Looking for Velvet Preserving Tips

[Bownsaw30]

Hey, so this is the first year that I might have a legitimate chance at harvesting a "nice" whitetail buck in velvet with my bow. It's not my goal to harvest him(s) in velvet, just that if I get a chance at him while he's in velvet I'm not going to pass on him. I'd rather him be hard "horned" less to deal with and less expensive I presume. And I just want to be prepared ie. having the products I need in my pack to preserve my trophy.

So here are the questions:
1) What do I need to do immediately to preserve the velvet?
2) How long do I have to get it to a taxidermist (should I have one lined up prior to the season start?)
3) Do I need to keep the velvet on? (will the antlers be soft/ easily broken if I remove the velvet with no other preparation? )
4) Has anybody seen a velvet euro mount or anything other than a shoulder/ half mount that looks decent?
(as a student really could use the cash in other departments, ie. food)


Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

[reddeerhunter]

Boil meat off head.
Add Raid to the velvet. Heard it works.
Just peel velvet off works too.
Cheapest way possible.
I did some euros in a steel garbage can with a pail heater over cpl days and 2l javex. Those wt turned out great.

[dshaw]

Get it to your taxidermist as soon as you can. if you can't, the best way to keep it from spoiling is to put the whole head in the freezer and then when you get time take it your taxidermist. I don't see too many velvet Euro mounts as the steam from boiling tends to peel the velvet if not done right. Beetles are a possibility to but I would think they would eat the velvet. The ones I have seen done looked really good though.

[NBFK]

Shot this guy august 26th one year. Caped him out and cleaned as much flesh off as possible. Threw him in the freezer until November and then moved him to the shed until around February. Cleaned the skull and let him finish drying in the garage. Freezing the antlers makes it tighten up over time. It will still be a bit loose once he unthaws but there won't be much left for moisture in the velvet.
Biggest thing is to be really careful once a velvet critters down. I killed a mulie last year that was days away from rubbing. I was real careful with him in the field. Made sure his his antlers were on something soft in the back of the truck when I transported him. I'm getting him shoulder mounted so Marco did some formaldehyde injections on him.


This is the one I did myself at home.

[3blade]

The antlers will be bone white, VERY sharp and hard underneath the velvet. I shot a one-antlered buck 2 yrs ago, dont really care for the look of velvet anyway, just peeled it off with pliers. Gotta do it relatively quick, before it starts to dry. Wash the blood off the antlers immediately and stain once dried (if you wish).

If you really, really like the look...talk to a taxidermist. Otherwise you can save money, strip it and do a euro yourself.

You can make the antler velvet into magic medicine

[Lefty-Canuck]

I shot an early archery season moose years ago, velvet still on. Used a pressure washer to clean them up and they turned from pink to white and look like they sat in the sun for 50 years.

LC

[Roughneck Country]

Originally Posted by NBFK

Shot this guy august 26th one year. Caped him out and cleaned as much flesh off as possible. Threw him in the freezer until November and then moved him to the shed until around February. Cleaned the skull and let him finish drying in the garage. Freezing the antlers makes it tighten up over time. It will still be a bit loose once he unthaws but there won't be much left for moisture in the velvet.
Biggest thing is to be really careful once a velvet critters down. I killed a mulie last year that was days away from rubbing. I was real careful with him in the field. Made sure his his antlers were on something soft in the back of the truck when I transported him. I'm getting him shoulder mounted so Marco did some formaldehyde injections on him.


This is the one I did myself at home.

Nice! DIY freeze dry on a euro, I will deff try this some day if I get the chance.

When my buddy and I went to Alaska in Sept he got a caribou in velvet early on in the hunt. I think day 3 or 4 of a 21 day trip. He kept his antlers in the shade and it was plenty warm during the day but cool not freezing at night. They made it back in one piece and were still able to be preserved. I would still bring them in asap and keep cool but it does see they will keep for awhile if there are not in direct heat.

[Bownsaw30]

Thanks for all the advice! I do have access to 37% formaldehyde, and all the safety equipment so I'll probably end up going that route if I harvest a buck in velvet. Or I might just peel it and stain it..... not the first choice but we'll see lol

As for the mount I think I'll just do a classic fabric wrapped plaque. Saw a couple velvet mule deer ones on the web and they looked pretty sharp.

Thanks again everyone and If there are any other tips feel free to post it's still awhile till opening day!!