I want to specialize in deer. My deer mounts keep getting better and better, but I need to mount two small game animals for my state exam. I am having one heck of a time with mounting squirrels. I have ZERO desire to do them, rather leave them to the "Elzeys" out there.
I finally got two tanned with no slippage but as I started to mount its hair started pulling out,apparently I'm too rough with them. Guess I'll have to hope the groundhogs come out in the next few weeks.
Anyone else have trouble with squirrels? Thanks, Eric
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there is something wrong with what you are doing. I doubt you're being rough on them. List out your steps.
Squirrels are a breeze to mount... i'm thinking it's your tan-- or else try using a slightly smaller form.
If it weren't the state exam, i'd say go drastically smaller on a climbing up or down form, ventral skin. If you staple the incision like a fish, you should be able to do a decent one in less than an hour. It will look acceptable to most.
Trouble is, i think even a squirrel deserves proper attention to detail... Personally, i think the patience and restraint required to do a really good squirrel mount could only help improve your deer work. Also, if you think a groundhog will be any easier i suspect you're in for a rude awakening-- they're greasy _and_ thin-skinned by comparison.
I'm pretty ham-handed myself, but i think it would be hard to be too rough on a properly tanned rodent going on a properly-sized mannikin.
One last question, does your state have any stipulations requiring you to skin and tan your own specimens for the exam? If not, buying one already tanned would eliminate 95% of the work, of course.
how are you tanning? i would suggest some krow tan, you will not have any slippage problems then. if your taking the pa. state exam forget the staples as mentioned above, they will be looking at your ability
to do decent fundamentaly correct taxidermy.
Could be your problem. Even on a tanned skin, if you handle the skin too long, or take too long to mount it, the heat from your fingers on a thin skinned squirrel will cause the hair to slip regardless of the tan method used
Thanks for all your answers. I use liqua-tan.
I think the heat from my fingers must be the problem, as I was starting to suspect that myself.
I could use a tanned squirrel, but do you know of anyone that sells them? I've never seen them for sale unless they are frozen.
Again, excellent points from all. The detail work would definitely help my deer work, too.
This site is FANTASTIC! Eric
hideandfur.com
-Christian