NOW WHAT? Now you have that trophy of a lifetime on the ground and before you have taken pictures. KEEP your sweaty dirty hands OFF the velvet. Try to drag your prize by the neck, not by antlers. The velvet is like paper and will rip and tear apart with H[WUDRUGLQDULO\OLWWOHHRUWΖKDGWKHRSSRUWXQLW\WRZDWFKIRXU bucks walk over to the same tree, one at a time, and strip their YHOYHWRFOHDQ�f;LQOHVVWKDQDQKRXU%HFDUHIXOQRWWRUXERXW the red summer hair on the cape also. 'HHU DUH QDWXUDOO\ VKHGGLQJ VXPPHU KDLU GXULQJ DUFKHU\ season. Chances are that it is hot, and shade will be needed just to start caping and quartering. Gently place the cape and antlers in the shade near water or stream for cooling. Set the antlers upright which will help the blood to begin GUDLQLQJ4XDUWHUWKHDQLPDODQGJHWLWLQWRJDPHEDJV�b;QHYHU SODVWLF�c;DVVRRQDVSRVVLEOH%HVXUHWRVHWWKHPLQDFRROSODFH Now there are a few decisions to make before you head back to camp. I usually cape the trophy on the spot, but that WDNHVSUDFWLFHΖSUHIHUDVKRUWLQFLVLRQ�b;GRQȇWFXWGRZQWKHEDFN RIQHFN�c;RQVKRUWKDLUHGVXPPHUDQLPDOV�f;ZKHQDWDOOSRVVLEOH You will need to use a scalpel to cut around the base of the DQWOHUVΖI\RXWU\WRSU\WKHVNLQRZLWKDVFUHZGULYHU�f;\RXZLOO damage the velvet. Be careful!! BEWARE!! Here’s the situation: You are on a guided hunt and the guide VWDUWVWRFDSH\RXUDQLPDORIDOLIHWLPH<RXKHDUKLPVD\�f;Ȋ'RQȇW ZRUU\WKHWD[LGHUPLVWFDQȴ[LWȋΖZDQW\RXWR�f;EHIRUH\RXȴUH him, take your bow and wrap it around his head and leave a Hoyt or Bowtech imprint on his forehead for days to come... 5HPHPEHUDWD[LGHUPLVWFDQQRWȴ[VWXSLG*HWLWFDSHGRXW DQGFXWWKHDQWOHUVRWKHVNXOORUXVHWKHVNXOOWRFDUU\WKHKHDG to camp. Talk to your taxidermist and learn where to properly cut the skull. When you get back to camp, there are a couple of over-the-FRXQWHUYHOYHWWUHDWPHQWVWKDWFDQEHKHOSIXOLQWKHȴHOGΖGR not have a favorite, anything helps. Injecting formaldehyde used to be the standard, but it is becoming harder to get. If you wish to use formaldehyde, try your veterinarian but be very careful it LVGDQJHURXVDQGLOOHJDOWRȵ\ZLWK Many hunters are using “antler in velvet tan”, “Velvalok” or GHQDWXUHGDOFRKROΖWȇVLQMHFWHGLQWRDQWOHUVZLWKDV\ULQJH�b;IURP DYHWVXSSO\VWRUH�c;6RDNZLWKDVSUD\ERWWOH0\VXJJHVWLRQLVWR pack up and head for a freezer…NOW… even if you hike through the night. When you pack the antlers be incredibly careful not to rub any velvet with rope or when walking through the brush. I have had guys carry the head in their arms all the way to the truck. Plan ahead and be prepared. 58 | COLORADO BOWHUNTERS ASSOCIATION | September-October 2022
Colorado Bow Hunter September/October 2022: Page 58
