Taking care of your specimen in the field is important in ensuring that you receive a quality mount. While transporting the carcass, keep it clean and cool, and freeze inside a plastic bag or bring it to a taxidermist as soon as possible. Heat will cause bacteria to grow, which will cause the hair to slip. Blood can also cause hair slippage, so wash any blood off the hide as soon as you are able. Dragging animals on the ground can damage the hair or hide, so be careful while moving your trophy. Do not hang an animal by the neck with a rope. Use gloves when handling the carcass to protect yourself from disease.
Small game should be taken to a taxidermist immediately or frozen whole and skinned by the taxidermist only. Freeze inside a plastic bag to prevent freezer burn.
To cape for a deer shoulder mount, make a cut around the rib cage behind the front legs, making sure to leave plenty of hide to work with. Cut the skin around the legs above the knees, then connect the leg cuts and body cut with another cut to the backs of the legs. Do not cut the brisket or throat area. Skin upwards to where the head and neck meet, and cut through the neck meat about three inches down from here, leaving the hide attached to the head. Hold the antlers and twist to remove the head from the spinal column. The head and cape can now be bagged and frozen.
Big game can be skinned with either a dorsal incision or a flat incision. Avoid cutting hair while skinning.
Please have the necessary tags for your animal.