I have been mounting deer for 2 years now. I have recently had an issue. When mounting, I tuck the eyes and lips. Then start to sew up the Y cut. I have had the eyes come untucked and it looks Chinese from pulling the antler burr closed with thread. I used to use Lutan F and now am using Krowtan. I did 2 this year with Lutan F and the rest with Krowtan. I do go back and retuck the eyes and position, but its twice the work. If I dont tuck 1st, it seems it is very hard to get enough slack to position. And I do shave thin to a blue tint. Thx Eddie
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Sounds like you're cutting your antlers off too long in the tooth. Shorten up the space in front of the antlers.
I always tuck my eyes and lips last anyway as I just have a priority in getting that "Y" closed up as fast as possible. With all that work, I don't want to take a chance of pulling that out while I'm messing around with the cape.
The distance between the back of the eye and the antler burr is excessive. When you pull the hide upto the burr it pulls from the back of the eye.
I do the eyes first, then use T pins until
I am doing the finish grooming, they are the last thing I remove, when setting the head aside to dry.
Eddie:
The points above should be well taken. One other thing to do is when you skin the head out before starting take some measurements from the tip of the nose to the burr and from the tip of the nose to the front antler tips. This will get you a lot closer when you re attach the antlers and also will get you the correct angle as well.
I hope this helps.
Thx and the lightbulb did come on.... Thx to all, Im sure that is what the issue was.
Eddie, One other point to mention. For the eyes to pull out while you are sewing up the "Y" incision indicates that you are sewing the cape up under a strain- using the thread to pull the cape together. Before sewing I do all the stretching on the cape. By putting both hands inside of the neck of the cape and making fists, then twisting your arms in opposite motion you can get a lot of stretch with not much effort. Hard to describe but try it and you will see that once the skin is loosened up it sews together much easier and with much less pull on other areas. Test fitting the cape making certain that everything lays in proper place BEFORE tucking anything will quickly tell you if the skull plate is cut too long. Enjoy, Aaron H.