wtnhunt Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Well this is all really my own fault I guess. I learned a valuable lesson in this. Just cannot trust anyone anymore. My 2003 muzzleloader buck, first one I ever killed with a muzzleloader, I killed this deer after having had lung surgery in the summer of 2003 which made it kind of special to me, thinking I might not get to hunt that year. It was a mature buck, antlers were not the greatest an 8 pointer nearly 18 inches wide, but not at all tall, but it was an old gray faced deer with notches in his ears in spots I guess from fighting. This was one I planned to do a shoulder mount on, on my own when I finally got time to get to it. I took it out of the the bottom of the deep freezer Friday where it had been double bagged and kept carefully and let it thaw out over the weekend. I had not looked at the deer closely since my neighbor processed the deer for me after I killed it. That was the last deer my neighbor had processed for me for certain other reasons. First glance the cape looked to be fine, no freezer burn or anything, looked like it would be ok. Upon unrolling the cape I found that my neighbor had cut it all the way up the neck to just under the jaw, where the white starts on the throat patch. He knew I wanted to have this deer mounted, guess maybe that is why he had it already in a bag when I got there to pick it up and put it in the truck for me. I should have unrolled it and looked at it when I was there at his shop, but didnt. My question for taxidermists is should I just toss the old cape and use another. Looks like even with a lot of sewing it probably would never look right. I do have another cape from a deer just about the same size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hookedonhunting Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement Send a pm to kingduckhunter he will know what to do. He has had some come in like that b4. Sorry to hear that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement Or send a pm to Michelles Taxidermy. Real sorry to hear about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement Im not a taxidermist.....but it seems that if the cut is with the grain of hair and not across it...it should be repairable. Maybe if you dont think you could do it...take it to a full time taxidermist and see if they can do a good sew job so you can mount it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisticwhitetails Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement I would just toss it and get another cape. Yes, it might be able to be repaired, but it would be a ton of work and still may be noticeable on the mount. Besides, a deer cape that will match your buck shouldnt be hard to find during the season. Just go hang out at a local processor and you will see what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted March 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement Think I will probably use this other cape I have in the freezer and put the antlers from that deer on a plaque. My plans were to mount this other one first, kind of practice, and learn as much as I could with that one before doing this 8 pointer. Oh well, my old neighbor knew what he was doing. Pretty sorry really whatever his reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisticwhitetails Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement wtnhunt, I have several tanned capes I kept as extras I will let go cheap. Don't look like I will need them. These were all tanned by Carolina Fur. Kansas cape: blond with black highlights. 7 1/4x21 Nice big cape but it's cut short, neck mount only $35 Alabama cape: Late Nov. harvest 7x19 most prep work already done on this cape. $40 Alabama cape: Late December harvest 6 3/4 x 17 cut a little short, has some bald spots in the pits, may not show on a full sneak mount. $35 Alabama cape: Late Jan. harvest. 7x18 1/2 NOT TANNED; SPLIT, TURNED & SALTED DRY. $40 I also have 3 tanned doe capes that would be good for practice. these were tanned by Carolina Fur. 1. 6X12 & 2. 6 1/4 X 13'S I would like to get $35 each for these. [email protected] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMSD5 Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement i may be interested in a couple of your capes if wtn dosent want one....i need a buck cape and would like a doe just o practice on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement That's a real bummer William. I guess he didn't know your supposed to cut them up the back of the neck, not the front. I wonder if he left enough for a shoulder mount. You need to save plenty, for tucking, which means you have to cut about an inch or two behind where the brisket ends, bellow the ribs, and all the way around the body from that point.Plus the legs down to the knee joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement Sorry for your disapointment. This is a bummer. Thankfully there seems to be some help in the offering from the good people on this forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted March 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement [ QUOTE ] I guess he didn't know your supposed to cut them up the back of the neck, not the front. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, Steve he knew. He is a retired guy(has been into trapping and hunting all his life), he got into processing deer for other people about 5 years ago or so, and he did cape one out for me that I had a taxidermist mount for me at the end of the 2002-2003 season. I let him process three or four for me, then started doing my own. The cape is all there from nose to tail, but it is cut up the underside clear up the neck. He knew. Think he was ticked off at me for checking my deer in and bringing them back to him after having to run into town. That was one of the reasons I quit taking deer to him. [ QUOTE ] Alabama cape: Late Nov. harvest 7x19 most prep work already done on this cape. $40 [/ QUOTE ] Thanks for those offers, I may take you up on this one depending on how this other one works out. Like I said, I do have another cape from another deer about the same size. The measurements were 7 nose to eye 19 behind the ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement That really stinks. Hopefully things will turn out. He will get his. Karma always comes back around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkrie1357 Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement It shouldn't be a problem for a good Taxidermist. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michelles_Taxidermy Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement Well, I can't imagine someone ruining a good cape just because you brought a deer to him later than normal. Slip up's do happen. I will admit I have slipped up a few times. No one is perfect. As for the cape. The cape is repairable. It's realy not that hard. In time te incision may show a little bit. All you have to do it tan the cape and thin it down. Once that is done use dome nylon thread from a Craft store and sew the cape up. once the deer is mounted you can staple some plastic screan over the length of the incision. this will keep the hair laying flat. I have repaired much worst than what you have described. I had a guy bring me a Deer from the blackbeard Island off the coast of Georgia. He shot it on a thursday morning drug it to the beach and gutted it in the salt water. Than loaded it up on a boat and sent it to be hung in the cooler. well He caped it out sometime mid day friday and left the cape lay on the cooler floor. Sunday after the morning hunt he loads the deer up in a cooler in a carbage bag with NO ice. Drives 4 hours home and 2 hours after that calls me to bring me the deer. I pull the deer out of the bag and it is starting to turn green. It is split 1/2 way up the neck and the arm pit on one side is cut to short. Lucky their was enough arm pit on one side to transfer it over. I salted the cape down ASAP and tanned it in shop so i could watch it. I never lost a hair. Here is a picture of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMSD5 Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Re: Huge disappointement [ QUOTE ] Well, I can't imagine someone ruining a good cape just because you brought a deer to him later than normal. Slip up's do happen. I will admit I have slipped up a few times. No one is perfect. As for the cape. The cape is repairable. It's realy not that hard. In time te incision may show a little bit. All you have to do it tan the cape and thin it down. Once that is done use dome nylon thread from a Craft store and sew the cape up. once the deer is mounted you can staple some plastic screan over the length of the incision. this will keep the hair laying flat. I have repaired much worst than what you have described. I had a guy bring me a Deer from the blackbeard Island off the coast of Georgia. He shot it on a thursday morning drug it to the beach and gutted it in the salt water. Than loaded it up on a boat and sent it to be hung in the cooler. well He caped it out sometime mid day friday and left the cape lay on the cooler floor. Sunday after the morning hunt he loads the deer up in a cooler in a carbage bag with NO ice. Drives 4 hours home and 2 hours after that calls me to bring me the deer. I pull the deer out of the bag and it is starting to turn green. It is split 1/2 way up the neck and the arm pit on one side is cut to short. Lucky their was enough arm pit on one side to transfer it over. I salted the cape down ASAP and tanned it in shop so i could watch it. I never lost a hair. Here is a picture of it. [/ QUOTE ] great job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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