swollen headed Deer

[Dave Hyer]

a while back there was a post about a deer head that was swollen. The guy was wondering what it was from. I said that it was from being hung upside down with Ice placed inside the chest cavity. Some agreed and some disagreed. Here is a pic of two Deer heads dead the same amount of time. One hung upside down with ice in the chest cavity and one with out ice. The neck and esophagus was left intact in both deer.

[ed150]

we have got deer in with head swelled from infection from a injury also that looked like that

[Bionicrooster]

I have been guilty of the icebag traick during the warmer months, until recently when my taxidermist pointed out that it makes skinning them a real mess.... Other than that does it hurt the cape?  I am afraid to hang them by the head and stretch the neck out...

[Ted Befus]

i wouldnt be afraid to hang them by the head, when its mounted the cape will be stretched back around the mannikin anyway.

[Sandy]

Yup....That one looks like the icebag ordeal to me! LOL

[RoyalOaksTaxidermy]

The main thing about hanging it by the head is rope marks.. The rope or whatever you use can mark the antlers, or if put around the neck can mess up the hair..
 If they had hung from the back legs, and skin it right away there wont be any issue of swelled head or messed up cape from hanging by the head..
 Sides. getting the cape off helps the carcass cool down faster

[Shaggy]

That looks just like the one that I had.  The water must definitely be the culprit.  Mine had sat in water for 4 hrs and then hung head down.

[Greg Livbucks]

I put a large bag of ice in the cavity and lay it on it's side on a sheet of plastic.
Don't know what hanging it accomplishes.

[nalley1952]

just got one in like that

[Matt]

Yep, that had ice in it hung upside down. I caped a few like that the other day, I would have some towels close to soak up the water.

[Curt]

Yep what a mess.