When caping a big game animal that you intend to shoulder-mount, be sure to leave plenty of hide for the taxidermist to work with. (Shutterstock photo)
October 24, 2025
By Mike Gnatkowski
The taxidermy adorning my home and office represents special times and memories with close friends. Every time I look at them, the mounts transport me to unique moments that have occurred throughout my life. If you’ve been hunting long enough, you might have a substantial amount of money invested in your taxidermy, so why not take care of it? Mounts can last well beyond our own lifetimes if they are crafted by a quality taxidermist and adequately maintained. Most don’t require a lot of upkeep, but periodic cleaning and dusting can enhance their appearance and longevity.
As with anything, you get what you pay for when it comes to taxidermy. Master taxidermists know how to properly flesh and prepare the skin, ensuring it stands the test of time, so shop around and enlist the services of an experienced taxidermist for your most cherished mounts.
FIELD CARE The first step to a quality mount occurs in the field.
“You want to get as much blood as possible off the animal, especially if it’s a Dahl sheep or mountain goat with white hair,” says Amy Wicklund of Legends Taxidermy in Scottsville, Mich. “You need to treat the skin like meat. Skin the animal and let it cool as much as possible before putting it in a tote or bag. Don’t immediately roll the skin up. That only retains heat.”
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It pays to treat the animal with kid gloves if you plan on having it mounted.
“Don’t drag it or tie a rope to its antlers or neck,” says Wicklund. “It’s best to get the animal to a taxidermist as soon as possible, but you can keep the hide frozen for an extended period if you make sure it doesn’t get freezer burn. Once the taxidermist gets it, they’ll let it thaw, salt it, flesh out the ears, nose and lips, and send it off to the tannery.”
When skinning the animal, it’s a good policy to leave more of the hide than you might think necessary for the taxidermist to work with. Birds are fragile, and field care of a bird you plan to mount is critical. Spread the wings and look for shot damage if you’re planning on a flying mount. Try to prevent hard-mouthed retrievers from mauling the bird. Cool the bird immediately, especially if the outside temperature is warm. Decomposition begins immediately when the mercury is up. Get the bird on ice or in the refrigerator as soon as possible. It was once common practice to place a bird you wanted to have mounted in a leg of pantyhose or a newspaper cone. However, doing so is a good way to promote freezer burn. Instead, place the bird in a large plastic bag and force out as much air as possible before freezing, but get it to your taxidermist as soon as possible.
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IN-HOME CARE Many of us are fortunate to have taken a trophy deer, elk or pronghorn that we’d love to hang over the fireplace. Unfortunately, that’s probably the worst place you could put it. Along with moisture and sunlight, heat is one of the worst things you can subject your mount to, and the dry heat from a fireplace or woodstove can cause excessive drying. Fish and mammals seem to be the most susceptible to damage from dry conditions. Long-term exposure can cause a fish mount to yellow and fade.
Regular dusting and cleaning can go a long way toward keeping your mounts in top condition, and neither requires a great deal of time or money. Gently wipe the dust from big game mounts by dusting with the hair, not against it. Use compressed air to lightly blow dust out of crevices that can’t be reached by a duster. One expert I spoke to advised using a product called Cowboy Magic, a horse show spray, to bring out a natural shine and prevent dust from gathering. Others recommend products like Endust. Brush the hair gently with the grain after spraying. You can use a pet brush or a clean, dry cloth.
The luster of the eyes can be restored quite easily by gently wiping them with a small amount of glass cleaner on a cotton swab. The shine of antlers can be restored with a 50-50 mix of Murphy’s Oil Soap and water. The solution prevents the antlers from drying out and restores their original luster. Use a small brush to work the mixture into the tight spots at the base of the antlers.
Occasional dusting and smoothing of hair or fur will keep your mounts looking good and help preserve them for years to come. (Mike Gnatkowski photo) Apply petroleum jelly with a cotton swab or your finger around the eyes and to the nose. A small amount is adequate. The jelly will bring back a lifelike sheen and prevent the areas from drying out. A bit of shoe polish can be used to restore the black luster of the nose if necessary.
FOR THE BIRDS Waterfowl and other bird mounts have become works of art in recent years, though birds are the most difficult mounts to care for because of their fragility. The most important thing is to keep a bird mount dusted regularly so that the dust doesn’t build up.
Don’t use water to dust or bring out the luster of a bird’s feathers, as that can mat the plumage. Instead, lightly coat a soft rag with lacquer thinner and gently wipe the mount in the direction of the feathers. Lacquer thinner evaporates, cleaning the mount while leaving behind the original colors and luster of the mount. Like with any mount, keep birds out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources. Direct sunlight will bleach and fade feathers.
My friend had an exceptional mount of a greater prairie chicken that he shot on a trip to Kansas. It was the focal point of his man cave until his friend’s visiting German short hair decided to eat it. My favorite flushing rooster mount once had its tail realigned during a kids’ pillow fight. Dogs, cats and kids can be the worst enemies of treasured mounts, so don’t put your taxidermy where it’ll be in harm’s way. Mounts are repairable in many cases, but it’s better not to have to deal with that in the first place.
This article was featured in the October 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
