For hunters & anglers

Field Care

The quality of your mount starts the moment your trophy hits the ground. A little know-how in the field makes all the difference — and the wrong move can be hard to undo.

First step

Start with your taxidermist

Planning ahead is the first step. Come by the shop or call us about procedures, pricing, timing, and how you want your trophy displayed. We would love to be your taxidermist on the next hunt.

In the field — do’s & don’ts

Don’t cut the animal’s throat — it is difficult to repair and creates avoidable problems.
Protect the hair. Move the animal on a cart or buggy; never drag it or tie a rope around its neck.
For a full shoulder mount, avoid head, neck, and shoulder shots where you can.
Fish: keep them cold (or alive), don’t gut them, and don’t set anything on them that could damage the scales. Freeze the fish if you can’t get it to us right away.
Small game birds: don’t cut or skin them. Remove blood, keep them clean, cool, and dry, and wrap them in burlap, newspaper, or a paper bag — never plastic. Freeze if possible.
Skinning a full-body mount or gutting small mammals is best left to an experienced hand — call us first.

Keep your mount out of direct sunlight and away from fireplace heat, and never hang it outdoors where weather and moisture can reach it. Beyond that, a little routine care keeps it looking its best.

Birds: Gently comb feathers back into place with a slightly damp comb or brush, always in the direction they lie. A feather duster handles light dust.
Fish: Use a can of compressed air on a light setting (shake it well first) and stay back from the fins. Fish are fragile.
Large mounts: For lions, bears, and the like, vacuum with a soft brush attachment in the direction the coat lies. A soft cloth lightly sprayed with furniture polish works too — never spray polish directly on the mount.
Antlers & horns: Polish is fine on antlers, but never on the horns of African mammals — they can discolor. Use a clean, damp white towel instead.
Eyes: A little glass cleaner on a small brush or swab wipes the eyes clean.
Open mouths: For an alligator or other open-mouthed mount, the same canned air clears dust from inside.

Mind where you place a mount around pets and curious kids. And if you ever spot signs of insects in the hair, do not reach for insecticide — it will ruin the trophy. Call us and we will take care of it.

Planning your next mount?

Tell us about your trophy and how you would like it displayed. We will walk you through your options, timing, and shipping.

Request a quote