Velvet Mount Questions

MHMT · Jan 3, 2014

I was hoping someone may be able to help me out with a couple of questions about getting my velvet mule deer shoulder mounted.

I did not drain any blood, or inject anything into the antlers, but I did put it in a freezer about 20 hours after it was killed, where it still is. Also, while packing it out, I managed to damage some of the velvet, but there was no blood underneath, just hard antler (not sure if that changes anything)

So, is it still going to be possible to use the original velvet on the mount?

If it is not possible to use the original velvet, I have heard of fake velvet on mounts, does this look natural? Anyone have any examples?

Any recommendations on Montana Taxidermists? I wasn't sure if velvet is a specialty thing or not?

CabinFever · Jan 3, 2014

I'm sure someone else knows much more than I do, but all I've heard is that the fake velvet does look really good, though I don't know that from first hand experience.

ultramag · Jan 3, 2014

Im not sure about the velvet, but as far as good MT taxidermist, Dale Manning with custom birdworks and the Big Game connection is really good, and Crittergitter uses a guy in Bozeman that does really good work as well.

Straight Arrow · Jan 3, 2014

All I know is that when preparing my do-it-yourself European mounts, an adequate amount of patience and Black Velvet is helpful.

Carnage2011 · Jan 3, 2014

Chad Steward from Helena does an outstanding job. He has done all my work that past few years and I will never use anyone else.

Bambistew · Jan 3, 2014

Was the velvet still "tight" or was it getting loose when you put it in the freezer? If it was loose you might be SOL for saving it. If it was firm, it will probably be ok.

I would find someone with a freeze dryer and go that route. There seems to be a fine line between salvageable velvet and matted weird looking garbage. The spray on stuff doesn't look natural to me. It seems to be odd colored and the pattern/length seems to be off.

I had this one done via freeze dry, I did squeeze out all the blood I could, hung it and pricked the tips and pushed out more... No freezer big enough to put it in at the time. I think it was about 4 days from the time I shot it till it was in a freezer, as mild temps 50ish. I had to saw the horns off and send them off. I cleaned the skull and put it back together.

One thing to consider if you keep it on, to make sure you treat it with something to keep the bugs from eating it or ask the taxi to do it. Permetherin or the like...

Before

After.

teamhoyt · Jan 3, 2014

You should be fine get it to your taxidermist and let him take care of it. Even if the velvet is dangling I have been able to cure it on customers mounts. Until your ready to take it to your taxidermist leave it in the freezer.

MHMT · Jan 3, 2014

Thanks for all the help and recommendations.

Bambistew said:
Was the velvet still "tight" or was it getting loose when you put it in the freezer? If it was loose you might be SOL for saving it. If it was firm, it will probably be ok.

I am not entirely sure what level it was at. The velvet looked good, and wasn't slipping off, It was attached fairly firm on the antlers, but it didn't seem like there was much blood at all underneath the velvet, I did slit a tip of a tine and nothing came out.

Here is a picture if anyone can tell by looking at it.

ScottP · Jan 3, 2014

I'm also interested in this topic. I'm in the same boat except I want to euro mount mine. I shot it Sept 23, and all his buddies were velvet-free. The condition the velvet when I shot it looks similar to yours... there were a few splits on the back of the points on one side. I put it in the freezer day I killed it - and its still there while I wait for better weather for outdoor skull cooking.

My taxidermist recommended a product called 'stop slip' for use on the velvet. He had some specimens in his shop that looked awesome. It can be ordered from Van Dykes.

JohnCushman · Jan 3, 2014

I would really appreciate it if somebody could start a thread for proper care of a velvet buck from the kill on. I've read where you slice the tips and push formaldehyde through the vein bases at the skull, or I've heard to let the skull sit in the sun to dry, or to put it right in the freezer. I'm planning on doing a muzzleloader hunt next fall and am hoping to get a velvet buck, but I want to be able to properly care for him miles from civilization and days away from the taxi, so that he looks good mounted. Thanks

Mudranger1 · Jan 3, 2014

does don't have velvet John

nvhunter2 · Jan 3, 2014

Since you are using a taxi they should know what to do.
But my reply is more of what i did on my own to preserve my boys. He shot a 4x4 that was just starting to lose the velvet, tips were starting to come off but everything else pretty much still on. We used Denatured Alcohol and poured it over the velvet several times a day for about 3 days. Velvet still looks as it did the day he killed it 2 years later.
So just a tip for the diy'ers

havgunwilltravel · Jan 3, 2014

Good luck with the velvet. I try to strip everything I shoot that is in velvet. They don't look
that good either mounted or as a skull mount after a few years has passed. Also as has been said
bugs and insects wreck havoc if they are allowed.

Be interesting to see any velvet mounts 5 years after the work has been completed.

MTpubliclander · Jan 8, 2014

I Don't feel like the spray on velvet looks quite right since its so fluffy. And if done right a velvet mount looks great but it has to be done right. one thing that is good to do is to the minute you get it caped out is poke a hole in the vein at the end of each tine and then hang them upside down in a cool dry place until you can either inject them or freeze them depending on your time and options. Real velvet always looms the best and if done by a good taxidermist the mount should be good for a long time my grandpa has several buck that were harvested in the late 80s and taken care of in camp by a taxidermist/ guide and they are all still very nice looks bucks with well real looking velvet. Also the fermaldyhyde injections help with bug problems.

rhomas · Jan 8, 2014

I've never had a shoulder mount done, velvet or otherwise; but I have mounted many racks on plaques. I keep a big plastic tub with borax in it, and after cutting the skull plates off of the heads, I place every one with antlers attached into that tub of borax. It dries the skull cap and dries out the velvet without destroying it, much as borax works to cure and preserve the base of a turkey beard. I have a nice 8 point in full velvet that I killed about 3 or 4 years ago on the first Saturday of our season (first day is Aug. 15th every year); the velvet looks as good today as the day I killed the deer. The borax also kills the mites and ticks that get into the velvet while the deer is alive, and no insects ever attack the velvet after the antlers are cured. I do know that there is a liquid that the antlers can be dipped in and treated, and it's available from most taxidermy supply houses.

BTW, I've also cured some fox and bobcat hides by stretching them and covering in borax. They don't end up soft and supple, but are still suitable for tacking to a wall.

ScottP · Aug 14, 2014

Thought I'd post an update on the velvet euro project. Here are the steps that worked for me on this deer (shot Sept 23).

1. Day of kill, soaked rack in strong solution of borax and water. Air dry.
2. Put in freezer to wait for time to do the boiling.
3. Defrosted head, caped, and cut away bulk of meat.
4. Sprayed 2 applications of stop slip to antlers allowing dry time.
5. Very carefully boiled skull, making sure not to submerge antler bases (used sodium carbonate in the boil water)
6. Whitened using magnesium carbonate and the high% hydrogen peroxide

Here is the finished product as its finishing its whitening in the sun:

Topgun 30-06 · Aug 15, 2014

So people don't have to get a crick in their neck! I hope nothing carries it off. I had my first antelope euro drying like that for several days on a nail at the back of my garage and all of a sudden I went out one morning to see how it was doing and a 4 legged critter of some sort had swiped it and I never did find it.

Don K · Aug 16, 2014

You sure it was a 4 legged critter and not a 2 legged one?

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