Caping Your Deer for a Shoulder Mount
Many trophies are ruined in the first few hours after death. Most people don't realize that as soon as an animal dies, bacteria begins to attack the carcass. Warm, humid weather accelerates this process. It is important to get the hide cooled and/or frozen as soon as possible. If you are unable to get to the taxidemist in a reasonal amount of time, please be sure to double bag your cape and seal it well. Heavy garbage bags work fine. Freezer burn can also be a factor in how well your mount looks when it is completed.
Following are general insructions for caping a whitetail for a shoulder mount:
At a point behind the shoulder and about halfway accross the ribcage, make a slit in the hide circling the entire body. Slit the skin around the front legs just above the knees. Make an additional slit from the back of each leg to join the body cut behind the legs. See diagrams below.
Peel the skin forward up to the head/neck junction. Cut into the neck about 3 inches down from this junction. Circle the neck, cutting down to the spinal column, grab the antler bases and twist the head free from the neck. See diagram below.
If you are not going directly to the taxidermist, you should be able to now roll the hide/head and put it in the freezer. Following these directions should leave plenty of hide to work with. Remember, a taxidermist can cut off excess hide, but you can't add back what isn't there. Far better to err on the side of too much in this case!