doing. Below we will suggest several options you may consider on retrieving your animal.
Option one: Packhorses with boxes or bags.
A very good option, but you will need two packhorses at the minimum, or make two or more trips with the same horse. Because the weather is warm, the first order of the day is to take care of your animal. The sooner he is field dressed, caped, skinned, and quartered the better chance you have of cooling the cape and meat properly. (Refer to our caping instructions for help with removing the cape.) To facilitate cooling, take the cape and lay it out, skin side up, in the shade if possible. The idea is to let the heat dissipate and some of the excess moisture to evaporate. Heat and moisture are enemies to a skin; the warmer and wetter a hide is, the quicker bacterial growth will take hold, and this can lead to hair slippage. You are not trying to dry the skin, but to let some of the excess moisture evaporate. (On an extended trip, or if the weather is extremely warm, you may need to resort to turning and salting the skin in order to preserve it properly.) After the cape has cooled, fold it skin to skin and put it in an area that will receive shade all day, and away from predators if possible, (ie in a tree.) The same goes for the meat. When you return with your packhorses hopefully the bears haven't found your moose! Load the meat, cape, and antlers, making sure the cape is packed in such a way that it will remain as cool as possible and will not be damaged by the way it is packed. If all goes well you may get out without having a wreck. As soon as you are home make sure you get the cape in a freezer or turn and salt it if you know how to do this, but whatever action you choose do it immediately. If in question call your taxidermist and describe the situation and how you should proceed.
Option Two: Under Construction
Please refer back as we are continuing to update this page.