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Discussion in 'Deer and Gameheads' started by Tenguns, May 16, 2011.

  1. May 16, 2011 #1
    Tenguns

    Tenguns New Member

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    0
    With the advent of a couple new taxi shows on - Mounted in Alaska included - is every cape and hide they get dry tanned ahead of time? Only tans I've had done were out of house, were wet tans requiring rehidration and took months to get back... drove me to do things in house.

    I know its a production (TV) but for those that run big shops is it typical to 1.) have your clients bring in pre-tanned capes - ready to mount and how many tan in-house, 2.) send capes out to be wet tanned or 3.) have found someone that does dry-tanning?

    When wathing MIA - what's the deal with all the capes mounted on the spot or a week later? Just for show? May have answered my own question...
     
  3. May 16, 2011 #2
    mossy923

    mossy923 New Member

    66
    1
    NY
    Tenguns, lol I thought the same thing but you just answered your own question. Its a TV show. The only hides that I seen that was already tanned was the Africa mounts.
     

  5. May 16, 2011 #3
    Mr.T

    Mr.T Active Member

    21,636
    14
    my house
    We just went through this a few weeks ago. Everything on that show is scripted, they do not show us everything they do or the show would be 10 hours long, and the only time we get a customer that comes in with a tanned skin, is if they pulled the job from a previous taxidermist.
     
  6. May 16, 2011 #4
    bullwhipcracker

    bullwhipcracker New Member

    907
    0
    The swamps of south Flordee
    I think that they do not show the whole process for Political corectness. They have made mention of *The Fleshing Room* on the show though.
     
  7. May 16, 2011 #5
    Tenguns

    Tenguns New Member

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    Okay - thanks. Figured. I'll have to go back to the search button to see there's ever been a pole on in-house vs tannery or wet vs dry tan. Hear most dry tan bears... but from the looks of it - those capes on MIA look awfully dry to me. Maybe how they're done on the other continent. Jr here hasnt' seen much when it comes to a shop (0). I don't read much about the shows here - but happened to catch it last week. Used to work on the production side of the industry (film) so natrually thought that was the case. Might have to find a good western tannery and give that a try again either way. Thanks.
     
  8. May 16, 2011 #6
    michael p.

    michael p. Getting better with age :)

    25,278
    11
    Texas Damnit!!
    Ok.
     
  9. May 16, 2011 #7
    LordRusty

    LordRusty If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

    5,722
    307
    Ohio
    What "other continent" are you referring to ... Alaska is a state. Knights is an importer/exporter/expiditer ... he gets crate after crate of skins and skulls with horns in from overseas, the lower states, and Canada nearly every day. Then they are tagged, and sent out for tanning. What you see in the show is "set up" for the show. They'll call the client, tell them they want to feature their mount and/or story on a certain episode, hand the tanned and most often soaked up hide to the client and have them "walk in" with it in-hand. Then through the clever process of 'editing', the mount is completed in the half hour time frame. They dry tan most everything. It is wetted only after soaking up the skin and sweating it.

    For my business and personal mounts, I use a commercial tannery. I'm a Taxidermist, not a Tanner ... I don't have time to tan my own hides. And I just plain like the smell and feel of commercially tanned capes and lifesize hides. After soaking ... it's as good as new ... better actually, because it is no longer raw. It has been chemically changed into a workable leather product that can last several lifetimes, and - with care - still look as good as the day it was finished.

    I prefer wet tanning for Whitetail capes, and dry tanning for everything else, including African, and all small, medium, and large lifesize.

    John.
     
  10. May 16, 2011 #8
    Tenguns

    Tenguns New Member

    52
    0
    John - appreciate the info. "Other continent" is Africa btw. Yea - I've been to Alaska know my biology, range and geo but was just curious if big shops like that typically use dry tanned capes. As I said - I've worked in the film industry and also know how and why they edit and produce as they do. Just wanted to know if the tan was the norm in the big shops. I too like the smell of the commercially tanned product but haven't used much as I'm limited to the 3-6 deer I harvest a year depending on what I draw. It appears that while you have to pay and wait... being a detractor, that the finished product may be of nicer to work with on the plus side. Thanks. T