I just got an elk with velvet antlers to mount. I've never done velvet antlers but I'm now reading alot. He was shot 2 days before I got him and kept cool. I caped then took the antlers to our butcher and they are in a cooler. I ordered the injectable stuff witch I will have in 2days. Will it still work or do I need to do something different?
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The injectables, in MY EXPERIENCE, only work when the antlers are "hard horned" underneath. If the antler is in soft velvet, those tips tend to dry up like prunes. Just MY OPINION, however.
Tru Tan, I think WASCO sells it. In my break through manual it says dissolve 4 lbs. of salt in 4 gallons of warm tap water (90* f.) add 1/2 to 1 cup of Tru Tan and 2 tru tan bacteria stat tablets and stir until dissolved. Allow the solution to cool to room temp. before submersing the antlers. Before placing the antlers in the solution use a small awl and pierce the velvet in all areas, especially the tips. Submerse the entire antler in the solution. If only one antler can be treated at a time rotate the antlers to the opposite side every 2-4 hours. Continue soaking for 2-4 days, romove and blow dry with cool air, hang antlers and allow to air dry before mounting. Don't know how well it works but always wanted to try it. Hope it was some help
...of the year I would think that the antlers are still soft inside. I killed an axis buck that was still growing and I stripped the velvet off and cut it in pieces,then with a spade drill bit I bored out the core, this was necessary as the core of the antlers were a bloody pulp. I reattached the pieces with rebar and bondo and sent them to Research Mannikins for their velvet service. They came back beautiful. I know this process may sound drastic but if the antlers are still growing, then using a tanning or preservative method would be like trying to tan a cape that is fresh, bloody and with chunks of meat and fat still on it.
yuo won't go wrong, enough said...
Hi,
I sent you an e-mail but thought I would post here as well. We can freeze-dry those for you just let us know.
Galen
218-263-7177
m - f 8 - 5 central time
on soft velvet antlers. I go overkill on injecting it all over and trying to get the fluid in the main veins, and flushing it with fluid until the blood is out. When Im done Ive probably poked over a 100 pinholes in those antlers (Im talking deer). and injected it everywhere where the antlers would allow fluid in. Never had tips shrink like prunes, but you do get an overall "thinning" of the antlers. They shrink up and get skinny, but never wrinkled.