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Sorry... No New Article For September
August 2009
Keeping Your
Mounts In Good Condition
by Deb "Huntress" Ackeret
We’ve all seen
them and it makes me sad….older,
neglected taxidermy mounts.
Smoke stained and covered in
dust is not a fitting tribute to
that great buck or bird but the
good news is that they can be
restored. Older shoulder mounts
of deer, elk or moose can be
washed by a taxidermist, have
the paint touched up and the
antlers stripped and
refurbished. But better yet is
to start a regular maintenance
schedule so the trophies you
have never get in that condition
in the first place. |
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Once a month
Check all your mounts for
insect damage.
If you see any ’sawdust’
under the mount or get a lot of loose
hair or feathers coming out when you
touch it call your taxidermist right
away. Severe infestations have wiped out
whole trophy rooms so to protect your
mounts don’t put off getting
professional help.
Every two months
Clean your mounts.
Mounts with hair, game
heads and lifesize of deer, elk,
caribou…Dust with a cloth rubbing with
the lay of the hair or vacuum with the
lay of the hair. Clean the eyes with a
soft cloth and window cleaner. Antlers
can be wiped down with a damp cloth and
a light coat of wood oil can be applied.
Horns from sheep and antelope should
ONLY be wiped with a damp cloth… oil
will darken them over time.
Mounts with fur, fox,
coyote, coon, etc. should be cleaned as
above but then take a vacuum set to
‘blow’ or an air hose set to light
pressure and blow against the lay of the
fur to fluff it up.
Mounts with feathers
should be cleaned with a feather duster
only. Go lightly so as not to mess up
the feather tracts on the mount.
Fish should be cleaned
with a damp cloth wiping with the lay of
the scales.
Bases with ‘habitat’
should also be cleaned every two
months. If your base contains dried
plants be very careful as they break
easily….artificial plants can be
removed, cleaned in a dishpan of soap
water, dried and replaced. The rest of
the base can be cleaned with a feather
duster or a can of compressed air (used
to clean electronics) can be used to
blow off any dust or cobwebs.
Every two years
Have your taxidermist do
a professional cleaning. Mounts can be
washed or steamed and the paint/gloss
topcoat can be touched up. Dried plants
on bases can be replaced and all your
mounts can be checked for insect damage.
Smoke from cigarettes,
fireplaces and cooking can badly stain
fur and feathers so try to keep your
mounts away from these. Keeping the
mounts away from temperature
fluctuations and high humidity will
help keep the delicate facial skin of
mammals, and the skin of fish and birds
from cracking. Direct sunlight and
fluorescent lighting are other things to
avoid as they both will bleach out hair
color.
Keep these tips in mind
and take a few minutes a month to
inspect/clean your mounts and your
trophies will be something to be proud
of for a lifetime!
Deb
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