Trophy Care Before Drop-Off

Proper care of your trophy begins the moment the animal is recovered. Heat, moisture, and bacteria can begin damaging the hide quickly, especially around the face, ears, eyes, and hair follicles.

Getting your trophy cooled and into the freezer as soon as possible gives us the best material to work with and helps protect the quality of your finished mount.

Get Your Trophy to Us as Soon as Possible

Whenever possible, contact JTV Trophy Preserve shortly after your harvest and arrange drop-off as soon as you can.

If you cannot bring your trophy to us right away, it needs to be properly cooled and frozen.

For a Shoulder Mount

If you are comfortable skinning your animal, skin the hide up to the base of the skull and leave the head attached to the cape. Do not attempt to skin the face, eyes, ears, lips, or nose unless you are experienced with caping.

Leave plenty of cape. It is always better for your taxidermist to have too much hide than not enough.

Once caped, keep the hide clean, cool it as quickly as possible, place it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, remove excess air, seal it, and freeze it promptly.

Get Your Trophy to Us as Soon as Possible

Whenever possible, contact JTV Trophy Preserve shortly after your harvest and arrange drop-off as soon as you can.

If you cannot bring your trophy to us right away, it needs to be properly cooled and frozen.

If You Are Not Comfortable Skinning It

WE WILL SKIN YOUR TROPHY ONSITE AT OUR LOCATIONS IF YOU ARE NOT SURE HOW TO PROPERLY SKIN THE SPECIMEN!!! CALL BEFORE DROP OFF 810-656-0243 OR 810-656-9307

Don't risk damaging your trophy.

Keep the animal as cool as possible and contact JTV Trophy Preserve. We would much rather help you determine the best way to handle it than have you make a cut that cannot be repaired.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

  • Do not leave your trophy in a warm garage, vehicle, trailer, or outside in direct sunlight.

  • Do not leave a cape rolled up while it is still warm.

  • Do not cut the cape too short behind the shoulders.

  • Do not cut the throat.

  • Do not make unnecessary cuts around the brisket or front legs.

  • Do not attempt to skin around the eyes, ears, lips, or nose unless you know how to properly cape a head.

  • Do not wait several days before freezing because the “weather feels cool”.

When in Doubt — Freeze It!

Time and temperature matter. If you cannot get your trophy to JTV Trophy Preserve promptly, properly prepare it and get it frozen as soon as possible.

A few extra minutes of proper care in the field can make a major difference in preserving the trophy and giving us the best possible starting point for your mount.

CALL US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR HARVEST JOSH 810-656-0243 or MIKE 810-656-9307