CARE OF TROPHIES
Bring head unskinned with neck and shoulder skin attached, as soon as possible after kill to your taxidermist. Skinning off from the head is best left to taxidermist; or kept in freezer wrapped in plastic. NEVER CUT ACROSS THROAT. Make cuts as shown by dotted lines. Take plenty of skin on the shoulders and chest (cut behind the front legs). Peel skin off neck and cut meat off at the head.
NOTE: If field dressing your trophy before capping. Be sure not to cut into chest or neck area. DO NOT DRAG; if at all possible. If you need to drag keep the shoulder lifter up off the ground. Be careful, for rocks and logs, etc. will damage the hide.
If you can not bring the head to your taxidermist in one piece, follow above instructions but cut all the way up the back of the neck to a point between the ears, then in a V to the base of the antlers. Loosen the skin around the antlers with a screwdriver. Cut ear cartilage and meat close to the skill. Pull the skin down the skull toward the nose using knife to help cut fibers. Put one finger of your free hand into the eye socket to prevent cutting the eyelids. Do the same for the mouth; leave inside skin of the lips attached to the hide by cutting close to the skull. Cut nose cartilage close to the skull. Pass the knife between the outer skin and inner lining of the mouth. Turn the ear inside out using your fingers (like a glove). Saw off top of skull with antlers through center of eyes and remove all meat and fat.
SALTING OF HIDES
Spread flat flesh side up; cover with FINE SALT (stock or table salt, not iodized or rock salt) and rub it in with hand. Do not leave any folds or edges without salt. Put about ¼ inch all over hide. Keep hide in cool dry area. Capes may be left in salt for several days, then roll up flesh side out and wrap in burlap for transporting (shake off salt) never put in airtight container such as plastic bags.
T.T.C. - TAXIDERMY TROPHY CARE
Directions: Simply sprinkle T.T.C. on flesh side, DO NOT leave any folds or edges without T.T.C., fold in half, flesh to flesh. Keep in a cool area.
Cape with head attached, split back of neck up to skull (shown in above picture). Remove neck meat and fat. Sprinkle T.T.C. inside of neck area, etc. Fold flesh to flesh.
DO NOT LET HIDES OR CAPE DRY OUT without completely caping and fleshing (This means removing all fat, meat, turning ears, flattening lips and nose, etc.), by doing so it will become a difficult task for your taxidermist.
Please Note: Heavy meat and fat will not allow T.T.C. to penetrate the hide as needed.
Unless freezing, do not place hide in a plastic or air tight container. Doing so promotes spoilage and damage to your hide.
RUGS AND LIFESIZE
(BEARS, COUGARS AND OTHER FUR BEARING)
Make a straight cut from the throat to tip of the tail down center of the belly. Then, cut throught the center of pads and the inside of the legs up to the center cut. Skin the body and legs by pulling the skin off and using the knife to help cut the fibers. Remove all bones from the feet, but leave the claws on. Skin head as explained in Care of Trophies, except for the back of the neck. REMOVE MEAT AND FAT. Salt in the same manner as explained in Salting Of Hides. Bear may be difficult to remove fat. Next day shake off salt, remove the remainder of fat, resalt.
NOTE: Use rubber or latex gloves for your safety. Wild game can transmit diseases to humans, always user caution when handling the carcass, clean up after handling.

PRESERVING VELVET
Use full strength. Spray directly on to velvet antlers after caping. Place antlers upright so blood can drain out of the base of the antlers. Saturate the velvet, let sit for 30 to 40 minutes. Repeat with lighter application. Injection maybe needed on larger racks, such as caribou, early in season. After velvet dries about 1 hour, use small brush to stand velvet up. Don not handle velvet after grooming. Let dry in cool place.



It can also be used before caping. Just spray Velvet Cure around the eyes, nose and inside ears. Helps to prevent the epidermis from slipping. Reduces hair loss inside of ears.


T.T.C. - TAXIDERMY TROPHY CARE
Take care of your trophy; a quality mount depends on you. After detaching the head and shoulders from back skin you're ready to start caping. Follow the instructions inside your T.T.C. Bring’M In bottle. If your not able to cape your mount make sure you open the hide and sprinkle T.T.C. inside, especially around the neck area. This will greatly help prevent souring and hair loss.