Caping out a bull: What are yall doing?

shader112

Lil-Rokslider
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So I have an archery elk tag this september in NM. If i get lucky and get a bull down, i am going to have to cape it myslef and pack it back to the truck. I have watched videos on how to do it, slitting the hide up along the back of the neck to the base or the horns. But this is more than i have done on any whitetail. On a deer i would hang it the comfort of my barn, and cut the circumference just behind the front legs, pull the hide up to the skull, and cut the head off and drop it off at the taxidermist. Cutting the hide and skinning the face seems a little daunting to me. I've skinned coons before and was never great at not messing up the ears, nose and eyes.

Is this what everybody does? Or do some of you do it like a whitetail and let the taxidermist take it from there? My biggest worry is it will be hot, and by the time i get the meat then skull back to the truck, knowing i can't get the head and horns in a cooler, the hide will be ruined from the heat before i get it to the taxidermist. What do yall do?

Thanks!
 

Riles1050

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I have learned to Cap the head through practicing on animals I wasn't going to mount. Main mistakes I made are around the eyelids and tear ducts. I like to start at the mouth and skin to the back of the jaw before flipping the head back over and working my way down. That helps limit mistakes around the nose/mouth area. I'd consider stopping by your taxidermist and getting pointers. If you go slow you probably won't make a major mistake. Good taxidermist can fix minor mistakes even in the delicate areas. I would cape the head in hot weather though.
 

5MilesBack

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I'm usually solo, so by the time I'm done breaking down a bull and hanging the meat, the last thing I want to worry about or have the patience for is caping that thing. I just skin it forward and tube out the front legs and break it off at the last vertebrae and carry the entire intact head/cape/antlers out. As long as you keep it in a cool shaded spot and get it to the taxidermist within a couple days, it'll be fine. I definitely wouldn't be hauling it out of state like that.
 
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shader112

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I appreciate the feedback guys. I found a taxidermist on google near my unit, and think i might give him a call for advice. As 5MilesBack pointed out, it may be alright to just do as i would a deer, and drop it off at a local taxidermist. Otherwise, without a specimen to practice up on between now and then, I'm sure i will butcher the face
 

elkguide

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When in doubt..... call in an expert. It does take practice and patience and on a hot hillside it isn't the best of conditions to always do a good job. You should definitely get the head cooled down as quickly as possible and if you can get it to a taxidermist quickly, all the better. Just as you need to get the hide off to cool and not ruin the meat, the cape needs to come off quickly also.
Good luck on your hunt.
 
Joined
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Just do it how you know.
Pretty much how you have to do it in Oregon to meet the sex requirements anyways.
Pay the taxidermist near your unit to skin the face for you.
I doubt he would charge much.

The problem with taking it back to your local guy is you may run into CWD laws bringing the brain back.
Next year Oregon is banning importation from all states.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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As 5MilesBack pointed out, it may be alright to just do as i would a deer, and drop it off at a local taxidermist.

I don't have the patience in the best of circumstances. Taking it in after I get home, I can take the kids with me and they can watch the taxidermist do the finesse detail work as well. I just re-read your OP.......you need to cut the circumference well behind the front legs on an elk for a shoulder mount. I cut mid body and skin forward, and I use the gutless method. I always start by cutting along the backbone from tail to base of head and skin down from there. Makes it easy to cape from there starting along the backbone. I also wrap it up with some of the frozen milk jugs from my cooler when I get it to the truck.

Here's a pic from last year dropping off my daughter's ML bull.
 

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Just finished doing a mount on an oryx of mine. If you're thinking about doing a pedestal, cut the circumference at the tip of the brisket, or last rib. I almost did not have enough on the oryx because it was cut behind the shoulder, but for a basic shoulder mount, behind the shoulder (middle of the brisket) is fine.

As stated, starting at the mouth and working to the jaw is the easiest and best way.
 

Wrench

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Larry bartlett has a great video series on wilderness taxidermy. It's worth watching.
 

JP100

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All depends on time/temps, same with meat.

If you can get to the taxidermist within a day or so just cape it out and let them do the face.
Any longer than that in warmer weather and you really run the risk of it slipping.

splitting lips/turning ears and properly salting a skin is a lot of work, and can be tricky if you dont know what your doing. If your not confident just get to the taxidermist ASAP.

Next time you shoot a deer you dont want to mount, have a go and turning the whole cape, only way to learn. Havalons are great for this.

Always take more skin than you need, its easy for the taxidermist to chop some off, but ****ing hard to stick it back on.

I usually go around where the 'belly button' is, so near on a whole half a skin. If you want a pedestal you will need more.
Go down to just past the 'knee' joint, dont cut these short.

Either sock the legs off, or join them to the other cut,

Best thing to do is skin the animal first then lay the cape out in the SHADE flesh side up, pull the tongue out if you can, will cool down faster. then deal to the meat. the skin should be cold by the time your down them you can carefully fold it up. Try and avoid excess blood and guts on the cape, will make it slip faster. NEVER roll the warm cape up around the head and put in a bag, can stay hot for hours like that.

Treat capes like you would meat, it needs to cool down ASAP and dont pack it away when its hot/warm.
 

KHNC

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As said above, be sure to check EVERY state you will travel thru on the way back. New CWD import laws in effect for many states this year. No meat unless boned out and clean skull caps only.
 
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shader112

Lil-Rokslider
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Thanks for the input guys. I looked up the CWD laws and found this map showing what each state allows. Looks like I can't bring bones back to IllinoisView attachment 79121
 

TheHardWay

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Another thing to consider is how far of a pack-out you have. If you several miles in, you aren't going to like packing a whole head/antlers/attached cape. A mature bull's head weighs a tad bit more than a buck's. Food for thought.
 
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