HOW TO CLEAN A DEER MOUNT

[@MrTrapper1111]

The world needs more Rodney’s

[@gregkobylarz8648]

You guys are great woodsmen. But more importantly you guys are great teachers. Whether or not you realize it, the lesson that you are teaching us is "Enthusiasm". After watching many of your Maine videos, I constantly notice how your party can really keep up the spirit after a few deer less hunts. I have hunted out of several Maine deer lodges and I have seen countless times where hunters come up from states like Pa, NJ, and NY where they are accustomed to seeing several deer every time out. When some of these same hunters go up to northern Maine, and do not see a deer for three days, they totally get defeated and give up and never return to such a beautiful place.

[@mtndeer]

Very true Greg, when the hunt becomes about the deer only and not the story of the hunter, it’s easy to get discouraged. Well said. 👍

[@darinwolfe3619]

Great advice for keeping your mounts looking great 👍

[@laceykraft2382]

This was great, thank you! Brought my mulie right back into good shape. Thanks!

[@bobbygreen2291]

Rodney if they don’t like the videos , they have not watched them , folks every one is a blessing , just to see what these guys have to go through just to get a deer is almost unbelievable, I suggest that you watch the grunt buck video all the way through and then you will see what I’m talking about ,,,unbelievable

[@markcalevro9233]

Thanks for the tips on cleaning my mounts Good luck hunting

[@stevenmartin8924]

You people are awesome in all you do. I first watched your video's last fall in a (Maine hunting search), and said, "who are these guys from Vermont?" In finding you I ended up bringing my deer down to be mounted. Thanks, I know it will be top shelf work..

[@perrykeith296]

Sounds like that would be a good throw back Thursday video

[@richardbogucki675]

Hi Rodney! Hope you had a great summer. Wishing you a very safe and successful deer season. God bless!

[@mtndeer]

You too Richard! Good luck this season 😊👍🏔🦌

[@richiecaelwarts7873]

i asked you about cleaning a while back you told me how and what to use I thank you for that. i used char coal lighter fuel its a order less product to worked great thanks Rodney .

[@huntswildgame]

Great how to, good way to keep those special memories fresh

[@sethbabb1305]

You guys look like a good time love watching the videos it must be the New England child’s in us that we get amazed by something as little as paint thinner and windex haha but keep videos going can’t wait deer season almost here maybe we will run into each other at cabelas because I am only 10 minutes from the Scarborough one and u seem to be there a lot

[@sgtmajfode]

Great tips! Thank you

[@jimmanahan315]

great info, just what I was looking for.

[@lambertsaldi1550]

Rodney great Review thank you 👍 🎏🦌 The Vermonter

[@badjer4328]

My grandfather passed last month and I inherited his and his father's antlers, one has part of the scalp, the other is mounted on a leather bust. They have been mounted in the rafter area of his living room for over 30 years. He smoked a pack a day in that living room till damn near the day he died. For the first time since I was in diapers, I pulled those antlers off the wall, and my god there are sticky with tar, dust, and coal ash from his coal stove near the entrance in the next room over. I'm gonna research more videos, but this right here might be the ticket to getting them ready for his memorial in a couple weeks

[@mtndeer]

Go with the milder stuff at first soup and water etc

[@jhuntley575]

Rodney is the man

[@nathananderson9214]

I'm assuming you would use that scented varnish for velvet antlers to clean them off as well?

[@jenniferlawson9132]

Lazer sheen is silicone based . Can I still use that ? And what about hoof polish for the horns . I have horses and chickens I'm just wonder . I'm sitting here looking at my first mount I ever had . And I wanna make it beautiful.

[@AnotherAmerican]

Love the vids keep it up, seems like everybody likes the how tos

[@ZehBoosie]

I just bought a 20+ year old Rocky Mountain elk and I’m trying to get him all fixed up. How do I get the mild smell it puts off to not be as noticeable as it is right now? I have febreze fabric heavy duty but I might hold off that for now. Also how could I touch up the hide around the eyes and mouth from the cracking? Any particular paint you suggest to paint the nose back to black and clearcoat you use? Appreciate the video sir

[@mtndeer]

Keep old mounds and dry even humidity. Leather can absorb orders and this can increase or decrease with humidity so staying dry is always good. The other thing that happens is there is a contraction and expansion of the leather with the ambient. moisture. So if there was any pressure it has to give somewhere and it might crack. McKenzie taxidermy supply sells a two-part clay type Apoxsee called magic sculpt. Mixed to even amounts fill in under the cracks and on top of them after and smooth with a wet finger or dental instrument. Then paint back to original. This leaves the leather loose but keeps it from getting worse and hides the crack much as Bondo in a fender. Sometimes Johnson’s baby powder or always my baby powder can assist with old smells. And Lysol Can be fairly effective as well.

[@brucemaatta5859]

As a new taxidermist who you helped inspire, I get a lot from your taxidermy stuff too - thanks. Who / what was your go to when you were learning how to do turkeys?

[@mtndeer]

Bruce Maatta I attended the New York State taxidermy association meat and there I listen to a seminar from Calli Morse. He’s a world champion taxidermist for turkeys and heat freeze dries all my heads. Hazel creek taxidermy

[@brucemaatta5859]

@@mtndeer thanks for the info

[@maverick5162010]

Hi Rodney, love you and the family. Love, not like, these videos. -Yeah, we need a "love button". lol Keep them coming. You touched on mounts cracking. What can be done for my mounts that are cracked around the nose and eyes or lips? Thanks, great stuff - as always! :)

[@mtndeer]

maverick5162010 the openings that develop over time from expansion and contraction (drying) can be filled and painted like body work on a car. I use sculp all and hide paste or even bondo on the bad ones then paint to blend it in ... go for it match color with what’s there.

[@maverick5162010]

@@mtndeer Thank you very much!! :)

[@MrJackchap]

Great buck, thanks for the tips

[@whitetailfrenzy2557]

So many guys want to see you guys featured on whitetail cribs.... you guys have to go on and show off your shop/mounts

[@bocfus3877]

Thanks for the tips man

[@rbljackson]

Got lucky....my elk mount came off the wall after christmas....Luckily, the xmas tree actually caught most of the blow, and the elk did not incur damage...I got lucky! I plan to do the cleaning before putting it back up. What do you recommend for refinishing the shine on the nose? I didnt hear it mentioned what the product was that you used to shine the nose on the whitetail...thanks!

[@mtndeer]

most any kind of clear coat even auto will work

[@user-mo8gw9om1z]

What paint did you use clear coat for nose??

[@eddieodwyer3727]

Thanks for the info!

[@kevinclark3557]

what product did you use on the nose? Modge Podge?

[@sambricker4731]

Starting at about 550 in the video you are showing the back of the mount and where moths will sometimes lay larvae and chew on the hairs . So what do you do if you notice hair is slipping/falling out? Is the a product that can be used to spray on there to kill them and their larvae? Any tips on this?

[@ryanbarrows4355]

Can you put a set of antlers on a mount i already have??? Please let me know

[@mtndeer]

We probably can switch them. Would need to look at the mount and the new set. Bases can sometimes be an issues but we do it a lot.

[@north6481]

Archery season is here in Wisconsin..you guys do any archery hunting videos? Thanks for all your tips you guys are awesome!

[@lukesize542]

Thanks for the tips! I'm supposed to get my buck mount back this month, so I'll keep the advice in mind.

[@mtndeer]

What did you get for a mount? Deer?

[@lukesize542]

@@mtndeer Yes it's a nice Virginia mountain buck I shot last November.

[@mtndeer]

Awesome! Congrats on your buck 🦌👍

[@lukesize542]

@@mtndeer thank you!

[@ryanchaffee7243]

Do you use windex for cleaning euro mounts also? Or is there a different product you use for that? Love the videos always look forward to them.

[@mtndeer]

Not usually, I would probably start with an air hose and try and blow as much of the dust and debris loose from it without wetting it and rubbing it into the cracks first. Then a dry dust cloth and wipe out it some if you have to again try not to push dirt into the cracks or any existing grease pockets where the skull appears yellow it might make it worse

[@hunterewing411]

we all can learn a lot from Rodman

[@ninjagodzilla6402]

Hello there from arkansas.i actuly have some of tbose "rice crispy" bugs on 1 of my older mounts.my wife told me "deer hair" is falling out of ur mount! So i inspected & found them.how do i kill/get rid of them? I put my mount outside in below freezing temps.will this work? Thanks.

[@mtndeer]

Inspect all your stuff pronto! Wire brush the bugs and lose hair out clean and spray , mount especially where it meets the wall on the backside. Inspect all your mounts everywhere and clean them ! Look for any food source like dog food under the refrigerator or cluster flies I don’t want any deadheads or any raw skull plates around either. I used Ray lawn and garden outside and gloves to spray. The moths are really tiny so keep the outside air and moisture away from your mounts. Birdseed can be another food source or grain. Continue inspecting finding and killing for the next few months.

[@ninjagodzilla6402]

@@mtndeer ok.yea this is bad news.i have brushed them realy good & sprayed & cleaned them.i hope this gets rid of the problem.i have 4 mounts & went ahead & cleaned them all.geez i have alot of money & time & memories invested in these mounts.

[@brianrobbins3499]

Is that paint thinner or mineral spirits

[@mtndeer]

Paint thinner

[@rbljackson]

thanks for this.....i REALLY need to pull my mounts down and do this. They are way overdue.

[@DarinWheeler1967]

Will the odorless paint thinner work on bear?

[@mtndeer]

Yep it’s perfect

[@ryanbarrows4355]

What about near wood stoves? Probly not the best place right

[@mtndeer]

If stored near high heat it can make the hair brittle and dusty. We try to put them away from either extreme hot or cold. Room temp, interior wall, away from direct sunlight, and moisture. 👍

[@lorettabarriere]

Thank you❤

[@mtndeer]

You're welcome 😊

[@richardjulian9263]

Brand of odorless paint thinner?

[@mtndeer]

I use Kleen strip green. by barr. safe paint thinner non flammable

[@Blinkie05]

Can you do the same for a moose mount too , because we have 4 and they are hard to keep clean

[@mtndeer]

We will see what we can do 😉👍🦌

[@Blinkie05]

Rodney Elmer & Mountain Deer ok thanks and good luck this season

[@patrickfredrick1975]

Another good video, any recommendations for keeping a bear rug clean ?

[@mtndeer]

Patrick Fredrick, hair dryer to blow the dust out wipe hair down with the paint thinner ( order less)on rag or paper towel) air hose will be better if it’s been on the floor.

[@karvtek]

Is odorless mineral spirits ok to use as well?

[@mtndeer]

yep has for me just not on the painted surfaces!

[@karvtek]

Rodney Elmer & Mountain Deer thank you. Also, I prefer to have a beer WHILE I’m cleaning. Lol. I’m guilty though. It’s been a couple of years since I cleaned mine.

[@FEARLESSFOX_22]

Can you use this method on a mink

[@mtndeer]

Sure!

[@FEARLESSFOX_22]

@@mtndeer Thanks

[@kaytiew2679]

I dont know if youll see this comment or not but I was wondering what you'd suggest to fix a terrible taxadermy job? I shot my first deer last fall and had him mounted... he looks absolutely horrible. Glue coming out his eyes, nose and mouth, nose and eyes painted terrible, ears are wavy, loose skin, visible stitching, supper greasy feeling... the list goes on and on. Was originally planning on paying $700+ for a competition worthy mount but got talked into going with a "family friend" instead. I'm absolutely heart broken with how he turned out. Is there anything I can do to make him bearable to look at? I'm a sculpture major with pretty good painting skills... is there anything I can try doing myself to make him better? Ive been told yhat my only real option was to get a new cape and start over but I feel like that defeats the purpose of having my first deer mounted so its really my very last resort if I cant fix him myself. Can you help me?

[@mtndeer]

Naturally watching a few taxidermy videos and learning about how it is done and there are dozens of ways may help. As far as the make up job of the painting yeah you can’t hurt anything to give it a try we can go over the top of what he’s done or you might be able to scrape some of it off and start over most any kind of glue can be chipped and picked away at and then cosmetically covered up with an airbrush or careful hand painting. A complete amount can also be washed externally with some shampoo and conditioner to help cut the greasy feel maybe. Try to keep the water from getting under the hide here. Also do you want to dry it as quickly as possible. Out in the sunshine with a hairdryer. A lot of how the hide is glued down, and probably the ears are in a great lot that you can do about without starting over. Remember we do taxidermy for feelings so you’ll have to work on your feelings as well. If you just can’t live with it. Don’t be afraid to start over, some things can get chalked up to experience and of course experience comes at a cost. I look back at some of my first mounts that I did for myself and they’re nothing special , Except they were at a place in time where I was then and again part of the story. Looking back on it now I just smile and it’s all OK.

[@jenniferlawson9132]

What about Lazer sheen ?

[@HarveyT33]

Do you have a remedy if your mount is showing signs of a moth problem?

[@mtndeer]

HarveyT33 If you discover that you have larvae chewing on your mount take it down and remove it from your game room right away and check other mounts. Go through and gently brush the hair and find out just how much is loose and where it is do you want to remove all the larvae and as many eggs as possible from it it’ll usually be near the wall but could be most anywhere , look the whole thing over good I like a small fine wire brush and gently brush at things and see where the loose are. Then outdoors I’ve use some flea bomb spray or raid type sprays to help kill the bugs. I’ve never had any of these bothered the hair myself but the more you physically remove them and then spray and place it inside of a big plastic bag or something to help contain it and take care of the problem before it gets real big and the mount is toast.

[@user-mo8gw9om1z]

How do you treat for moths

[@bren70403]

What to use on the nose?

[@mtndeer]

Most any kind of non yellowing clear coat

[@youmeweify]

How do you repair R taxidermist ⁷

[@PaulMooneyOutdoors]

Guess I'm cleaning mounts tonight lol

[@mtndeer]

😂😂👍🦌

[@joeytaylor3476]

What about removing mildew

[@mtndeer]

Mildew is the hardest to get rid of but scraping it out, and putting it near a dehumidifier will help, but there almost isn’t much of a way to get rid of it without ruining the mount

[@Gumshara]

Thanks for sharing Later

[@jake22-1]

Clean em up, thanks

[@montemaguire4596]

Ur channel just popped up I have 2 big boys

[@montemaguire4596]

Whats the going rate now days to have a deer mount ? Bc the last time I had it done was in 2015.

[@jimgallagher4939]

how do i kill the moth on my mount ?

[@mtndeer]

jim Gallagher raid lawn and garden has worked good for me and do Outdoors of course and wear some gloves or something putting some on a rag and then rubbing it in will probably be a good idea to and it’ll have a lasting affect for a while And it’s mostly for things that you’re not gonna handle. Like a flat high that you would put out of the shower something you’re probably not gonna wanna put it on that something a little less harsh probably would be better. The big thing is to not have any moisture so they don’t wanna be around to eat it in the first place

[@mattswisher1]

Like crazy

[@timfarris6801]

What about nicotine and smoke

[@mtndeer]

Tim Farris If the deer needs an out and out washing, you can actually take some soap and water go in the direction of the hair and wash it (dawn ) doing your best to not let that water get underneath the leather from the outside. Then do a quick rinse and dry it fairly quickly like on a warm day in the summer.Take an air hose to blow most of the water out and then a hair dryer to finish up