I just shot a big cottontail rabbit that was eating at my mom's
garden and I want to mount it. I don't know were to start.
If anybody knows how to I will greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
.........Rabbits have very thin skin and tear easily. Also if this was a recent kill, depending upon where you live, you may have hair slippage. Where I am the temp is in the 90's and there' not much chance the hair will stay in. None the less you need to choose a method of skinning depending on your pose, either a dorsal(incision from the base of the neck to the base of the tail) or a belly incision. I've even cased small game before. (casing is an incision from rear heel to rear heel thru the vent) Once again be very careful skinning and even more so while fleshing. Before skinning take measurements and choose a form or pose. The ears are tricky to open and some choose to inject rather than open. Once skinned, fleshed, either salt for tanning, or wash in cold water and dawn, rinse well, dry or tumble then dry preserve and mount. Depending upon experience, you may want to look up Breakthrough on the net and look for their "mamal" taxidermy manual. Some of the things I may have skipped not knowing your background.
Mike gave good advice, but let me add a few things to help--
first-call Van Dykes and order a Rabbit Mounting Kit--it costs about 20.00 plus shipping, and contains everything you need for your rabbit.
1-800-843-3320
next-I hope you froze your critter as soon as you could--whenever you are ready to mount, thaw it out in rubbing alcohol--it will take a couple of hours for it to thaw, while thawing, the alcohol will help "set" the hair and kill bacteria to reduced hair slippage.
when you start to clean the skin, don't be too picky with this bunny, you will be mounting "against the clock", and you need to get him on the form. anything on the skin that's meat, and any fatty areas that you can pinch with your fingers need to go, otherwise, don't worry about it.
if you need to rinse the skin after you flesh it, then do it quickly, and get your preservative on and proceed with the mounting.
Otherwise, follow the instructions in the mounting kit, and have fun.
if you hit any snags, just email me and we'll work it out.
Good Luck
Dave
that most mammals, even deemed pests in the garden, have seasons for taking them. Yeah, I know, you didnt ask when to hunt, but its illegal whether you know the laws or not. Hell, cottontails are a pain to do when they are prime in season, no less now...good luck, though.
In Kansas we can hunt rabbits year around....course nobody does
because of diseases but still the same we can hunt them....maybe it`s
the same where this old boy lives..