Deer in Velvet

[KwackWacker]

I have always wondered, is there anything special that has to be done when mounting an animal that still has velvet on it's antlers?

[taxidermist44]

I assume that you mean to preserve the velvet on the antlers. Yes, the best method is to freeze them and ship them to a Freeze Dry company and have them freeze dried. There are some injection type chemicals on the market, but I have never had good luck with them.

[KwackWacker]

I was more interested in the steps a taxidermist has to go through to mount a deer in velvet. Let me see if I got this straight, the taxidermist does the normal job on the cape, but the antlers get freeze dried?

[taxidermist44]

Yes, then the mounting process is the same as any other buck.

[KwackWacker]

Thanks.

[timstaxidermy]

hi, everyone, just signed on to your site, very impressed with the good
questions and very accurate answers that are given out.
the answer to your question is yes us taxidermists can inject the antlers
and set them before we mount the head mount. i do caribou in velvet and deer every year. they have to be done while still fresh and blood is not allowed to dry out or they will rot or slip and smell.