Been dreaming of going on an African Safari Hunt?

Got questions? Watch this video to learn more.

Come in and pick yours today!

You’ve shot your 2011 trophy and already have a great spot picked out on your wall. Now what?

Remember every good quality mount begins with proper field care.

Act quickly to preserve your trophy by following these steps below:

1.With deer on its back make a shallow cut through the skin just below the breastbone. Make sure that you start your cut well away from the brisket allowing plenty of uncut skin for your shoulder mount. Insert two fingers of the free hand, cradling the blade, to hold the skin up and away from the entrails (Figure A.)

2.Cut straight down the belly and around the genitals, separating but not severing them from the abdominal wall. Slit the belly skin all the way to the pelvic bone (Figure B.)

3.Cut deeply around the rectum, being careful not to cut off or puncture the intestine. Pull to make sure the rectum is separated from tissue connecting it to the pelvic canal. Pull the rectum out and tie a string tightly around it to prevent droppings from touching the meat. Lift the animal’s back quarter a bit, reach into the front of the pelvic canal, and pull the intestine and connected rectum into the stomach area.

4.If you want to make a full shoulder mount, do not cut open the chest cavity. Cut the diaphragm away from the ribs all the way to the backbone area. Reach into the forward chest cavity, find the esophagus and windpipe, cut them off as far up as possible (Figure C.), and pull them down through the chest.

5.Roll the deer onto its side,grab the esophagus with one hand and the rectum/intestine with the other. Pull hard. The deer’s internal organs will come out in one big package with a minimum of mess.

Caping

Caping is the process of skinning out a trophy animal, is best left to the taxidermist. Their experience skinning, especially the delicate nose, mouth, eyes, and ears is invaluable toward producing a quality mount. Damage to a hide is costly to repair. Some types of damage simply can not be “fixed” by the taxidermist.

Many trophies are ruined in the first few hours after death. As soon as the animal dies, bacteria begins to attack the carcass. Warm, humid weather accelerates bacteria growth. In remote areas, or areas not near your taxidermist, a competent person may be required to cape out the hide in order to preserve it.

Every taxidermist has a preferred method of caping a hide. Contact your taxidermist prior to your hunt in order to get instructions on their caping requirements. However, the following techniques are generally acceptable.

Skinning Life-Size Big Game

There are tow major methods of skinning for a large life-size mount such as deer, elk or bear. These methods are the flat incision and the dorsal method.

The Flat Incision

The flat incision is used for rug mounts and for a variety of poses. The areas to cut are shown in (Figure 1.) Make these slits (cutting the feet free from the carcass) and pull the skin off the carcass. The head is detached as with the shoulder mount.

The Dorsal Method

The dorsal method of skinning involves a long slit down the back (from the tail base up into the neck). The carcass is skinned as it is pulled through this incision. The feet/hooves and the head are cut off from the carcass as with the shoulder mount explained later. Only use this method with approval and detailed instruction from your taxidermist. Use this method only when the skin can be frozen quickly after skinning.

Caping for a Shoulder Mount

1.With a sharp knife slit the hide circling the body behind the shoulder at approximately the mid-way point of the rib cage behind the front legs. Slit the skin around the legs just above the knees. An additional slit will be needed from the back of the leg an joining the body cut behind the legs (Figure 2A and 2B.)

2.Peel the skin forward up to the ears and jaw exposing the head/neck junction. Cut into the neck approximately three inches down from this junction. Circle the neck cutting down to the spinal column. After this cut is complete, grasp the antler bases and twist the head off the neck. This should allow the hide to be rolled up and put in a freezer until transported to the taxidermist. These cuts should allow ample hide for the taxidermist to work with in mounting. Remember, the taxidermist can cut off excess hide but he can’t add what he doesn’t have.

Note:

When field dressing a trophy to mounted, don’t cut into the brisket (chest) or neck area. If blood gets on the hide to be mounted, wash it off with snow or water as soon as possible. Also, avoid dragging the deer out of the woods with a rope. Place it on a sled, rickshaw, or 4-wheeler. The rope, rocks, or a broken branch from a dead fall can easily damage the fur or puncture the hide. If you do need to drag it out with a rope, attach the rope to the base of the antlers and drag your trophy carefully.

**Once you’ve finished be sure to ice your deer down. Keeping it cold is very important!

If it will be a few days before you drop it off, freeze it.

Things you want to avoid:

Avoid any unnecessary transportation tools that could cause extra damage to the hide: like rope to move the animal.

Avoid excess blood on the hide. Some blood is inevitable but try to keep this to a minimal.

Deliver the cape to your taxidermists as soon as possible so it can be properly preserved.

Note:

Because of the various diseases that wild game transmit to humans, always use extreme caution when handling the carcass. Use rubber or latex gloves and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after handling.

Very_Intense_Hunting_Scene

We are excited to offer you some new choices for your 2011 deer mounts. Please take a tour through our 2011 Deer Catalog.

Preserving Your Trophies for A Lifetime of Memories!

B&B Taxidermy specializes in preserving your trophies for a lifetime of memories. Check out some of our customers trophy rooms. Watch the video here.

State Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples  took to the air in Southeast Texas to show how helicopters can be used to hunt feral hogs.

The demonstration in Beaumont was part of the kickoff Wednesday of a statewide competition to reduce the state’s feral hog population.

“We need all hands on deck.  We need everyone participating.  I have declared October as get the hog out of Texas month,” Staples said.

According to a statement from Staples’ office Tuesday, the Hog Out Challenge is aimed at cutting into the hog population, and highlighting the nearly $500 million in damage that feral hogs cause each year to the Texas landscape.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department estimates the state’s feral hog population to be as large as 2.6 million.

The state hog-hunting competition runs from October through December. The county with the most hogs killed—by any hunting method—will get money from the state.

“If we don’t do more to control feral hogs, they’ll take over from deer, turkeys, quail and other native game,” said Bobby Standefer of Fort Worth, one of the event organizers. “A lot of deer hunters kill hogs, but most of them could do more and the Texas Feral Hog Roundup gives them an incentive.”

The incentives, of course, are prizes, including an all-terrain vehicle for first place in each of the four state regions. There’s an entry fee, of course – $150 for gun hunters, $100 for archery hunters.

Gun hunters will be scored on their heaviest five hogs killed from Oct. 1-Dec. 31, though as many as 100 hogs can be weighed in. Archery hunters are scored on the single heaviest hog during the event. There’s the added grand prize incentive of a new truck, but Standefer said the truck will be awarded in a random fashion as yet undecided and might not be won by any of the regional champs.

Hunting hogs from a deer stand may not be as dramatic as chasing them down with a helicopter, but the traditional method is a lot more relaxing.

Get the contest details here.

Sources:http://www.kens5.com/news/Texas-Ag-commissioner-kicks-off-feral-hog-hunting-contest-130356763.html

http://www.americanhoghunting.com/

Check out some more of our customers photos from their 2011 South African safari trips! Thank you for sharing with us!

Watch it here.

If you haven’t had a chance, share your hunting photos with us on our facebook page or email us at jo@bbtaxidermy.com to be featured in our blog. Whether it’s your first deer, favorite exotic, or even your latest trophy addition – we’d love to see it and share it with our hunters.

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Check out our youtube page for current and archived videos for your viewing pleasure.

Current year Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except year-to-date fishing licenses) expire Aug. 31, and new licenses for 2011-2012 will go on sale Monday, Aug. 15.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issues about 2.1 million hunting and fishing licenses annually through the agency’s 28 field offices, more than 65 state parks and at over 1,500 retailers across Texas.

For a $5 administrative transaction fee, licenses may also be purchased online through the TPWD Web site, click here, or by phone 800-895-4248.

Updated Requirements:

Dove Hunting

In addition to a hunting license, all wing shooters will need to purchase a  game bird stamp. To hunt dove or teal in September, a Migratory Game Bird Stamp ($7) is required.

Duck hunters also need to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and receive HIP (Harvest Information Program) certification. HIP  certification involves a brief survey of the previous year’s hunting  success and is conducted at the time licenses are purchased.  Certification will be printed on the license.

Lifetime license holders must also be HIP-certified and purchase the Federal Duck Stamp to hunt migratory birds. All other state stamp endorsements are included  with a lifetime license.

There are other mandatory endorsements to consider at the time of purchase, too. An Upland Game Bird Stamp ($7) is required to hunt all non-migratory game birds, including turkey, quail, pheasant, chachalaca and lesser prairie chicken.

Of course, anyone who purchases the Super Combo license package, the best bang for the buck at $68, automatically gets these needed stamps. Sportsmen ages 65 and older qualify for a discounted Senior Super Combo for $32. Duck hunters will still need to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp.

Lifetime License Drawing

Hunters and anglers can also take care of their licensing requirements for life with the purchase of an $1,800 Lifetime Super Combo, or you can enter for a chance at winning a lifetime license through a special drawing.
Entries for the Lifetime License Drawing cost $5 each and may be purchased wherever licenses are sold. There is no limit on the number of entries that may be purchased. Winners will be drawn on Dec. 30, 2011 and June 30, 2012. If you enter by Dec. 27, 2011, you will be eligible for both drawings.


Mandatory Hunter Education Certification

Hunter Education Certification is also required of any hunter born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 and who is at least 17 years old.

For hunters who are unable to participate in a hunter education course before hunting season for whatever reason, TPWD does offer a deferral option that allows people 17 years of age or older a one-time only extension to complete the state’s hunter education requirements.The individual must first purchase a hunting license and then may purchase the deferral option No. 166. Hunters using the deferral must be accompanied by someone 17 years old or older also licensed to hunt in Texas.

The accompanying individual must have completed hunter education or be exempt from the requirements (born before Sept. 2, 1971). The extension is good for one license year, by which time the person with the deferred option needs to complete a hunter education course. This option is not available to those who have ever received a conviction or deferred adjudication for lack of hunter education certification. They still must take the course before going afield.

For information concerning the latest regulations and articles on hunting and fishing in Texas, check out the 2011-2012 Outdoor Annual available Sept. 1 in print and online. The online Annual also includes a format easily downloadable for use on smart phones for quick field reference.

The Hunter and Huntress Take Lions in South Africa

Watch the video here.