When you decide to bring a newly harvested animal to the taxidermist, you’re set on preserving that hunt forever and pay a substantial amount of money to do so. Depending on the environment that it’s in, it can be easy to neglect your trophy after some time and unfortunately deterioration can be the result. Here are a few simple ways to keep your taxidermy looking as realistic and clean as possible.
1.Ammonia and water
There’s really no precise measurement for this recipe, but by adding some ammonia to a bucket and cutting it with water, you’ll have a safe cleaner that can be applied to the mount and will help to cut through dust. Remember to wring out your applicator, as the idea is just to have a damp towel or sponge and not a soaking wet deer head.
2.Glass Cleaner
One of the easiest things that you can do to bring your mount back to life is by taking a Q-tip and some glass cleaner and cleaning the eyes. By using a Q-tip, you’ll be able to get into the tight crevices that hold a ton of dust.
3.Brush
If you have access to a suede or horsehair brush, this will be a crucial tool every few months to keeping your mounts looking perfect. Over time, the hair can settle and look flat. By brushing the hair (always with the grain, never against), you can keep your taxidermy looking like it just came out of the woods.
Remember, caring for taxidermy isn’t rocket science, but it does require some delicate processes. Too much pressure or using a harmful product can damage the finish, ruin paint and even stain your mount.