I had a large set (160 plus) of velvet whitetail antlers from a early season Canada hunt which I gave to my taxidermist for mounting. He used a freeze dried technique to preserve the velvet, and the result was several spots where the velvet peeled off. I was pretty unhappy. Two questions:
(1) What is the preferred technique to preserve velvet antlers, and (2) Other than to bloody the areas that peeled to make a more or less natural look, what optons exist... I'm aware that there is a process for a synthetic velvet... and I'd need to redo the entire rack..any comments on the quality of the results one gets with this process?
Thanks in advance for any help, Tony
Return to Gamehead Taxidermy Category Menu
go the artificial velvet way. it is a permenant velvet. Research Mannikins, they do an excellent job. (it will cost you alittle bit but it is worth it)
grizz
First off, freeze drying IS the only viable way to preserve the natural velvet. I've tried all the others along with some home recipes and they all tend to shrivel up to some degree or another.
Two, if there are bare spots in the velvet, I can almost guarantee you that happened when YOU picked the dead deer's antlers up or during the field care process. You imply that it's the taxidermist's fault and that's probably the last excuse you could use. Once that velvet is warmed, even a few degrees, after the blood stops coursing through it, that velvet is going to slip. I've seen too many "handprints" on elk, caribou, and whitetail to believe any different.
Now, if you want a PERFECT velvet antler, you're going to have to go artificial but don't expect it to be a cheap process.
that if the skin splits or peels in places as you described, then the
velvet was most likely ready to come off when the deer was harvested.
Appreciate all the input.
Decided to just make sure that the freeze dried velvet is treated to ensure no bugs start eating on them.. and go with the fake blood to look like a rack that is in the process of shedding the velvet.
Consider this case closed.