i have had so many people pm me about this exact questions that i am posting it for everyone (especially beginners ) - sorry if it bores you or goes against what you believe -
this example is for a shoulder mount deer but could just as easilly be a pine marten cause i do everything the same no matter what the animal - we are assuming i have already caped the skull and taken carcass measurements which are 7 x 20(right behind ears) but have done nothing else - no pre salting necessary
here goes:
1) turn ears - no attempt is made to get to the very edges - i probably turn to about 3/8" still on edge
2) cut off chunks of meat on ear bases
3) turn lips all the way - if there is a big chunk of meat you can get to cut it off
4) split septum and take off big chunks of cartilage
5) turn nostrils as far as possible - most of this i do later with bench grinder
6) if there are obvious chunks of meat on face (especially corners of mouth) take them off
7) i dont do anything to nose pad yet
i dont turn eyelids until after tanning
9) take off big chunks of meat from all over skin
10) mix up krowtann per instructions - most deer capes take 1 1/2 to 2 gallons
11) let set in kt mixture for 3-4 days - i tan mine in an unheated garage - you can leave in mixture forever - agitate every day so that there are no folds where tan does not reach - i just physically pick up skin and let it back down in - i do not hold it down with milk jugs - tan will leach in to areas at top of liquid
12) tanning is complete now that 3-4 days has gone by
13) rinse in clean water
14) mix up 3-4 gallons of clean water and dump in 3-4 ounces of bakin soda all at once - this is not following kt instructions
15) let set for 30 minutes
16) take out of neutralizing solution and wash in soapy water with whatever detergent you have on hand - i use dawn or arm and hammer
17) rerinse in clear water
18) hang to drip dry of spin water out if you have a washing machine
19) flesh hide with fleshing machine as far forward as possible - i can normally go to almost back of nose
20) thin antler bases and y cut or you wont be able to push a needle thru them
21) i pay special attention to thinning neck area cause this is where any problem getting the form to fit will be
22) i have already ordered a form by this time and i order the exact carcass size cause i know i will be able to get that size back
a) if form wont fit i will reshave neck area
b) oil skin overnite
c) i never had one this wouldn't cure and a,b,c happens about 1 out of 20 mounts so its no big deal
23) i continue to use fleshing machine of face but have reset depth to very shallow and work very slow
24) shave off big chunks around eyes with fleshing machine
25) i am now going to bench grinder coarse wheel - i do not use wire wheel
26) holding lips tightly between my fingers i 'shave' flesh off - more like it just rolls ahead of wheel
27) i continue with wheel and do nostrils and nose pad proper
28) at some point in time i use a scalpel to finish up nostrils - i trim nostrils where hair stops
29) thin around eyes and tear duct with wheel - i put my hand behind so i can feel if i am applying too much pressure
30) split eyelids and take out fatty deposits - this is a must and i have seen more than one taxidermist leave these in
31) double check everything and make sure it is thin enough
32) turn ears to the very edges - i use a sharp knife (not scalpel) and my fingers to do this - i check that they are turned to edges by turning them right side out and running a darning needle along inside edge - it is a quick check and will show you if there is more turning to be done
33) rough up ear cartilage and clean with lacuqer thinner
34) mix up angel hair bondo and fill ear - shape ear and make sure edges are thin - as bondo starts to kick gently tap edges with hammer to thin them even further
35) sew up any holes you made or bullets
36) mount deer in your chosen fashion
hope this helps - if i have left out a step I AM SURE SOMEONE WILL TELL ME
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