I am a Junior in High School and have always thought about being a taxidermist. For Ag class my teacher said I could make a taxidermy unit. I want to do a whitetail head mound. I have done a lot of plaques and am kind of formilliar with taxidermy. I have a real cool rack that is all faded. I took saddle saddle stain to it and its to dark is there anyway I can reverse my mistake and make the tips of the horns whiter?
I got a cape I have tried to cape a deer before but I had a hard time around the nose eyes and ears. Is there any good tanning kits that include instuctions on skinning?
I have been looking at mounding kits and I am kind of stuck between 3.
1. Van Dyke's Synchron Eye Package-No Form in this one it says everything you need "except the head" does this mean horns and cape or the actual head of the form?
2. Van Dyke's Deer Mounting Kit I dont see how this is any diferent than the other one.
3. WASCO's Whitetail Deer Shoulder Mount Kits
Does anyone have any comments or advice on a whitetail mounding kit? I am also looking for a good taxidermy book that really goes in depth and that is easy to understand is there any you can recomend.
Thanks for the help and sorry if I repeated earlier questions!
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Van Dyke's and WASCO both have mounting videos for a whitetail deer. Buy one first before you do anything, and watch it. Do not try anything, until you have seen a video or DVD on mounting. There you will find answers and knowledge. It is better than asking twenty questions here everyday.
Synchron Eye Package, dont bother, its not the way to learn. DO NOT buy a kit yet untill you have seen the video. Kits blow. Knowledge first, buy supplies last so you get the right ones.
from Van Dykes comes with everything you need to mount a deer.I also use Knobloch's liqutan it works very well. It's not easy to mount a deer you should get a video also.The synchron eye set's come with direction's also. If you get a kit get a kit with a deer form.Always be sure of you measurement's try also to get a manikin about 1 inch smaller then the cape.exanple a) 6.5inche's c) 17 inch's order a manikin thats about a)6.25inch's c) 16 inch's.Knobloch's liqatan comes with direction's also.The 2 Van Dyke's mounting kit's are different one come's with a manikin,and one the synchron eye kit doesn't have a manikin.Not much you can do with the antlers.Listen i'd be lying to you if i sead it is easy it's not but its very rewarding to see the finished project but if your gonna do it you might as well do it right I hope i helped good luck, hunter
Thanks for the comments. I have looked at all these videos and books. I can't tell what is the best movie there is like 20 mounding deer video's is there any that you recomend? I kind of need to get a mounding book to make worksheets since this is a Ag class. Is there any books you recomend? I have a few old books but they look like they are from the 40's.
like Mr T sead your better off stayin away from.But watch a video until your sure you can do it. good luck
Here is just a few minutes of searching the web. They all cost about the same, so I dont know which one to buy Im leaning towards Sallie Dahmes. Any Recommendations?
1.Van Dyke's Whitetail Deer Mounting & Painting DVD's http://www.Van Dykestaxidermy.com/product/01003707/
2. Van Dyke's Whitetail Mounting Video http://www.Van Dykestaxidermy.com/product/01517970/
3.WASCO Whitetail Deer Shoulder Mount: A to Z
with Sallie Dahmes
4.Easy, Step-By-Step Beginner's
Deer Taxidermy Instruction DVD http://www.learn-taxidermy.com/whitetail_deer_taxidermy.htm
5. http://www.taxidermyvideos.com/whitshoulmou.html
6. http://www.taxidermyvideos.com/tanvidstarto.html
7.http://www.taxidermyvideos.com/howtomoyoown.html
8.http://www.rmi-online.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5935
9. http://www.rmi-online.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5933
..
thats what i watched a long time ago to get my start and is probably the most thorough one out there.
your parents credit card and charge all of them. then you'll be spending all your time next month watching these videos. then at the beginning of march they'll get the bill and you'll be grounded from the computer for a year. it's a win-win situation.
Video # 3 A to Z. on your antlers you could try rubbing the points with steel wool.
Breakthrough Whitetail Taxidermy Manual, WASCO has it.
I've watched a few videos on mounting deer.., Sallie Dahmes is a good one. I've watched the Dan Rinehart videos, which covers skinning, fleshing, salting, pickeling,tanning, shaving (with the mini-flesher), and mounting of the deer. I bought a form from John Rinehart Taxidermy. These forms come with pre-set eyes, no need to sculpt the eye detail. Great for beginners! I would also recommend the video(s) from Matuska. This is a set of 3 videos or dvds. A little pricey, but very informative on mounting a whitetail, from start to finish. It doesn't, however, cover skinning, fleshing, and tanning. Between the Rinhehart and Matuska video, I learned alot, and put both videos to good use.
Bill
Does anyone have a book or video they are no longer using let me know what you have.