Almost every outdoorsman has some blazon of fauna hanging on their wall. Maybe it is the first deer he harvested or the biggest turkey he has taken. Mayhap it's the monster buck that was chased for years and finally tagged. Frequently hunters wait months or years to go their mounts back from the taxidermist. They bring it home and hang information technology in their living room, den, or someplace where they can always expect at it and recall the day they harvested it.

antelopeWhen we bring our mounts dwelling, they commonly wait similar they did when they were tagged. The antlers are shining in all of their glory and the optics and olfactory organ often expect existent. The problem is every bit the years pass by our favorite mounts begin to lose their luster. They commencement to collect grit. They begin to expect similar they take spent a decade in a smoky bar room. Typically this does not happen considering the taxidermist did a bad task simply but because hunters didn't know how to accept care of their mount after bringing it dwelling house.

First and foremost, never hang your mount over a fireplace, forest stove, or any other heating unit. When near hunters consider where they want to put their big buck they think information technology would look great over the fireplace. We think that is where granddad always put his. Dry rut is the worst matter for a mount. Heat is a big no-no. "Heat dries out the hide of a mounted animal, which causes it to shrink and causes the hair to get dry and brittle, making the creature appear older than it actually is. Keeping your mount away from excessive dry heat will help information technology look good for a long fourth dimension.

Keep your mounts away from direct sunlight. The ultra violet rays of the sun have the aforementioned effect on mounted animals that they do on everything else. Have you lot ever noticed that a painted wall fades after a few years of being in direct sunlight? The UV rays tin can fade the hide of your buck and its' rack making it announced quondam and

dingy. UV rays can make the hibernate brittle and can go far shrink much like dry oestrus if it is placed in the sun for years. When choosing a place to hang your mount, choose a location that is out of directly sunlight.  Never hang your mountain in a moist damp area like a basement. If your basement isn't damp, it should be fine. Moisture can create mold and all kinds of problems for a mount that should remain dry at all times.

Dusting:
The aggregating of crud, grit and smoke is the beginning of deterioration. Mounted trophies should be dusted often and regularly.

When you hang your new mount on the wall, realize information technology isn't maintenance free. The easiest way to go on your mount looking not bad is to regularly dust information technology. Grit will collect on deer hair, turkey feathers, and any type of mount. The dust makes a mount look old. It makes the nose and eyes of a deer announced boring. Side by side to the antlers, people find the eyes and nose of mounts start.

Mounts and Rugs:
Mounted heads can be dusted with a clean soft cloth, by vacuuming with a soft brush attachment or air diddled using compressed air in a tin can or an air compressor post-obit the direction of the hair as it lies naturally. Never brush, wipe, or blow air against the natural management of the pilus, as this action tin can cause the pilus to break off or pull out damaging the hair and create tufts of hair to stand up up which doesn't look proficient.

rugMounts having an open mouth – African Lion, Leopard, Hyena, Crocodile, Hippo, Cougar (Mount Lion), Wolf, Fob, Deport, etc. – also need attention to this detail in order to continue your mount fresh in appearance.  Near open mouths are treated with a final glaze of either lacquer or acrylic gloss to impart a "wet" expect to the oral cavity.  While this is common practice, oftentimes times mouths are made to look a little too wet for my gustatory modality.

Regardless, in order to maintain the wet look, the open up mouths of mounts need to be dusted as well.  The best manner is to employ a can of compressed air … the type sold in function supply, computer, or even dwelling house comeback stores will do.  Merely exist enlightened to not shake the can while using information technology.  The freezing air that will shoot out can dull the shiny, moisture finish in the mouth.

You lot simply desire to directly the air to the deep recesses of the open oral cavity, starting at the dorsum of the mouth and working your way forward.  This volition blow whatever dust out of the oral cavity.  If it all the same looks a petty ho-hum in there, the use of a clean, new makeup brush tin can further dislodge whatever grit particles that accept not been blown abroad with the air but.  If needed, the canned air tin can besides exist used to blow out the nostrils of a mount. I cannot recommend using the contrary airflow of a vacuum cleaner, as the air from this is very widely dispersed, and not concentrated equally when using canned air.  The air from a vacuum cleaner is likewise pretty warm and that volition non do much practiced to the finish of the mount.

The dampness of the mouth and the outer lips of the mount tin also be treated with a very low-cal application of the Pledge spray polish.  Apply information technology lightly to a clean detailing towel, and go over the lips … and even the nose pad.

If you want your trophies to final without drying out and nifty NEVER wash your trophies with soap and water. Washing should only be done by a professional Taxidermist, as this procedure requires that simply the hair be washed without getting the hibernate wet. This procedure takes special technique and grooming.

Eyes:
Over the grade of fourth dimension, the glass eyes of your trophy mounts can go ho-hum looking … ane may say "dull and listless."  This is due to several factors:  the ordinary dust in the home along with the accumulative furnishings of smoke in the air from cooking and if yous are so inclined, nicotine from the effects of 2nd manus smoke. Information technology is the same buildup smokers experience on the inside of their car windshields.

eyeThe glass eye can easily exist brightened upwards with a tiny amount Windex ® applied to a Q-tip or a flat Artist'due south Castor, later which it is carefully wiped over the glass optics until they announced bright and clear again.  Be careful not to employ too much cleaner on the castor, as you don't want the fluid running down into the lower eyelids, wetting them.  You also want to avoid getting a cleaner like Windex ® on any of the finished fleshy parts, such as the eyelids.  The ammonia contained therein can dry the oils in the beast's hide causing cracks to appear over fourth dimension.

Using the double-end cosmetic swab, gently rub the centre clean and dry. The nice feature on these swabs is the pointed end.  While it is small and pointy enough to become into the forepart corners of the eye, it is soft plenty non to damage either the glass eyes, or the centre finishing!  Discover too, how shiny and reflective the drinking glass eye is at this stage!

Antler cleaningAntlers:
Exist sure to dust them well.  Spray of Scott'southward Liquid Gilt furniture polish on a detailing towel. Some other production that works great is the Swiffer ® dusting cloths.  Just be aware of any parts of antlers that can "catch" the textile.  Information technology will pull off little strands, and they are merely annoying to hand pick from the antlers.

This will go along the antlers from drying out and aid them retain their natural color and soft sheen.

Cape BufalloHorns:
African and other horned species such equally Pronghorn Antelope are notorious for having little "grabby" surfaces. This is especially so with the horns of Wildebeest and Cape Buffalo. They are best dusted with the vacuum cleaner's dust brush attachment.  Later removing all heavy grit, become over the horns, peculiarly the areas of the bosses, and a little farther upwards the horns where the texture is "ragged", using a nylon cleaning brush like those sold in hardware stores or home improvement centers. They are inexpensive and are good to have for cleaning your trophies.

SheepNEVER Use Whatever OIL OF ANY KIND ON AFRICAN OR SHEEP HORNS! The oil will blacken the horns of African mammals, and unnaturally darken the horns of sheep, in some cases giving them a splotchy advent. Oil of any kind should never come in contact with African and or sheep horns.

A clean white towel, dampened with water is all you lot volition ever need following a good dusting with the vacuum cleaner. NEVER Apply OIL ON AFRICAN OR SHEEP HORNS!  Menses!

European Taxidermy Services image

(North American Pronghorn horns you can utilise WD-xl with a material to keep them from drying out while keeping their natural look).

Insects:
One of the newest problems with preserving game animals is insects. Moths, beetles, and other insects dearest to eat mounts. Some couch into the mounts; others eat all of the hair. I have a squirrel that looks similar he spent a few minutes under a lawn mower. The just hair he has left on his torso is on his tail. These insects tin can turn your favorite high dollar mount into a mangy, bald piece of foam in no time. To prevent this from happening to your favorite mount, regularly inspect your mounts for insects. Wait into the mouth, ears, and other cavities where insects could hide. And so check the hair for insects or prove of them such as moth cocoons.

Moth Proofing:
Regular moth proofing spray, available in droplets cans, which is safe for clothing is sold in virtually hardware stores, tin can be used for this job. Spray a very calorie-free mist all over the mount and comb into the hair. On furred animals such every bit fox, the fur can be fluffed up to a natural appearance, by using the blower side of a vacuum or a hair dryer. . Exercise not elevate your feet in one case yous discover insects on a mount! If you lot do, y'all may end up losing every mount yous have.

Fish Mounts:
Fish mounts require petty intendance other than frequent dusting and occasional wiping with a water dampened textile.

Bird Mounts
Birds should be kept clean by frequent dusting. They should NEVER be done in any way, unless, done by a person trained in the technique. If the bird skin was properly degreased and washed before mounting, information technology should not be necessary to do anything to it other than go along it well dusted, optics polished and the bare skin of the legs, feet and nib lightly refreshed with a thinned coat of satin varnish.