Preserving Velvet

victorj19

So, I shot an 8 point yesterday afternoon and did the usual (track, drag, field dress, etc.). Had help lifting it up on the tailgate. Dropped it off at a processing facility this morning. 131 lbs. on the scale.

This was an unusual deer for me. My first "buck" (more on this later) with a bow, actually a crossbow. This is my third 8 Pt and all from friends blinds/stands. Nice clean kill from about 5 yards out. Didn't know it was an 8 pt until later. My rule is immediately after I see that it is a buck, to concentrate on the shot. I count when I tag a deer. This is also the earliest deer in a season for me. However, the antlers are about 99% covered in velvet and it was a he/she! Had a BallPark Frank but no scrotum. It was dark and I didn't notice any internal or external female organs.

I will be doing an European skull mount like the 7 or 8 others I did. How do I preserve the velvet on the antlers?

yoshmyster

He she or the balls hadn't dropped yet? Do ask the processers if they found the balls tucked under.

As for the velvet I'd think it'll fall off when boiled to do your "European Mount". Heat and steam is your enemy. If you used beetles (covered the antlers) maybe the velvet might stick around for a while. After a while I'd think the velvet would slough off like zombie skin.

Hey you might wanna do a zombie mount with skin and flesh peeling away.

victorj19

?fter watching different methods on youtube, I took it to a taxidermist. I'd rather spend $45 than ruin a unique mount. Will still need to figure out how to boil the skull without damaging the velvet. The last one I buried, which worked well, but cannot do it this way or the velvet will be eaten by bugs.

JIM STARK

Soak the velvet rack in formaldehyde for a day or two... It'll preserve the velvet... Son in law has one on the wall for over 10 years, velvet is still there....Best of luck....
JIM....................