Hi,
I posted a question about deer cape shrinking,I used liqua-tan do deer capes usually always shrink in tanning?And also if you turn the deerhide in side out and measure around the neck will that give you an accurate measurement,im just looking for a good way of doing this if anyone can help i would really appreciate it.
Return to Deer Taxidermy Category Menu
With the cape laying flat, slide a ruler into the cape from right behind the ears, until its hitting the bottom of the neck..right around the front part of the white patch. If it reads 9 inches, then you have an 18 inch C measurement. If dry tanned, this measurement will be off by 3 to 4 inches, so only use this method on a wet tanned cape, or a dry tanned cape that has been rehydrated, sweated overnight, and stretched. Do not turn the cape inside out to do any measuring. Also, this method should only be used on capes that you did not personally cape out, since if you did them yourself, you would be measuring the meat and skull, which is the most accurate method to use.
Jeff, yes tanned capes shrink,thats where the sweating comes into the picture.
Jeff I also use Liqua-tan ansd get very little shrinkage. The main reason a cape shrinks up ton is that it's not shaved down the right way. If your not shaving it thin, then that would cause your problems.
Noww if your drying your hides till their dried, then yes you will have a hide that'll shrink. That's a normal process. Before mounting you must rehydrate it. That'll bring it back to it's normal size.
I like to keep mine as a wet tan. I'll rub it on, leave it on over night, wash it the next day using pert shampoo, rinse well. Then I palce it my clothes dryer on cool setting with about 5-7 towels in it. I'll tumble it for about 15-20 minutes, take out and mount it up.