Knight's Taxidermy Inc
7329 Arctic Blvd
Anchorage, Alaska 99518
907 344-5501
Knight's Can Preserve your Velvet Antlers !
Velvet Caribou Antlers
How to Handle your early season velvet Caribou antlers.
Early season caribou horns are growing a skin covered in a fur like hair we call velvet. This skin pumps blood to the growing horns while they are developing their size and shape. This skin eventually serves its purpose and will dry out and be rubbed off or will just start falling off in late august, depending upon where you are hunting. This velvet is easily scarred or the skin and fur rubbed off while you are transporting it from the field. So, be ready to protect the antlers as best as you can, where they touch anything. Be careful tying the horns down as the rope will tear out the hair.
The following are some suggestions to help you get your Antlers out of the field.
1. Be careful skinning around the base of antlers so you do not cut the velvet skin off leaving it on the cape.
2.When cutting off the horns from the skull , cut straight through the eye socket, level with the world. Remove the brain from the cavity.
3. Stand horns up, so they drain the blood, don't set on the tips, stand horns so they are like they were on the animals head. this will allow gravity to drain as much blood out as possible.
4. Keep horns out of the sunshine, or direct rain , if possible. Always keep in a cool dry place. They should last at least a week, depending upon weather, maybe longer.
5. Do not wrap horns in plastic, except if it's required for airline shipment.
6. Get them to our shop as soon as possible, ask your pilot to fly them out early and we will be glad to go pick them up.
7. Please understand that we do not fix all the little scuffed areas on your horns, we will color them to match your hair , so any missing area looks good.
8. Avoid Shooting your antlers as it makes things difficult to repair.
9. If we remove your velvet it will make your horns appear smaller, as the thickness will be affected. remove all that hair around horns and it will be smaller.
10. Stripped horns will need to be stained, the later in the season, or the more developed the horn is, the better the stain job you will get. early season staining is hard, very porous bone.
11. Removing the velvet skin can be as simple as pulling it off if its ready, or having to steam it off with a high power steamer.
12. Do not let it rot and dry on the bone then expect it to come off easily. It will stain the bone and make it harder to colorize.
13. WE will cut the horn into , split right down the middle, easily put back together. We must do this to them, so they will go into tanks of Russell's secret velvet sauce .
14. Do not let flies lay their eggs on your antlers, apply lemon juice or a high ph citrus acid to keep them off . Same stuff you use on your meat.
15. Never seal raw horns in a plastic bag for any long period, more than a few hours, this will cause them to spoil.
16. Do not poke holes or slice open the tips to make them drain faster, will not help.
17. Feel free to call the shop for any questions and stopping by is even better.
Velvet antlers are the natural way these animals were when harvested. I believe that keeping the velvet makes a superior mount. Staining the horns works well, but the natural way it was is my choice. I hope this helps in some way, its always hard knowing what to do so just be prepared for the choices you must make, it will help when you get into the field. Good luck !
Russell Knight