Submitted by Lance H on 12/13/1998. ( )
Relatively new to the tax business and got a question. My capes will have a 3-4 month turnaround so the antlers that go with them will be hanging in my shop at least that long. I know that antlers shrink as they dry. And, one of the areas of concerned expressed by my customers has been pulling away of the cape fromaround the antler burr. If the tax were to mount the deer soon after it was harvested, thereby not allowing enough time for the rack to dry and properly "cure", would you expect to see some problems develop around the antler bases because of this shrinkage? If so, how could you work to counter this problem thereby minimizing its impact?
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This response submitted by Bill on 12/13/1998. ( yoxtax@aol.com )
The antler shrink is minamal, the skull is often the culprit. On racks to be scored or mounted I leave the skull a bit heavy until Im ready to mount.Then I cut the skull down to size. Once its mounted, the skull is fastened down so theres little movement. The skull can "curl" once the housing is removed or cut in half. I know there are exceptions...I have mounted very recent kills for collections, and no shrinking away from the burr due to antler shrink was found. Relax a bit and enjoy mounting them when the capes arrive!...PS, of course, dont store them near a heat source. That may include the warmer cieling area if hung high. Burr shrinkage is often the result of not correctly setting the antlers to the form or the shrinkage of the tanned hide. This is covered in the deer forum, I think. Look up burr shrinkage, etc.
This response submitted by Bill on 12/14/1998. ( )
before the punctuation and grammer police get me, I meant to say,"Here's my make on this". Also, it's minimal, not minamal like I spelled it. I can't even blame it on the keyboard, either. See ya.
This response submitted by James Morrison on 12/15/1998. ( ruralwsc@lcc.net )
Shure am glad ya'll kleered that upe fer shure.
This response submitted by Lance H on 12/16/1998. ( )
Thanks, Bill, for the info. And by the way, don't fret about the spelling. My spelling is exemplary, it's my typing skills that suck! After a while, you get tired of fixin' words and just, "What the hey - they know what I mean."
This response submitted by John C. on 12/20/1998. ( )
Guys and Gals, Lance knows some mighty big words, he's a real nice guy. But he's got this vocabulary, you know words I did not know existed, I know all those good one you get your rear spanked for when your 2-3 years old. I would have got my tail whooped really bad for what he said at the shop, hyperbearic, and some really big word for G-2 tines on a deer. But he is really interested in learning thats the good thing. Lance, smile you be alright. Later all John C.
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