Deer to Taxidermist or Butcher First?

[memphis_125]

Hoping to take a trophy buck this year, just like every year, but need some guidance. Do you take your deer to the butcher and have them cape it and then take it to the taxidermist or the other way around? The last time I had a buck mounted, my first buck, I took it to the butcher and they gave me the cape and head when I went to get the meat and it was in a plastic bag and frozen. The taxidermist said that it was in bad shape and he asked if I wanted him to use the cape off of another deer he had instead of mine. Just trying to plan ahead. Thank you for your guidance! Memphis

 

[66chevelle]

If your processer can't keep the cape in good shape then I would find a new processer. If they don't care about your cape/deer then do they really care about your meat? To answer your question I always go to the processor first.

 

[singlestacksig]

yes, any good processor will be able & will ask if you want it caped.. it may have a fee..

 

[yetti462]

Cape yourself. I've watched deer get caped at a butcher and have seen a lot of cut hides.

 

[jagee]

I take mine to the butcher first. They'll cape it for me right then and there and I'll leave with it and head to the taxidermist.

 

[Leadeye]

I cape mine and then butcher myself. It just takes time and a place to work.

 

[clfergus]

I let my processor cape mine but he also does the taxidermy so he is fairly skilled at it. Just be sure that you yourself dont cut the breastbone up too high to expose more of the windpipe.

 

[saintnick81]

My processor caped mine when I dropped it off. Left with the head and cape about 20 minutes after I got there.

 

[Expat]

I cape mine and then butcher myself. It just takes time and a place to work.

I didn't even know the butcher would do all that. I had a few processed over the years but brought them in skinned out.

 

[Willie]

Very few butchers actually "cape" out the deer properly. Caping out means to actually skin out the head. They usually skin out the deer leaving enough hide on the neck for a mount. Most mounts anymore include a LOT of the shoulder so I'd rather do the skinning myself to make sure there is enough neck and shoulder hide left.

 

[DragonGunner]

Use to do taxidermy. Make a line just behind the front legs, and cut around body….more is better, then go down a few inches into the leg and cut around. Peal down like a sock, leave a few inches of neck at least for taxidermist to get a good neck measurement…make a cut into the neck meat all the way around to the spine, grab antlers and twist head in circles, about one time will do it for it to come off. Take to taxidermist as soon as possible…if not put in bag and freeze until you can.

 

[Mark 1911]

I take my deer to a guy who does both processing and taxidermy. He's very careful with the hide, even if you don't ask for it he typically keeps them.

Just be careful when field dressing. Keep in mind that a shoulder mount uses all of the hide above the sternum, so for best results don't cut the hide above the sternum, and don't split the front of the rib cage. Just be careful and take your time when field dressing. It's not hard, but don't be afraid to get your arms up inside and above the chest cavity to cut the trachea. Be careful with the knife not to cut yourself. If you're fussy about getting blood on your clothes, either bring along an old change of clothes that you don't care about, or get some field dressing gloves that cover your arms all the way up to the armpits. I find it a lot easier to bring an old change of clothes that I don't care about getting bloody. Never have cared much for field dressing gloves, to me they just make it harder to handle the knife.