Raise Your Prices

He sure does not do any African game . I have never seen a cape from another country with short incision . I do 90% of my work on imported trophy hides . It takes a whole 30 minutes to sew up a deer cape while drinking a cup of coffee

 

After all that has been said since your post, I say to you that if you can get $100 for sewing up a long incision, then go for it! There is no harm in charging for what you want.

 

I did taxidermy for 50 plus years and have never handled a short cut cape.

 

I find it funny. Some of you never handle a short incision cape. You would be surprised with mine. I cut base to base, use a Ryobi or similar cordless multi tool to cap the antlers and then cape out the deer. When mounting, the only cut I have is from base to base. Sure is nice compared to a long cut. But y’all keep doing what you do. I’m happy for yea.

And no, I don’t do exotic animals unless it comes from Texas. Loads of Axis, Fallow and Blackbuck. Almost all are Short Y cuts too.

 

When I have the luxury of caping a deer head in more gentle areas of the forest, when time and mileage is not an issue, or when it is close enough to the truck that I can get it out whole, which is rare, I do a burr to burr and a short "T" to just below the ear butts at the back of the head.

I sew long incisions inside out on the bench to a short "T" and then mount. MUCH easier and less messy than sewing the long incision on the form.

 

I’ve been at it for 38 years and 90% of my mounts that come in are short y cuts or i skin them and make them that way. Yes African comes in split and moose and such but it’s 50/50 short to long cuts on elk and and mule deer and such . I talk to my clients before they go on there trips and we discuss how they want there animals mounted , I then tell them how to have critter skinned or how to skin themselves. To include case skinned bighorn rams and such . So yes I to charge extra for unnecessary long cuts . I hate sewing even tho I’m very good at it . It takes no longer to flesh tan and prep a short cut deer , but it does take longer to sew . Guess it all comes down to self preference and pride in your work . That’s not saying you Long cut guys don’t have pride , just means I feel I can give a better product with a short cut .

 

all my capes are long cut down back no short Y cuts been doing it for 45 years and am faster and better sewing than doing a short Y agree with James post above and if you do any African or oversea trophies they are all cut down back

 

Heck, even some of the Asian stuff is cut all the way from the chin to the vent.

To their credit, they do a short incision for the horns. LOL