How To's

Some of you are experienced hunters, for some it may be your very first time.  Caping and skinning an animal can be a nerve-racking experience and it can be easy to make a mistake. Here is a diagram, video and some tips to help guide you.

First, if you don't have to don't drag your animal. Skin on site of kill. Never ever drag a Pronghorn. Carry it, use a cart or skin it on site. Pronghorn have hollow hair and it falls out very easily. 

When gutting the animal please stop at the sternum. When your blade hits the sternum bone stop and don't cut anymore forward. 

1. The old saying is that you can never give the taxidermist too much cape! So make a cut all the way around the deer’s body halfway between the front and back legs. This leaves plenty of hide for a regular shoulder mount, wall pedestal, or pedestal mount.

2. Next, cut around each front leg at the knee. The next cut should be up the back of the front legs. The cut should stop where the back of the front leg meets the body. From there you will cut straight back to your first cut as shown in the picture. Do that for both sides.

3. Now go to the back of the head. Between the horns/antlers make an imaginary "Y" going towards the back of the head ending between the ears or just below. Now make an incision and cut straight down the back ending where your original cut around the body is. Now you can skin both sides of the animal's body. Once all the body is skinned then you can cut the head off at the joint of the neck. This will release the body from the head and all the cape. 

4. Put the head and cape in a breathable bag or plastic bag and place on ice or in a freezer as soon as possible! Freezing it solid is the best course of action, but if that option is not available to you, keep as cold as possible to avoid your hide spoiling or losing hair. Do not allow it to sit in water or sit in the heat.  

6. Finally, call me when you are ready and bring it to Prairie Ghost Artistry, LLC as soon as possible!