Mule deer velvet preservation

[A-bros archery]

My mule deer hunt is September 4-9 in SE Idaho so I'm not even sure if I will still be seeing deer in velvet or not. But if I do end up with a velvet rack what are my options to preserve it? Is there a stage in the bucks life when the velvet is dry but hasn't shed yet and won't need any special care? Can I freeze the rack velvet and all and come back to it later to inject the fluid (forget the name at the moment)? And finally does anyone know of a good taxidermist in SE Odaho or near Smithfield UT that does a good job on velvet or could give me the liquid to do it myself?

 

[Tony Trietch]

Good chance you will see bucks in velvet that week and good on you for thinking ahead.

I have used Velvet Tan many times with good luck with only one time having it fail. It was my fault for the failure, I missed a few small pockets of blood under the velvet.
You can freeze it and later get it to a taxidermist for treatment, that is always the safe route. If you are going to inject it yourself, do it asap after the kill. cut small slices in each point/tip and start injecting it in the bases. Keep pumping it in until no more blood comes out the tips. I then brush it on the exterior of the velvet and hang to dry. There is also freeze drying as an option.
Good luck on the hunt!

 

[Dmcook]

There’s a great article that was just published last week on go hunt that takes you step by step through the whole process. If you go to Matuskataxidermy.com they have a product called antler velvet tan, you can buy that, the syringe, and needles for less than $30
Good Luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[justin84]

just read that gohunt article. i think i'm going to buy some needles and antler in velvet just in case.

 

[bohntr]

Yeah.....the Go Hunt article.......almost word for word of an artiucle I did several years ago in WH. But hey, they're the newest flat-brimmed 'pros'. (j/k)

 

[justin84]

Yeah.....the Go Hunt article.......almost word for word of an artiucle I did several years ago in WH. But hey, they're the newest flat-brimmed 'pros'. (j/k)

care to share the original?

 

[bohntr]

It's in the Western Hunter Magazine-Summer 2013 edition (Velvet Special) when I was the Bowhunting Editor. I have the article on a Word Doc that I can send privately??? However, I won't re-publish here, as WH has already published and I was compesated for it. WH does sale that edition for a reduced cost if your interested........I beleive that editiona also re-featured the Jed Lowe buck from CO too......THAT'S worth the price right there.

 

[justin84]

It's in the Western Hunter Magazine-Summer 2013 edition (Velvet Special) when I was the Bowhunting Editor. I have the article on a Word Doc that I can send privately??? However, I won't re-publish here, as WH has already published and I was compesated for it. WH does sale that edition for a reduced cost if your interested........I beleive that editiona also re-featured the Jed Lowe buck from CO too......THAT'S worth the price right there.

That's cool, I was just curious if it was posted online somewhere. I'm sorry to hear it was plagiarized.

 

[wrkn2hunt]

I am a new taxidermist and do it on the side but spent part of last winter with a long time taxidermist and learned that freeze dried is the best way for them to look as real as possible. I have had a few done in the past with injection and brush on was not happy with the look. Get them in a freezer as soon as possible and they will be fine until they can get to a place to be properly handled.

 

[A-bros archery]

I am a new taxidermist and do it on the side but spent part of last winter with a long time taxidermist and learned that freeze dried is the best way for them to look as real as possible. I have had a few done in the past with injection and brush on was not happy with the look. Get them in a freezer as soon as possible and they will be fine until they can get to a place to be properly handled.

So to get one freeze dried I would take it to a taxidermist? How much would that cost?

 

[wrkn2hunt]

So to get one freeze dried I would take it to a taxidermist? How much would that cost?

Depends on your taxidermist but not too many places have machines large enough to do it so they outsource it. I did one last fall and I think it was around 150.00 and depends on rack size. The velvet looked amazing and the only way I will offer to do a velvet mount.

 

[chasewild]

Unless you are meticulous with the needle, I would say get it frozen immediately. If that's not an option, then dipping and soaking the antlers in formaldehyde guarantees that you'll get every pocket. The problem with this method is it needs to soak and then it needs to dry which means if you're in the field or traveling for a few days, it just won't work. Good luck.

 

[Josey Wales]

Does anyone know of any place in Colorado to get antlers freeze dried?

 

[wrkn2hunt]

Does anyone know of any place in Colorado to get antlers freeze dried?

I'm in ND and use a place in Michigan. I freeze them for a week or more then wrap good and box up and ship them. The company I used said they would be fine until they get there being as shipping would only take two days. Same with shipping capes to tannery. Freeze and ship and it stays frozen for the ride.

 

[LongWayAround]

Two years ago, I had my velvet buck in a walk-in freezer 12 hours after I killed it and at the taxidermist two days after that. He had to split the skull plate before he sent it off to be freeze dried but did not say where to. It came back in as perfect condition as I got it to him and cost me about $150 extra on top of the shoulder mount cost.

If you can get it in a freezer quickly, I wouldn't mess with the chemicals. I plan on the same process if I'm successful on another velvet buck in a couple weeks.