Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Cameroo on September 03, 2011, 12:29:54 am

Title: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: Cameroo on September 03, 2011, 12:29:54 am

Hey guys, I was fortunate enough to harvest the largest whitetail buck of my life this morning.  Normally I'm not into trophy racks etc., but I would really like to mount this sucker.  Problem is he's still pretty  much full velvet.  It's cut up a bit on the bottom side of both beams.  I was wondering how a guy would approach this - can the velvet be easily removed, or should I try to preserve it, and if so, how?

Any advice would be appreciated.  I would imagine if I want to keep it on I'd have to act fairly quickly.

I'll  post a picture of my guy when I get back home.  They say bowyering builds patience... try loading up pictures on you parent's crappy dial-up connection  :o

Title: Re: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: mullet on September 03, 2011, 01:43:08 am

 The way our season is in Florida, if, I could legally kill a nice deer in velvet, I'd try to keep the velvet on. I love the look of caribou with the velvet dripping from the rack. And, I've never mounted a deer and probably never will, but, I think the velvet looks good, or different.

Title: Re: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: lowell on September 03, 2011, 12:28:39 pm

I would like it mounted with the velvet on.  I messed with some taxidermy many years ago and there is (at that time) something that is injected to preserve the velvet.

 I would keep it cold or maybe froze and get a hold of a taxidermist ASAP!!

   Oh...and congrats can't wait to see pics!! ;)

Title: Re: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: Justin Snyder on September 03, 2011, 09:00:36 pm

Absolutely leave the velvet on. Mount it the way you shot it.
There are a few sprays or things you can soak them in, but the best advice is getting it to a taxidermist today. He will inject it with formaldehyde along with some other treatments.

Title: Re: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: Cameroo on September 04, 2011, 04:29:46 pm

Thanks for the advice guys.  I was hoping that there was something I could do to it myself to preserve the velvet, mainly because I'm cheap and I don't know what it would cost to have a taxidermist do it for me.  I'll see if I can get ahold of someone to help me out.

Title: Re: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: Justin Snyder on September 04, 2011, 05:50:26 pm

I appreciate you wanting to save money, but you get what you pay for. There are things you can do yourself. Chances are if you do it yourself they will wind up starting to stink as the velvet rots then falls off. And just so you don't know, once they start to stink your wife will throw them out.

Title: Re: Need advice from a taxidermist about a velvet rack
Post by: JW_Halverson on September 04, 2011, 09:04:25 pm

Am I the only one dying here? Pics, man, Pics!