Caping an elk head?

I

iccyman001

New member
Apr 30, 2014
5,489
Does anyone have any tips when caping an elk head for mount?


Do any of your hang your animal up so you can peel the skin down as you go?
Or is it mostly ground \"surgery\"


Normally on a deer I just make my cuts all up top, while peeling down the bottom.
Then when I get to the skull I just cut it from where it meets the neck.

I dont peel passed that. I know some people do, but I am always worried I would mess up the eye sockets.
 
The hardest part is getting the hide away from up & under the antler burr.
A large flat head screw driver does a good job by prying the hide away a little at a time.
 
On an elk it\'s pretty much \"ground surgery\". As Brad mentions...a flathead screwdriver can make short work of getting the hide out around the antler pedicles.

From there, sticking your finger in the eye socket/ tear ducts from the outside can help you locate them on the inside. Just cut close to the skull and they will come loose.

When you get down to the lips, just cut around the gumline from the outside first. Then, it can be pretty easily skinned down from the inside, and you have your cape.

Personally...I am NOT packing out an elk skull two miles straight up! I will saw out the skull plate, and completely skin the cape down and off the head.
 
\"elkmtngear\" said:
Personally...I am NOT packing out an elk skull two miles straight up! I will saw out the skull plate, and completely skin the cape down.
Click to expand...

you cape the shoulders down to the complete head? then cut the skull cap?

anyone:
what would your strategy be, if you fully intend to do a euro mount? cape face, remove jaw and go? a full cape is heavy cargo. brutal.
 
\"elky McElkerson\" said:
\"elkmtngear\" said:
Personally...I am NOT packing out an elk skull two miles straight up! I will saw out the skull plate, and completely skin the cape down.
Click to expand...

you cape the shoulders down to the complete head? then cut the skull cap?

anyone:
what would your strategy be, if you fully intend to do a euro mount? cape face, remove jaw and go? a full cape is heavy cargo. brutal.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was talking about a full cape. I can\'t see packing out the whole head in that scenario.

If I was going euro, I would pack out skull only, no jaw or hide.
 
I caped out his bull with intentions to do a euro and sell the cape.
I packed the head, cape and a front quarter out then finished camping at camp








 
\"cnelk\" said:
I caped out his bull with intentions to do a euro and sell the cape.
Click to expand...

I didn\'t realize you could sell the capes. What kind of money do you get for that?
 
Derek
Yes, there are taxidermists that want capes. I would recommend you talk to a couple before you go hunting to see what they are needing.
I do know they like early season capes more than later season. That is because the hair is finer and the hide/hair shows more definition in the mount.
I sold my moose cape for $100
I gave the elk cape above to a taxidermist in hopes to get $50. He later told me that the cape was ruined because I didn?t cut far enough back and there wasnt enough hide for a shoulder mount. I showed him the same pic above and also told him to give me the cape back. Then he said he threw it out. I then stuck out my hand and asked for my $50.
That didn?t happen.
So, I was out $50, but the taxidermist is out A LOT more than that since I don?t refer anyone to him anymore and give him negative feedback every chance I get.
Like I said, talk to the taxidermist(s) before you go. If you don?t have to cape something out, don?t. They can be a pain to take care of out in the field until you get them back to civilization.
 
Matt
It is MUCH easier to cape them back at camp if you can. It is not a fast chore
 
\"mandrroofing\" said:
How long do you have before you need to get the cape on ice?

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

In the past, we have used salt (the day after the kill). Keeps it an extra day or two until you can get the meat out and then on ice.
 
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