Best Care For Velvet Antlers?

[The Silent Stalker]

Ok, we are heading out just before Sept 1 and have a plan in mind and know how to deal with the meat in the warm weather. I am wondering what the best method is for keeping the velvet on the antlers in good shape until we get it to a taxidermist? All dependant on being successful of course. We are going into 4 point or better area for Sept 1, and I may even try to get in and get a bow shot. Either way If I am successful I feel I will want to mount my prize. Any suggestion on proper velvet care would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[butcher]

I usually just sink them in a creek or a lake for a few days then dry them in the sun. I have a moose and a caribou that I did this with and it worked perfectly. However, they are in the garage, not mounted in the house.

[yukon john]

seriously peel off the velvet then get the fake stuff put on, it looks better then the real stuff anyway and will last longer.

[FirePower]

seriously peel off the velvet then get the fake stuff put on, it looks better then the real stuff anyway and will last longer.

X2..My friend who is a very good amature taxidermist just redid a set of beautiful double shovel cariboo antlers that had started to loose their natural velvet after many years and were looking ratty. They look better than they did "on the hoof" great stuff

[srupp]

on the Hunt shoot site there was step by step directions on how to save velvet on antlers...

steven

[Wild one]

In my opinion whenever you have a question in regard to looking after a trophy to be mounted talk to the taxidermist that you plan on using before you go. That way it is done the way that will let the taxi do the best work.

[Trophyslayer]

its a big pain in the *ss to try and save it i would recomend the fake stuff

[Walking Buffalo]

It's not hard to preserve the velvet yourself.

If possible, get a bottle of velvet tanning solution. Knoblochs has a good product called "Antler in Velvet Tan". You'll need a syringe and large hypodermic needle as well. I use a 50 CC syringe.

The blood must be drained from the velvet, this blood is what causes velvet to rot. Simply puncture the Antler tips with the needle, then inject the tanning solution into the blood vessels from the antler bases. Keep injecting the solution until all the blood is replaced with the solution.

This process must be done asap. Like with a cape, the velvet skin will start to decompose immediately. Get this done within 24 hours.

As an alternative, lets say you are back in the bush a few days from civilization, you brought salt for the cape, but didn't pack the tanning solution. Bring that syringe with you. Make a saline solution and inject the saltwater into the velvet, then soak the outside with a salt paste. This should do the job.

Handle the velvet as little as possible. The tiny hairs break off easily.

An amateur Velvet tan from 5 years ago.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/keetspics/1641.jpg

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/keetspics/1643.jpg

[adamgarbett]

Use a hypodermic needle and formaldehyde prick a small hole at the tip of the points and inject the formaldehyde into the veins at the base until the blood stops squirting out and turns clear......that's what my taxidermist told me. Good times LOL

[Caveman]

Use a hypodermic needle and formaldehyde prick a small hole at the tip of the points and inject the formaldehyde into the veins at the base until the blood stops squirting out and turns clear......that's what my taxidermist told me. Good times LOL

Ths what a buddy of mine from the Yukon does. He has a beauty of a caribou mount done with an amazing chocolate brown velvet. Very Cool!!

[high and to the right]

Use a hypodermic needle and formaldehyde prick a small hole at the tip of the points and inject the formaldehyde into the veins at the base until the blood stops squirting out and turns clear......that's what my taxidermist told me. Good times LOL

I used this method several times with moose and it works very well. You can see the formaldehyde moving up through the veins in the rack as you inject the fluid. Make sure the needle is inserted well into the rack veins so it doesn't squirt out the bottom where the needle is inserted. I often will poke the vein near the top of the rack and then the blood squirts out as the fluid goes in. For the tips just poke the needle in several places and inject what ever you can, which won't be much. You need a large needle with a big tip (like they use on horses - you can get these at a store that sells cattle/horse items) NOTE: If you breathe the fumes of formaldehyde you will feel it in your lungs (kind of like pneumonia) and also in your throat (like a cold). The symptoms will go away in 1 - 3 days but they do feel very uncomfortable. Good luck on your hunt.

[adamgarbett]

never thought of the effects of breathing that shhhhtuff. thanx high and to the right

[The Silent Stalker]

Hey, thanks for the tips guys. Hey Walking Buffalo, I have to say nice rack! I have yet to get anything bigger than a 3 point deer, but have a couple of 6'+ black bears and a crazy balanced 7 point bull moose under my belt but fu....... that's a sweet rack! Thanks again guys, I will post pics if we are successful. Oh and just a teaser, my buddy spotted a 3x3 buck yesterday just sitting in the grass on the side of the highway with a doe watching cars go by just outside of Whistler. I can feel it coming like a freight train!

[Walking Buffalo]

TSS, Thanks for the compliments. This is a young Alberta buck, which is another way of saying I shot a dink with potential. I took him partly because of the velvet. It is cool to have a natural velvet buck next to the hard horned ones. Have fun this fall.




never thought of the effects of breathing that shhhhtuff. thanx high and to the right

Formaldehyde is nasty, thus the reason I suggest you use a Tanning solution. Remember, that formaldehyde in the velvet will continue to offgas for a long time, potentially for over a year. You don't want the family to be breathing that in the house. Just think of your taxidermist, there is a reason they all seem a bit pickled. :mrgreen:

[beeugle]

I got a moose in 2007, full velvet, sunk him in the water for a few days, took him to a taxidermist, who injected them.... all these years later, it still has to hang in the garage because the smell never ever went away,, an unpleasant odour if they are room temperature... you would think after years they would dry out and no more odour.... but... it's still there, wife won't let them in the house...... wish I had peeled them...

[Walking Buffalo]

I got a moose in 2007, full velvet, sunk him in the water for a few days, took him to a taxidermist, who injected them.... all these years later, it still has to hang in the garage because the smell never ever went away,, an unpleasant odour if they are room temperature... you would think after years they would dry out and no more odour.... but... it's still there, wife won't let them in the house...... wish I had peeled them...

Using the tanning agent, the velvet buck pictured has no smell. What is the odour from your moose? Formaldehyde?



You still can peel the velvet off. Just soak the antlers in water for a couple of days and strip away. Use wood stains to color the antlers.

[moose2]

Use a hypodermic needle and formaldehyde prick a small hole at the tip of the points and inject the formaldehyde into the veins at the base until the blood stops squirting out and turns clear......that's what my taxidermist told me. Good times LOL

I have done this many times it works ok , but it has to be soon if any of the velvet is allowed to slip it will always have a slight rotten smell. Wearing eye protection is a good idea while using the needle , the solution will sometimes squirt back towards your face formaldahide really dries and irritates the eyes ( I know ) Another important thing is to get the hide off the skull as soon as you can this will help the blood and formaldihide solution to drain away the fastest. If the hides on blood will pool againt it and start to rot the velvet. Keep velvet antlers up high dogs can't resist them ( found this out the hard way lol ) My buddy put a small set in the freezer for half a year and they totally dried out and were fine. Not sure if it was a fluke or if this method would work everytime. I know some taxidermists send them to be freeze dried as well.
Mike