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How to cape a deer for shoulder mount?

2,349 Views | 22 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by Sean98
highvelocity
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7:49p, 11/17/17
AG
How do you guys cape a deer to do a nice shoulder mount? If I can get a nice buck this weekend I would like to do a full mount instead of just keeping the rack

Thanks!
Owner of Kool Provisions
www.koolprovisions.com
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magnumtmp
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8:00p, 11/17/17
AG
Good luck!

I haven't shot anything worthy myself, but I've looked into it just in case. This is how I have it in my head.




Edit:I've talked to taxidermist before, and they say to cut hall way back between the front and rear quarters. Leaves them plenty to work with.
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Sean98
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8:04p, 11/17/17
AG
Mistake #1 people make is not starting back far enough. When gutting the deer stop cutting forward when you hit the sternum. Then cut all the way around the deer at that point. Skin it up to the back of the skull rolling the cape forward. You'll need to cut the front legs at the knees in order to accomplish the task. I do not cut the hide up the back of the neck the way some do, and I'll take the entire head, skull still inside the hide, to the taxidermist.

At the end you'll end up with a big sausage casing of hide with the complete head at the end.
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agenjake
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In reply to Sean98 • 8:15p, 11/17/17
Agreed. I cut about to the sternum, then cut all the way around the deer. Then roll and skin down to the skull.

Last time I didn't cut down the legs either. I cut off at the knees, then removed the front quarter and pulled it out of the "sleeve".
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to agenjake • 8:18p, 11/17/17
AG
agenjake said:
Agreed. I cut about to the sternum, then cut all the way around the deer. Then roll and skin down to the skull.

Last time I didn't cut down the legs either. I cut off at the knees, then removed the front quarter and pulled it out of the "sleeve".


Exactly!

Leave the feet on if you can and push the shoulder up as you cut the skin around the shoulders, carefully. Eventually you'll push through and it comes off like a sleeve.

Cape as close as you can to the skull but within 6" is fine. Lop or saw the head off... Yahtzee!
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plowboy1065
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8:44p, 11/17/17
S
If I'm skinning one to mount it's the same process as if I'm skinning one to eat.
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normaleagle05
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8:48p, 11/17/17
AG
Huh....I've never cut through the hide anywhere except rear hock-crotch-rear hock and around the hocks. Then wash your knife. It's a pretty simple tube skin from there. Cutting unnecessarily through the hide was always just a hair/exterior contamination issue for me.
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Gunny456
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8:58p, 11/17/17
AG
All good stuff above...I might add to make sure and fold the hide flesh against flesh and no flesh against hide....and try to keep it cool as possible.
Hope you get a good one!
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to normaleagle05 • 9:03p, 11/17/17
AG
It's easier to manipulate only half of the hide vs the whole thing. On Whitetail, it doesn't make that much of a difference but when you're caping a 300lb Aoudad or Big Oryx, full cape makes it extremely difficult to work around. Hence, the half hide method.
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normaleagle05
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 9:15p, 11/17/17
AG
Well that makes good sense...just not on 120lb Mississippi whitetail does.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to normaleagle05 • 9:18p, 11/17/17
AG
And on does, I just split right down the middle of the hide since you're not worried about saving the cape for mounting. Cut at the hindquarters to the anus and then straight down the belly to the neck.

That's what gut hooks are made for!
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normaleagle05
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 11:32p, 11/17/17
AG
What is the advantage to splitting the hide down the belly? Seems it just adds exterior exposure to the meat. Are they easier to get the hide off after that? I can't see how it makes any of the meat easier to get to.
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Sean98
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In reply to normaleagle05 • 7:31a, 11/18/17
AG
I would assume it depends on if/where you're gutting. I'm not dragging a 200-300# deer a mile through the woods with all the guts in it. That sucker is going to lose as much weight in the field as I can accomplish. Heart, lungs, liver, guts, blood... it's all staying for the coyotes. And it's tough to gut them without cutting the skin.
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lotsofhp
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In reply to normaleagle05 • 9:07a, 11/18/17
AG
normaleagle05 said:
Huh....I've never cut through the hide anywhere except rear hock-crotch-rear hock and around the hocks. Then wash your knife. It's a pretty simple tube skin from there. Cutting unnecessarily through the hide was always just a hair/exterior contamination issue for me.


Any chance you could find a YouTube video of what you're explaining? I'm a little confused.
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Gunny456
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9:23a, 11/18/17
AG
If you don't gut the animal you have a really hard time getting the tenders out....best cut of meat other than backstrap imho.
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Sean98
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In reply to lotsofhp • 9:26a, 11/18/17
AG
He's skinning his deer the way you would a furbearer. Cut the back legs around the hocks, zip down the inside of the rear legs, meeting between the D & the Bhole, then casing the hide all the way down to the head. He's not gutting the animal (at least not before he removes the hide).
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Sean98
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In reply to Gunny456 • 9:27a, 11/18/17
AG
Best cut of meat INCLUDING the backstrap. But while a little awkward, you can definitely remove the tenderloins from outside after you've removed the strap.
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normaleagle05
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In reply to Sean98 • 10:21a, 11/18/17
AG
Sean98 said:
He's skinning his deer the way you would a furbearer. Cut the back legs around the hocks, zip down the inside of the rear legs, meeting between the D & the Bhole, then casing the hide all the way down to the head. He's gutting the animal after he removes the hide.

FIFM. I've never seen a deer that would go close to 200lb, let alone 300lb. And most of my deer hunting, like I think most of the posters here, has always had good vehicular access to a kill. Shedding weight in the field is an obvious concern for hike/walk in public hunting.
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highvelocity
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10:24a, 11/18/17
AG
Thanks guys and then last question, I guess just roll everything up and freeze it prior to taking to the taxi?
Owner of Kool Provisions
www.koolprovisions.com
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plowboy1065
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In reply to Gunny456 • 10:24a, 11/18/17
S
Gunny456 said:
If you don't gut the animal you have a really hard time getting the tenders out....best cut of meat other than backstrap imho.

Why gut when you can leave In the body cavity? I've skinned and cleaned a lot of deer and never had trouble getting the tenderloin out
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TwoMarksHand
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In reply to Sean98 • 10:38a, 11/18/17
AG
Sean98 said:
Heart, lungs, liver, guts, blood... it's all staying for the coyotes.

C'mon sean we know you're better than that.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to plowboy1065 • 2:14p, 11/18/17
AG
plowboy1065 said:
Gunny456 said:
If you don't gut the animal you have a really hard time getting the tenders out....best cut of meat other than backstrap imho.

Why gut when you can leave In the body cavity? I've skinned and cleaned a lot of deer and never had trouble getting the tenderloin out


Only gutted two deer in my life and that was because we had to submit field dress weight.

You don't have to remove internal organs to access tenderloins and I don't save the ribs.
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BoerneGator
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In reply to Sean98 • 9:03p, 11/18/17
AG
Quote:
And it's tough to gut them without cutting the skin.
But you have done it?
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Sean98
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In reply to BoerneGator • 9:31p, 11/18/17
AG
Yep. Just chew it open with your teeth.
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