Central Oregon Taxidermy help

[buckballs]

Since this is my first antelope hunt I want to make sure I am doing everything right. I have been scouting a half dozen times already and have found the buck I want and a back up as well. The buck is a great one and well worth putting on the wall. If anyone has any advice on what I need to do to make sure I am doing everything correct that would be great. Also if you have recommendations on where to get it done that would be great. I live in Redmond and would prefer somewhere around here. Also if you know prices that would help too.
Thanks for your help

 

[Dave32g]

go check out vaughans in prineville. they usually do great work. you need to talk to Dave. i have had two done by him and each of my brothers have had one done. they have won awards with there antelope before. it is at least worth checking out.
what tag did you get?


good luck...

 

[KILLERBEE]

that is basically excatly what i was going to type, but you beat me to it!

 

[buckballs]

I have the Maury rifle tag and I have the unit all scouted out. The rest of the scouting is going towards pattering the buck. My goal is to get a very expensive taxidermy bill with three tags but isnt that always everyones goal. I have heard some great things about Vaughans taxidermy so I will check them out. Is there anything I need to be carefull when I get a buck. I have heard do not get the hide wet wet or bloody because there hair is different then most game animals and it will get in the hair.

 

[Dave32g]

talk to Dave about that. you can get it wet if needed. and it try not to get blood on it but that might be out of your control just try to rinse it off before it drys. the important thing is to split the back of the neck and cut the neck meat off right at the head. it helps with cooling. the taxidermist you choose can tell you way better then i can. good luck.

 

[elkliver]

I agree, Vaughans do quality work

Tom Herrnberger in Bend does a great job also 389-6963. He used to be over in the valley and I am not sure what he is calling his shop here as he sold the one in Portland.


Most Taxidermists will give you detailed instructions if you call them. Usually they will even give you a bag of rock salt to take with you.

 

[elkliver]

P.s. You are correct, their hair is hollow, works like a straw, so it can really stain. On mine, i have propped their head/upper body up when gutting, let them drain good. Then i have hung by hindlegs to cape. That way hide unrolls down over their head and hide is kept hair to hair so not much mess gets on the hide. (i do pretty much eveything that way, even if i am not mounting) I stopped there at the base of the skull and let my taxidermist finish it. If you know what you are doing, you could go ahead and skin the skull. Its not hard to do but it is easy to ruin.

While you can always do all of this on ground, i prefer to do hanging as i think it stays cleaner.

Sometimes hard to find a tree in Antelope country so i have used my tent frame. Hung the cape by horns in a game bag overnight to let drain(if your close to town, just head home and get it in a cooler or to your taxidermist) Then filled the neck portion of the cape with Rock salt and keep cool. If you are going to get decay start, it usually starts right at the base of the skull.

 

[tmbr_hntr]

buckballs, you are all jacked up over this lope hunt Hope that buck you found isn't too close to the butte cuz once the season starts there are about 3 people for every hunter with a tag crawling around there. Seemed to me that they were pretty much where they were before on opening morning then they moved around once all the shooting starts.

It's a fun hunt. Good luck! BTW, you can have my cape if you want. Going to just do a euro with mine. I still have the one from 2 years ago in the freezer. I should have just dropped it off while I was down there. Oh well.. I will this time.

 

[Simo42]

its been a couple years and its down south but pro taxidermy in kfalls did a good job for me.just another option.
simo

 

[BlueMountainAdventures]

I agree with Simo, I have had RJ at Pro Taxidermy in Kfalls mount several of my animals. He is an award winning, national recognized taxidermist. I just went through his Taxidermy school, and he is the best! With that said, whom ever you choose, DO NOT settle on who to use, based on price. DO NOT use the cheapest taxidermist! You want quality you will look at for a lifetime.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[buckballs]

Hey everyone thanks for the help I am on my way to check out vaughans as well as pacific northwest taxidermy in redmond and I will talk and compare the two. Im getting pretty excited about my hunting season and will be out hunting for the next 3 months almost every weekend.
Good luck