adam
17-07-05, 09:43 PM
SHOULDER MOUNTS
The skinning and preparation of a ìhead skinî (mask or cape) for a shoulder mount demands more attention and skill than the preparation of an ordinary flat skin. Head skins are usually irreplaceable. They form the most important part of a shoulder mount and must be treated correctly to be suitable for mounting.
Care must be taken that the animals throat is not cut and, when it is gutted, the cut along the stomach must not be extended over the brisket between the front legs, so that it damages the mask.
Cuts
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping1.jpg
Make the main cuts as shown on the accompanying illustration. In the case of maned animals, the cut D must be made immediately alongside the mane. Should the cut be made in the mane, it cannot be stitched neatly when mounting. Care must be taken that cut D is made exactly down the middle of the neck in animals without a mane. Cut D forms a V to the base of each horn on the back of the head and G is around the base to separate the skin and horn from each other. Take care to cut exactly where the horn and skin meet.
Skinning and Processing
Begin skinning from the point where cuts D and E meet at the top of the withers. The front legs are skinned to point F, and the skin then pulled off them as if removing a sleeve. Skin the shoulders and neck, making sure that as little fat or flesh as possible, remains. Cut off the ear cartilage against the skull. From here on extreme care must be exercised. Cut the eyelids loose on the inside as in (1). Carefully cut the skin free from the horns as in G. Turn the skin inside out while skinning the face and cut the lips free from the gums on the inside (2). Cut the cartilage of the nose away where it joins the bone (3), as shown. The head skin should now be free. If not, see where it is still attached and cut free. Remove all loose fat and flesh from the skin. Place the skin on a table or any clean surface as you must now begin the most important and time consuming part of the whole process.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping2.jpg
Once the head skin has been removed from the animal, the lips form a thick closed section where they have been cut away from the gums. This inhibits salt penetration and will cause loss of hair on the outside. To prevent this, the inner skin of the lip must be cut away from the~, outer skin, to the edge of the lips, as described in cats and other beasts of prey. Do not remove the lip skin. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping4.jpg
Ears
The ears must be turned inside out. Cut the flesh at the base of the ear away from the outer skin and proceed until a point is reached where basically only the outer skin and cartilage remain attached. From this point, the cartilage and skin may be separated by using a finger, a. well-worn screwdriver or the handle of a spoon, until the tip of the ear is reached.
Separate the outer skin and cartilage to the edge and tip of the ear, pull against the cartilage and in so doing turn the ear inside out. The edges must then be examined carefully and properly separated to the extremities. Cut the flesh away from the base of the ear. Do not, how¨ever, cut away the cartilage at the base of the ear. The head skin is now almost ready to be salted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping6.jpg
Marking of the Head Skin
At this stage, the skin should be marked with a name or number plate to avoid confusion at taxidermist, groups hunts etc. Fasten the label where cut E crossed the chest between the front legs at the edge of the skin.
Salt
First wash the skin in cold water to remove any trace of blood or dirt. Make sure that all blood is washed out of the hair. Once the water has drained away, the skin is salted and processed in the same way as flat skins. Rub the salt in carefully, particularly in the nose, ears and lips, making sure that no part is allowed to remain unsalted. Dry, fold and store as already described or drop it off at your taxidermist.
This is a basic rewrite of a illustration I have read and agreed with.
Hope it helps some hunters out there.
Adam
The skinning and preparation of a ìhead skinî (mask or cape) for a shoulder mount demands more attention and skill than the preparation of an ordinary flat skin. Head skins are usually irreplaceable. They form the most important part of a shoulder mount and must be treated correctly to be suitable for mounting.
Care must be taken that the animals throat is not cut and, when it is gutted, the cut along the stomach must not be extended over the brisket between the front legs, so that it damages the mask.
Cuts
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping1.jpg
Make the main cuts as shown on the accompanying illustration. In the case of maned animals, the cut D must be made immediately alongside the mane. Should the cut be made in the mane, it cannot be stitched neatly when mounting. Care must be taken that cut D is made exactly down the middle of the neck in animals without a mane. Cut D forms a V to the base of each horn on the back of the head and G is around the base to separate the skin and horn from each other. Take care to cut exactly where the horn and skin meet.
Skinning and Processing
Begin skinning from the point where cuts D and E meet at the top of the withers. The front legs are skinned to point F, and the skin then pulled off them as if removing a sleeve. Skin the shoulders and neck, making sure that as little fat or flesh as possible, remains. Cut off the ear cartilage against the skull. From here on extreme care must be exercised. Cut the eyelids loose on the inside as in (1). Carefully cut the skin free from the horns as in G. Turn the skin inside out while skinning the face and cut the lips free from the gums on the inside (2). Cut the cartilage of the nose away where it joins the bone (3), as shown. The head skin should now be free. If not, see where it is still attached and cut free. Remove all loose fat and flesh from the skin. Place the skin on a table or any clean surface as you must now begin the most important and time consuming part of the whole process.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping2.jpg
Once the head skin has been removed from the animal, the lips form a thick closed section where they have been cut away from the gums. This inhibits salt penetration and will cause loss of hair on the outside. To prevent this, the inner skin of the lip must be cut away from the~, outer skin, to the edge of the lips, as described in cats and other beasts of prey. Do not remove the lip skin. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping4.jpg
Ears
The ears must be turned inside out. Cut the flesh at the base of the ear away from the outer skin and proceed until a point is reached where basically only the outer skin and cartilage remain attached. From this point, the cartilage and skin may be separated by using a finger, a. well-worn screwdriver or the handle of a spoon, until the tip of the ear is reached.
Separate the outer skin and cartilage to the edge and tip of the ear, pull against the cartilage and in so doing turn the ear inside out. The edges must then be examined carefully and properly separated to the extremities. Cut the flesh away from the base of the ear. Do not, how¨ever, cut away the cartilage at the base of the ear. The head skin is now almost ready to be salted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v388/bowhunting/Caping6.jpg
Marking of the Head Skin
At this stage, the skin should be marked with a name or number plate to avoid confusion at taxidermist, groups hunts etc. Fasten the label where cut E crossed the chest between the front legs at the edge of the skin.
Salt
First wash the skin in cold water to remove any trace of blood or dirt. Make sure that all blood is washed out of the hair. Once the water has drained away, the skin is salted and processed in the same way as flat skins. Rub the salt in carefully, particularly in the nose, ears and lips, making sure that no part is allowed to remain unsalted. Dry, fold and store as already described or drop it off at your taxidermist.
This is a basic rewrite of a illustration I have read and agreed with.
Hope it helps some hunters out there.
Adam