A Taxidermists Dream; how to properly cape out an animal for a shoulder mount
After days of scouting your trophy animal and hours spent in pursuit, you've finally succeeded. This is where the most crucial stage begins. To preserve the quality of taxidermy your trophy deserves, it must be caped out and cared for immediately after the hunt. Below is the process I recommend all hunters follow to properly cape out their animals.
The pictures, videos, and explanations below are all on an antlered White Tailed deer. The same process applies for any animal that is to be set up as a shoulder mount.
Step 1: Initial cut
Make a precise cut around the entire circumference of the animal's belly, ensuring it's centered between the front and back legs. When uncertain, opt for more skin rather than less. A taxidermist can easily trim excess skin, but cannot extend a short cape. Once this cut is made, you have the freedom to decide how to handle anything towards the back. However, exercise caution with anything towards the head.
Step 2: Skinning the front legs
There are 2 different methods to cape out the legs. Incision down the back of the leg, or tubing it out up to the first joint.
Using the incision method, make a cut around the joint of the leg (the midpoint, or elbow). From this point, proceed up the back of the leg, following the natural line between the white and brown hairline (specifically for deer; use this as a reference for other animals). Continue this path up to the body, ensuring you NEVER cut into the white hair or the pit of the leg. At the body, make a cut parallel to the spine, connecting with the initial cut around the belly. Repeat this process for the second leg as well.
To begin tubing out, cut off the front leg of your animal at the joint halfway down the leg. Next, peel the skin back from your initial cut and pull it down, tubing both the belly area and the legs.
Step 3: Skinning/ tubing the skin
If you used the tubing method, you've already completed this step. For those who used the incision method, here are your next steps. Skin your animal all the way down to the neck, reaching as far as possible. Take your time and ensure you don't cut through the skin.
Step 4: Removing the head from the body.
After you have skinned down as far as possible, simply cut or twist off the head from the neck. It's as straightforward as it sounds.
Step 5: Bring to your taxidermist ASAP
If you're not experienced and confident in skinning out the head, it's best to leave it to your taxidermist. They'll handle it at no extra cost and prefer to do it themselves to ensure it's done correctly. The sooner your taxidermist receives it, the better the condition of the cape, leading to a higher-quality mount.
Back Country Hunters
The animal displayed was suitable for hanging and skinning. This process is achievable even in the backcountry when you need to pack it out. Although it requires more effort as you need to roll the carcass back and forth, taking your time will ensure excellent results. The one exception is making an incision straight down along the spine, starting at the base of the head (behind the ears), to simplify the skinning process.
The quality of your trophy mount directly depends on the initial care you provide. Your taxidermist is ready to offer detailed guidance or handle the task themselves if you're nearby. Simply reach out to them!
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