SETTING HARE/RABBIT EARS IN UPRIGHT POSITION

[stargazer644]

I am keen to find out  the different methods of setting hare/rabbit ears in an upright position that anyone else might have. Any information and useful tips much appreciated. I could not find anything in the archives. Many thanks.

[Hoytman]

I skin the hares I mount.. Semi turn the ears.. maybe a 1/4" past the ear butts, then in the pickle.. neutralize and tan.. once finished blowdrying, I mount as normal.. Use critter clay in the ear butts.. and card.. I thiink by turning them all the way you risk doing damage to the ears.. and they have to be carded anyway.. However with being pickled and tanned as any normal skin.. their ears are so thin the pickle and tan penetrates their thin ears...

I guess its all personal preference.. Some turn and use earliners.. I dont think bondo would work..

[procull]

I skin the hares I mount.. Semi turn the ears.. maybe a 1/4" past the ear butts, then in the pickle.. neutralize and tan.. once finished blowdrying, I mount as normal.. Use critter clay in the ear butts.. and card.. I thiink by turning them all the way you risk doing damage to the ears.. and they have to be carded anyway.. However with being pickled and tanned as any normal skin.. their ears are so thin the pickle and tan penetrates their thin ears...

I guess its all personal preference.. Some turn and use earliners.. I dont think bondo would work..

Exactly what i do . spent too much time in years past ripping holes in brown hares ears

[Hoytman]

I like to use bird neck foam material.. comes in different sizes.. I use a scalpel and cut it down the centerl.. that goes on the inside, I can cut and carve it to fit exact.. and then I use screen material for the outside.. use euro pins through the screen and into the foam.. on a week I remove and have perfect ears..

[stargazer644]

Thanks for your help Hoytman. I see your point about the penetration of the ear skin with the pickle then tan combination and  I will give your method a try.
 I Lutan F fox and deer but hares and smaller mammals, (stoat, weasel, squirrel,)  I 'white tan' (Alum and salt mix} not a true tan I know,
I break the skin with an abrasive  then apply tanning oil and mount. I  have a hare mask I am just about to do which will go in the  Lutan. I allow 12 hours for a fox skin,  so can such a thin pelt as a hare be done in less time or should I keep that  (12 hours) as an absolute minimum ?. Thanks again for your advice, wishing you well,
stargazer.

[KariJ]

Wont the ears curl up with no earliners in it?

[stargazer644]

Hi Kari, Thats' a good point, but I notice Hoytman stated he carded the ears, I assume on the last part of the ear he hasn't turned, the area of the ear reliant on the penetration of the pickle/tanning agents. I have the devil of a job with rabbit and hare ears. And I  end up splitting them at the sides and gluing the join before  inserting the earliner. many thanks for your input,  Stargazer

[stargazer644]

Thanks for that follow-up information Hoytman.  I am assuming the neck material would also act as fairly rigid structure to hold the ears upright, a problem I am currently overcoming by inserting a wire up into the ear for support until the epoxy putty I use, sets. That is a brilliant tip, many thanks, stargazer.

[KariJ]

The ears on my rabbit were already turned,
But I used plastic from sides of a milk jug.
They worked out great and hold their form well

[stargazer644]

Kari, I use the same as you on my hare ears but I have  problems  with keeping the ears in the upright pose until the ear base putty sets, the main reason why I sought advice. i have one on ebay at the moment which I have just finished, which is done that way.  I am going to start another one and use the tip Hoytman has posted earlier. In Hoytman's method, as an added bonus,  it seems I can cut out the curvature of the ear and perhaps give more depth and realism. The one I have just mounted has 'heat treated' liners and I will compare the two methods to see which one works the best and gives the best finish. I believe their are many different methods which suit different people, and  I'm  not a pro, so I appreciate all the input and  glean all sorts of information from this website and experiment with it. wishing you well, stargazer.

[jward]

If you dry preserve your skin is there anything to inject in the ears to preserve them?

[Hoytman]

I dont know about the DP..I would probably tun if your going to go that route..

   I skin, pickle and tan everything.. Squirrels, mink and marten sized critters  incuded.. Lutan F or EZ 100 have worked for me in the past.. I do more damage trying to turn a ear, spliting it and trying to glue it.. Its gets bumpy and wavy.. so I say Screw turning the bunny ears.. I never tried a cottontail yet as they have wider ears, more hair and I would think would be easier to turn.. but the snowshoe hares are like tissue paper.. I turn em as far as I can, to where they widen out.. then I insert a plastic sculpting tool in their and seperate just a tad further.. Critter clay offers less shrinkage, and less moisture, they set and dry quick.. On the one end of the bird neck foam (the part that goes on inside).. and towards the butt, I carve it out so its about the size of a pencil.. fits right in the ear canal.. Shape to your liking, trim the material, card the outside.. and that it.. It take a while, but it works.. I am doing a Lynx and a running snowshoe  now and when finished I will post some pics..  

Here is a silver fox and a snowshoe I did a few years ago.. the hare had about 10-12 bb holes through its ears.. no way to turn.. at least I didnt have the skills then,

[joeym]

I have mounted several rabbits over the years.  For me, the ears have to be turned all the way to the tips, and a filler used to keep them from curling.  In time, a carded ear will curl...and they look awful when they do.  I take the rounded end of a scalpel handle to open rabbit ears.   I get the ear opened a little at the base, and begin sliding the handle into it.  With a little practice, an ear can be opened all the way to the tips without tearing through.  I use Ear-Magic on rabbit ears.  It can be worked super thin, and is very strong when cured.

[Samantha.]

Ditto Joeym.

I do the same thing but with icypole sticks (small stiring sticks). Just push in and twist a few times and theyr'e split.
I turn them inside out, place a small blob of pink appoxie sculpt on the cartliage, turn ear right side out, work out the wrinkles and keep an eye on them as it sets up.
For upright ears i place a long length of wire into canal from outside and bed to shape so inner ear rests gently on it.

[striker12]

 

   I was a ball needle for my compressor. Get it started under the skin  pinch fingers around the needle use short blast of air to open the skin go slow keep moving  the needle up to the tip .when get to the last 1/4 inch nip the tip of the ear with a sharp knife to keep from blowing it out  can get them opened  quite nice.