I have a question for all you veterans.
Today I had the opportunity to talk to a commercial taxidermist who is VERY busy and has been in the business for 20 years.
He told me that home tanned mounts would eventually be eaten by moths and that commercial tans were the only way to go.
I had never heard this until today. Is this true?
I've seen Rick Carter uses Krowtan and many many professionals use Liqua-tan. And many of these mounts are incredible.
I am a beginner who has most of my time wrapped up in the tanning, shaving, and prep work. But I like the control that home tanning gives me. I can control the holes and thinness of the cape.
Any replies will be very helpful.
For all you fellow beginners: When you are having trouble with a mount and feel like giving up, Don't! Everything gets easier and faster! Thank you all and Happy Easter! Eric
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anyway. Many commercial tans are the same tans taxidermist use, all can be eaten by the same species of moth.
Years ago they added chemicals to a tan to bug proof them. Since that was banned all tans are fair game to those pests. Just treat the mount once a year or so if you feel there is a problem. In twenty years of doing this I never had a moth problem with my own tan. I also never treated the mounts either. Just keep an eye on things. He was just trying to drum up some business
on the mount will attract bugs. That includes the skull plate. Be sure to clean this area thoroughly and spray it with a residual bug spray prior to mounting. If this is not treated bugs will be attracted to this and will also begin to feed on the entire mount. Loose hair in the back of the head seam area is a sure sign that there is a problem. Some taxidermists will not boil a B&C head and prefer to just scrape it clean. That's where this treatment is essential to bug infestation prevention.
I always like it when I'm visiting a friend's house and one of my mounts is hanging above some of their home taxidermy. You know, the kind where they decided to cut the antlers off and dry out the skull cap, hair and all. When you pick up the antlers to inspect it there are shells of beetles just lying there ready to spread to their next meal.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.