My whitetail step by step

I check the site several times a day (morning, lunch, and before bed) I try reading and learning everything that I can possibly learn. Well here recently it seems like a lot of the same questions keep getting asked by beginners or people wanting to convert to a more modern style of taxidermy. This may not help you but I am sure that it will help someone out there. I plan to make a video step by step and posting very soon. I did a largemouth video last month but still have to crop things out and touch up a tad.

This is a deer I recently mounted using the method that I am about to share hope you enjoy

ALL OF THE PRICKS MOVE ON ;D

 

I do an in house tan on all of my animals. I use the salting, pickling, and McKenzie tanning method. I shave down my hides as thin as i possibly can. The earliners are taken out after pickling. When I am ready to mount the deer I take it out of the freezer and mount it. There is no extra work needed.

Step 1 I prep the form. I dremel out nose instead of using rasp and files. Then I go around the mouth, next the tear-duct. I follow this with inserting the McKenzie speed septum.

 

Step 2 I mix part A and B magic smooth. I then add two teaspoons of red flocking to give the desired color.

 

Step 3 I insert the ears and use two equal proportions of clay earbuds. Make sure to make a smooth transition from your earliner to your earbud with clay. I always like to over exaggerate my ears a little. I personally think it looks a little better on commercial work. I would rather them be to big than small.

 

compare the color of this deer ear to the one I did. I think it is close enough and there is zero finish work needed

 

step 4 I let the ear sit up a minute and work on the form. I start off by setting the eyes and adding veins with hot glue gun.
After the eye is set in the position that I want them I notch out a wedge in front of the eye so that I can get the depth I am looking for.

 

step 5 I start my clay work. I am not one of the guys who spends hours or even several minute on sculpting my eyes. I get the basic shape and the amount of clay around the eye that I am use to and stop. I do my sculpting after the hide is one. I put a pretty good bit around tear-duct so that I can close it later in the process.

 

and again

 

ooops sorry cole...my computer kept asking me to correct it. Those are some nice reference thanks for not charging.

 

Step 6 Put whatever glue you desire on the form and slip the hide on. I use McKenzie for the body and derma grip for face and armpits.
I then staple brisket in place so that hide doesnt sag down and allow glue to run out or dry up from air circulation. You can taxi hide around later on in the process if needed.

 

Step 7 I turn the mount down and insert the horn. I personally am a bondo guy rather than mache. Whatever floats your boat.

 

Step 7

 

Step 7

 

Step 7

 

step 8 I put a thin layer of clay over skull cap and reconstruct the head a little, I also put clay around burrs.

 

step 9 Start stitching! I use a burr to burr incision on all of my animals. I can get better stretch this way during the tanning process using the cape snake.
I start off with two pieces of thread I tie them off on opposite sides of the incision.
Stitch until you meet in the middle make sure that you stop the two threads on opposite sides of incision.