Danny Crain Wildlife Design

Things to remember when preparing for your trophy mount:

* Pictures and measurements are important aids to the taxidermist.
* Close-up photos from various angles are preferred.
* Measure from the tip of the nose to the front corner of the eye, tip of the nose to the back of the skull, and the circumference of the neck immediately behind the ears, over the meat, not the hair.

*Remember* the quality of your mount depends on the quality of field care. Keep specimens cool or frozen and get it to your taxidemist as soon as possible!
Shoulder Mounts (back to top)

* A sharp knife that will make clean straight cuts is a must.
* When field dressing, stop your ventral cut at the sternum.
* Make an incision around the midsection of the animal, well behind the front legs.
* Cut around the front legs at the knee, cut down the back of the front legs to your midsection cut.
* Tube skin down the neck to the base of the skull and severe.
* Put head and skin in a game bag and cool or freeze immediately.
* DO NOT LET THE SKIN GET WET!
* Do not salt the skin.

Bird Mounts (back to top)

* Choose the bird to mounted carefully.
* Plug the vent and an shot holes with tissue or cotton.
* Wrap the head and feet with saran wrap, place the head under the wing, place in a plastic bag, squeeze all of the air out, and freeze.
* Turkeys are preferred not field dressed, if you must, make as small an incision as possible and place paper towels around the opening to keep the feathers from soiling.

Fish Mounts (back to top)

* Freeze the fish in plastic, when frozen mist with water and refreeze.
* Repeat the process until two or three layers of ice have formed over the fish.
* Seal tightly in a plastic bag.