My eldest son got last season's Pronghorn back from our guy last week. Yesterday he noticed some loose hairs. About a 3x4 inch patch slipped on the right side about mis neck. We immediately called and rushed it to him. His only explanation is a tanning error somewhere in the process. He is attempting a rescue as I right this. Unfortunately finding a replacement cape will be very difficult, as this buck was very large bodied with a huge head for a Pronghorn. Anyone else ever had a similar experience with a new mount?

I wish you the best on that deal. I haven't had anything done at a taxi, but my dad has a few. He did another shoulder mount this year, first in 20 years, we are still waiting for it. The guy told him 90 days after the season... I am hoping there is not a similar situation happening.

-Bones

I know I have herd some bad story's from taxys that used commercial tanning depots. The guy I have been using past several years does his own and glad he does this way he can't blame it on any outlet.

Maybe the taxy can get you a cape and redo at some point. It might be hard to get the right size but hope it can for his sake.

Experience and reputation is important. My first buck mount was done by a beginner. Not good. The work he does now is excellent though. Good luck.

I wish you all the luck with the mount. I have some good mounts and some bad mounts from differant taxidermist. I did learn a lesson with taxidermist. Cheap mounts don't always get you a quality mount. The mounts i paid more for were quality mounts. There is only one taxidermist I will never go to again or refer someone to. If anyone asks me if i know of a good taxidermist, i tell them of one not to go to 1st. found out later he screwed others over too. And get your mount back before you give him another to mount.

they can usually tell when you bring it in the door if it's going to slip because of the way you cared for it. I don't know what is meant by "tanning error". I've had a lot of stuff done and never a problem with slipping. My current taxidermist tans for hundreds of others and he just doesn't screw up(I HOPE!) Yes, I agree, they get better with experience...but a lot of them simply don't seem to learn as much as they should. The best of them are incredibly busy because they simply do one great job after another, without a bad one! It's an art-for sure-but it's a whole lot more than that too. Unfortunately, the quote doesn't tell it all either, as a hack will think he's worth as much as a museum quality guy. Do your homework with other hunters in your area and who they use before that buster buck is aging in the back of your truck.

I realize you may have done that. But, once again, sometimes a guy does great on one and &^^**^$ the next one!

We have used Timberline taxidermy in coquille Oregon for many years. Jason is very good. Unfortunately he is just too busy to do the tanning himself. We have around fifteen to twenty mounts done by timberline. Never a problem or an excessive wait time. I know that this cape was done right in the field. From shot to cooler was less than two hours. It was salted with salt from the taxidermist and kept dry but cold. I'm at a loss for anything done on our end, including the taxidermist.

My dads aprofessional taxidermist and i have alot of experience with it, sounds like that cape is slipping, Was it left out in the warm or tied up in a plastic bag that was sealed?

I just got back a 160" whitetail and the guy sucked. I looked at his work and he must of shown me someone elses work because my mount is shatty. I asked a bud who is very good and he said he could make it better but never very good. Shawn

Unfortunately this happens with some antelope in my experience. Getting them caped out and on ice after the kill is the biggest thing when wanting to preserve them for a mount. Just curious, what were your procedures after the goat was killed?

Antelope themselves plus the normal heat durin hunting season

Antelope are thin skinned and the normal heat during the season makes cape care an equal priority to meat. I turn the ears, split lips and carefully flesh the hide as I salt it.. out of the sun out of plastic and out of body fluids. Keep it cool. If your taxidermist can save it, he is good

I was a taxidermist for 12 years and worked for a very good shop. I have seen this happen many times with many different species. It all comes down to how it was handled after harvest and then again after the taxidermist receives it. Best is to skin and cape IF you know what you are doing. If you can get it into a freezer great, roll as tight as possible. I ran Caribou camps (drop in) and I did the whole nine yards there, meaning capping, fleshing, prepping, turned ears, lips and eyes, and put in a health dose of salt! Salt locks the hair in, but not always available or the know how. You can definitely get a new cape, maybe not the exact size or color, but you can get one. Taxidermy is like everything else, you get what you pay for. We always did professional tanning companies, reputable companies. Good luck to you.

My brother had an antelope with a bad rub mark on his neck. The taxidermist was able to hide it with an old fence post, some barbed wire, and grass. The mount looks fantastic. You could email him for a photo to get an idea. It is Three Rivers Taxidermy in Kenniwick Washington.

Sorry to hear about the Cape/Mount...There are a lot of things that can/do happen in regards to Animal/Cape condition before it ever gets to a Taxidermist/Tannery...Hard to blame either in most cases...Heat is the killer and Antelope Slipping is World Renowned...Heat from laying over the Catalytic Converter in the Bed of a Truck has ruined more trophies than the 3 days of driving them around doing show and tell ;( ...Replacement Antelope capes are not that rare to get a hold of in "Antelope" States. Im sure Your Taxidermist can locate someone thru the National Taxidermy Association or call Dennis Middelton or Dave Rogers of Research Mannikins in Lebenon Oregon, they can head you to someone who can help...again Sorry to hear about your sons trophy...Best to you in the Future...4finger

You gave to salt em

I have had a couple capes the taxy said he wasn't sending out they aren't good so they told me up front on 2 that I remembered and they got a cape.

Maybe taxy could have seen that before hand and let you know this might slip?

Don't think you needed to get animal home and found that out since my thinking is the taxy should have known before hand. If he knew he should have told you don't you think.

Darn shame. Lets see this animal a picture and where it slipped.

I've been a taxidermist for almost 50 years.Antelope are delicate.Their skin is soft and the hair is rooted close to the surface unlike many animals that are more deeply rooted.

Most slipping is caused by what transpires between the time the animal expires and when it reaches the taxidermist.Bacterial spoilage is the cause and the actual hair falling out might happen when it arrives at the taxidermist,during the fleshing process,during the tanning process or when actually mounting and sometimes even after mounting-depending on many factors.

It is just a fact of life with antelope,that it will happen occasionally.Capes aren't that hard to find.You just have to concentrate on the states that produce the bigger ones and a cape is what you need.Any type of patch work on an animal with hair like an antelope,will be unacceptable.It needs to be remounted.

I do some taxidermy on the side. A few years ago I sent some capes to a guy in Alabama to be tanned. Every single hide had hair slippage when I went to mount them. It wasn't from my doing. I still have never been able to get a hold of the tannery. Later I learned he scammed several other people. That cost me over a grand to replace the hides. That issue pretty much caused me to stop doing taxidermy for anyone but family now.

Jim B, right on, another Taxidermist with over 50 years experience. Replaced many Antelope capes.

I bow to the guys with the experience. I've had a lot of critters done but only one antelope...and it turned out just fine. Maybe I just haven't had ENOUGH experience yet!

I've heard of so many bad experiences with taxidermy, from bad mounts to losing (selling) mounts to damaged antlers etc, etc. I wouldn't even bother with it. The wife wont allow animal heads hanging in her house anyway. Gives her the creeps. Good pictures do a much better job.

Outsourcing work is always dangerous, if that's what he did with the tanning process. You lose all the control you have in your own shop. You are now relying on somebody else to have the same attention to detail as you. Tough deal, even tougher profession to be in. I'm sure he will chase down another hide and make it right. My "guy" tans in-house. I've had three deer done and all look as good as day one.

I'm sorry to hear it Jungle hunter, I hope everything works out for you guys. The only problem I've had, was with a Whitetail buck. The tannery somehow bleached out a spot on the front of the deer's chest. Good luck with it.

An old friend that been a taxidermist for 37 yrs told me a lot of problems start in the field with proper prep of hide then doing the proper tanning work and the rest is the skill of mounting, he always say he aint cheap but it will not be coming back from cheap work. He has done a lot of replacement work from improper prepping and just plain bad mounting. Infact, he just told me to put the word out if any of you guys know some high ranking PETA folks he will be willing to sale out his business to them for a tiddy sum to save an animal, just pm me if you do and I'll pass it on.

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