A customer asked me "If a deer has a bigger neck when in rut, then why can't you stretch the hide and make it larger if the deer is killed before rut? My answer "I have no idea"
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I'm no pro but I use the McKenzie Swelled neck forms on just about all my deer no matter what time of the season they are killed. I just like the way it looks and so do my customers after they see one mounted.
on trees ,no pain,no gain. -james
I have several forms I test fit each cape on as it comes in. they all have swelled necks. A PRERUT 20 will easliy go on a swelled 19, after drying you still have the 20 ofer the outside of the deer, because of hide thickness.
Much of the ability to have a swelled neck comes from the age of the deer, a young der has not been thru the hard rut as a older deer. I find that a deeer that has strecth marks on the inside of the cape and is thick skinned will let out considerably.
This being fact I often get a prerut older deer to go on many of the McKenzie 24-25 inch forms. Its not strecth the hide just relaxed and the way I tan them, I do use the Auto Tanner and Alum tan.
First off, it isnt working out that does it, as I have deer in pens with nothing to work with, and they swell, mostly the dominant bucks. Its fluid retention and hormonal swelling for the muscle that makes up the swell you see. Why not before? Simple. The hide hasnt swelled out yet and the hair hasnt fully erupted from the skin yet. BUT, having said that, you COULD distort the cape slightly to get around the bigger form. Also, late season capes that have lost the swell can still let out to the swell it was earlier.
Next time you get a customer like that, ask him (or her) if they can get into the jeans they wore when they were 16. Of course, some can, but the majority can't. Hell, I don't fit the ones I wore last week, much less 40 years ago. Deer seldom live over 10 years in the wild and their bodies are in a constant state of flux. Any animal losing weight will have a tight hide as the fat cells are being eliminated in the skin. An animal gaining weight will have a supple hide as the fat cells are filling. Before the rut, buck deer use their necks for turning and eating. As the rut nears, they begin to work out at the guym and bulk up. They use their necks for tearing up trees and banging heads with their hormonal rampant buddies. A prerut deer is that 120 pound weakling on the beach while the rut crazed buck is buffed out. Next time you see a rutted buck, look at his butt and his back hide. Hair is missing, mangy and sometimes you can see ribs showing, but that neck is still all puffed up with overactive muscle flexing. Tell your customer what I do: If you want all your deer to have swelled necks, wait until they rut up before you shoot them.
Thanks for all the answers, I was afraid I'd be laughed off the forum for asking.