Field Care Tips for Game Trophies

By: Jason Petrina



For many people, the word trophy signals only one meaning and that is the mounting of a prized game kill. Hunting is an extremely popular sport in many portions of the world and the ability to retain a trophy from sports kills to prove their ability is extremely important to serious game hunters. Due to the importance of this matter, if you’re interested in retaining a trophy of your next game kill, it’s a good idea to understand the proper way to care for and handle your trophy from the field all the way to the taxidermist’s office in order to assure a quality and beautiful trophy that you will be proud to hang on your wall.

Remember that how well, and quickly you handle your game while still in the field will have a direct impact on the type of trophy your taxidermist is able to create for you. If you are planning to mount the head of a game kill, it is imperative that you transport the head to your chosen taxidermists as quickly as possible. Ideally, the head should be delivered on the same day of the kill, if at all possible. If that’s not possible, then place the head in a sturdy, good quality plastic bag and freeze it to prevent any decomposition. Never, allow the head to be exposed to direct sunlight because this can cause your trophy to begin to spoil and may prevent mounting.

In some cases, you may wish to mount the entire body of your kill. If this is the case, it is also very important that you take the body to the taxidermists as quickly as possible or freeze as an alternative. While still in the field, make a point to wipe off as much blood and any other debris as possible before transporting or freezing. This is extremely important because if the blood is not wiped off immediately and well, it may cause bacteria to infect the skin of your trophy; which could affect the attractiveness of the mount. Also, remember that if you plan to do a full body mount, the animal should not be skinned. When rinsing the blood off the animal, also always be sure to use cold water. Never, ever use hot water to rinse the animal. If there is no cold water available, snow will suffice if it happens to be available.

Some animals must be handled a little differently in order to make good trophy mounts. This is the case with birds. Due to the fact that feathers can be very hard to clean and make presentable for a trophy mount, it’s important that you take care with birds in the field after the kill. Be careful when cleaning the feathers and arrange them careful so they do not dry awkwardly. Birds must be handled very carefully, especially if you must freeze them, before delivering to your taxidermist. Always remember there is a chance that the bird’s neck, wings or tail could break if not handled appropriately. If you’re planning to mount a fish on a trophy and cannot deliver the fish on the same day that it was caught, wrap it in a wet towel before freezing.

When removing the animal from the field, be very careful about how you do so. Far too often many people make the mistake of hauling animals out using a length of rope and the animal is then damaged due to contact with rocks or branches. Instead, haul the animal using either an ATV or some type of sled or wagon to prevent possible damage to the delicate hide.



Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com