Antlers with Velvet

[turk2di]

Do u do anything special to them to preserve them? Here in Ky, with our season starting on Sept 3rd, there is a good chance on busting one still in velvet.

[Win Mag]

Man i would love to take a buck in velvet.Just won't happen in IL.
I'm going to have to do a early season out of state deer hunt,where you guys get to start earlier.

[taxidermywoman23]

Turk2di,

Sorry bout the slow response. If by any chance you do get a Deer still in velvet you must treat it just like you would the cape. Get it in the FREEZER ASAP. Remember Velvet is flesh almost like the cape. It can spoil just as quick. When you put the horns in the freezer make sure you wrap them up good in 2 or 3 garbage bags to help prevent freezer burn. You will also want to get the deer to a taxidermist ASAP because if you leave it in the freezer to long the velvet will freezer burn.

Their are 3 methods I know of or have herd of used to preserve velvet. ( DO NOT TRY AND PRESERVE THEM YOURSELF)

1. submerge in Denatured alcohol and water. Inject denatured alcohol into veins and let dry. Once dry mount the deer.

2. Freeze dry.

3. Inject Fermaldihyde ( I don't know how it's spelled, LOL) in the all the veins in the rack and flush out the blood. Submerge in a fermaldihyde and water bath and than let it dry. Than mount deer.

[HighTechRedneck]

You can freeze dry them fairly easy. It just takes time. Approx. 1 year in a regulay dep freeze will do the trick. I have a rack off of a road kill that I freeze dried a few years ago. It might go on a head one of these days, but for now it's just on a placque.

[Mobe]

If you can get your hands on the formaldehyde be careful. It is absorbed through the skin and is a carcinogen. But it does work.