FIELD TO TAXIDERMIST (cape care)

rick3060 · Jun 26, 2017

Hello, I will be flying into Gillette from south Georgia for a hopefully quick antelope hunt. I have a small cooler for the deboned meat, that I will ice down then drain before departure. My question is how do you guys take care of your cape? We are currently browsing for maybe a motel that offers a freezer. Or if anyone has info on one that does offer this? I have taken lots of game and even 1 antelope but all those situations, I had a freezer available. Could it possibly be done without being frozen? Any help would be appreciated

Cheese Curd · Jun 26, 2017

IMO the safest way it could be done without freezing and to prevent spoiling is to turn the eyes, ear, nose, remove the cheek glands, flesh and salt. After about a day of salting most of the moisture should have been drawn out.

If you can't do that I would freeze it solid in a freezer or in a cooler with dry ice (you should be able to get some dry ice in Gillette) and then put it in a cooler minus the dry ice since you probably can't fly with that and it should make it back to Georgia just fine.

BuzzH · Jun 26, 2017

..another option would be to have a taxidermist in Gillette turn and salt it and send it to you later. Yet another option, would be to not worry about the cape and just buy one from a taxidermist...they aren't that tough to come by.

JohnCushman · Jun 26, 2017

Antelope capes are a pain right in the arse. The hair falls out way too easily to try and go through all of the trouble you's have to go through to do it all yourself and transport it. You'll lose a lot of hair just cutting it up to quarter it. I agree with Buzz about buying a cape from a taxidermist that already turned and perhaps tanned.

rick3060 · Jun 26, 2017

Man that just seems not right... I know that's a great idea but jeeze, I want my cape I killed. If we dry ice it all, it will freeze it?

Topgun 30-06 · Jun 26, 2017

Take it to one of the processors in town and let them freeze it over night. Then put it in a decent cooler with some dry ice for the trip home. Just make sure to follow the airline requirements for the dry ice. That will be the cheapest and probably easiest way to keep your own cape for the taxidermist where you live. Walmart on the main drag south of the freeway a few blocks has dry ice.

Goatshoes · Jun 26, 2017

Rick,

I suggest that you ask your taxidermist. I was surprised to learn that the care required is much less than what a non-professional would imagine

I simply placed the cape in a trash bag, expelled most of the air and tied a not in the bag to keep extra moisture out. I then placed the bag in a small cooler with a little ice and made the 19 hour drive home. It was hot as hell (especially through Vegas) and the lid was propped open by the horns. The mount turned out terrific.

+1 on the hair falling out easy so watch how you handle it in the field.

And I agree with 100%. Use your own cape. I saw some poor schmuck who got sold on using another cape. It had no black cheek patches! Haha.

Good luck.

rick3060 · Jun 26, 2017

Awsome stuff. I in fact did call my taxidermist and he spoke pretty much yalls posts. Good to know Walmart has the dry ice. My friend that's going works for Delta airlines so he will check the specifics. Anyone have a number or recommend a good processor?

Redman · Jun 26, 2017

Last year my friend ad I harvested a couple CO antelope. The weather got up to low 60's in the day and upper 20's at night. We had 3 days left before our flight. I didn't fully cape them out, I caped up to the base of the skull and saved the finish work for my taxidermist. Kept the capes/heads in the shade until the day we headed home. I put them in a rain poncho in my checked baggage. We sent all our gear less the guns home via UPS. The meat went on a cooler in checked baggage, and what didn't fit in the cooler went in my carry on. I did get pulled out of line for a random search and the TSA lady put my bag under the X-ray machine and said "Oh you have meat in there!" I thought oh boy here we go! She just asked if she could go through my bag and I said sure. She struck up a conversation about hunting and was very nice she said that since I packed everything so nice she would allow me to pack it back how I had it. I was polite to her and she was very nice. When I got home I found that TSA had went through the bag with the antelope capes, wonder what they thought when they unzipped that bag and found a couple antelope looking up at them?

rick3060 · Jun 26, 2017

Wow, I would love for Temps to be that low. That would save alot of headache. Not sure what to expect temp wise, first week of October north of Gillette.

Redman · Jun 26, 2017

rick3060 said:
Wow, I would love for Temps to be that low. That would save alot of headache. Not sure what to expect temp wise, first week of October north of Gillette.

Average high 60 average low 33 for Gillette in October.

dihardhunter · Jun 26, 2017

That time of year, cape/meat care shouldn't be a problem. I've started including a small sheet of Tyvek (~4'x4') in my luggage so that I can cape heads/bone meat wherever...hotel rooms included. Before I'd just work out of the room's bathroom and then ask forgiveness later when necessary...:/

Topgun 30-06 · Jun 26, 2017

Call this place, as the guy runs a great operation in a very nice building behind his house and I'd bet he'll freeze the cape for you. He is also not that far from Walmart either.

Koehler's Wild Game
4709 Rocky Point Dr,
Gillette, WY 82718
(307) 682-7673

3855WIN · Jun 26, 2017

Find a taxi in Wyoming. He knows antelope better than a Georgia taxi. They are small, so they could easily be shipped when completed. I've had three heads mounted out West and shipped back to me. All were quality mounts. Eat the blackstrap in camp and give the rest away. You'll kill enough Georgia white tails to fill the freezer.

Bhill552 · Jun 26, 2017

If you cant freeze it. Keeping it in a cooler with plenty of ice will keep it for a few days. Dont ball it up amd make sure to keep it dry. If you can keep meat from rotting you can keep the cape from rotting. Watm temps and moisture are the enemy.

JohnCushman · Jun 26, 2017

Kosher salt too

3855WIN · Jun 26, 2017

We've made the 1,000 mile drive home from NM with meat and heads in coolers with dry ice. Heads were not fully caped, but still made nice mounts. Now, many states won't allow whole heads from another state due to CWD.

rick3060 · Jun 26, 2017

Topgun 30-06 said:
Call this place, as the guy runs a great operation in a very nice building behind his house and I'd bet he'll freeze the cape for you. He is also not that far from Walmart either.

Koehler's Wild Game
4709 Rocky Point Dr,
Gillette, WY 82718
(307) 682-7673

I will give him a call, thank you.

rick3060 · Jun 26, 2017

3855WIN said:
Find a taxi in Wyoming. He knows antelope better than a Georgia taxi. They are small, so they could easily be shipped when completed. I've had three heads mounted out West and shipped back to me. All were quality mounts. Eat the blackstrap in camp and give the rest away. You'll kill enough Georgia white tails to fill the freezer.

I would pick antelope meat over these miniature whitetails we have in the swamp any day of the week. I have only killed one before but been on trips that others have killed and the meat is amazing. I actually don't even hunt whitetail here at home... I have a lease in Kansas that makes these deer not even worth hunting.

FIELD TO TAXIDERMIST (cape care)

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