rolltide22":fc0ygxc2 said:
Mount looks good from my view. Can you give me some pointers in regards to fleshing and preserving the hide. I have watched a few "how to" dvd's on caping & fleshing. Any advice is appreciated.
Not much to it, you just need some very sharp knives or a fleshing machine. I took the middle of the road and use a "mini flesher" you still need to flesh around the face by hand though.
To me it's a little easier to flesh after the hide has been salted for 24 hrs or so. The salt draws a lot of the moisture out and kills some of the bacteria that can cause hair slippage.
After I preliminary flesh I turn the ears and lips then put it into a pickle solution for a few days, rinse and go over it again making sure I have every bit of flesh removed. Then back in the pickle for 12 hrs or so then tan it.
Caping an Antelope is pretty much the same as a deer except you have to cut the skin around the horns versus prying the skin free on a Whitetail. You also have to cut down the entire back [unless you alter the form] versus the short Y incision on a Deer. I found it was a little tricky freeing the skin around the eyes because the eyes are so close to base of the horns, but unlike a deer there are no tear ducts.
I did Taxidermy for many years but retired more or less several years ago, I still do a few deer for friends and family each year to keep in practice though. This was my first Antelope and personally I only want to do one more and that will be for my Grandson if he kills one in a couple of years.
AThiker can give you much more advice as he's probably done more than I.