MOUNTING HEADS OF LARGE GAME.
Mounting heads, of horned game especially, is a branch of taxidermy
which suffers no diminution in popularity. Such work is turned out at
the present time in far better shape than it was years ago, but many
fine heads still remain that were gathered in days of abundance of
buffalo, elk and mountain sheep.
[Illustration: SHEEP HEAD.]
In skinning horned heads never open the skin up the front of the neck;
not only are such seams difficult to hide but the skull with antlers
cannot be entirely removed from the skin as it should be.
To do this open the skin down the center of the back of the neck from
just back of the horns to the shoulders or at least half that distance.
A neck of medium length is preferable and many a fine head has been
ruined by being cut off just back of the ears.
Connect the upper end of the opening cut with the base of each horn or
antler by a short branch making the whole opening of a Y or T shape.
Turn the neck skin inside out down over the head, which in case of a
deer may rest on the antlers, until the ears are reached, cut these off
not too close to the head and the horns are next met with.
[Illustration: SKINNING HORNED HEADS. CUT ON HEAVY LINES.]
Work the skin from around the base of these with a dull knife or a small
screwdriver blade. With the same tool pry the thick skin away from the
frontal bone. When the eyes are reached have a care not to cut their
lids, working closer to the bone than the skin. Use the screwdriver
again to scoop up the skin from the so-called tear pits in front of the
eyes.
Let all the dark colored skin on the inside of the lips remain attached
to them. The skin of the neck is the thickest on the whole animal and
must be reduced by shaving. The skin of the whole head and neck should
not only be freed from all flesh and muscle but shaved to about one-half
its original thickness. For this purpose work on it with a sharp knife
or draw shave on a half rounded beam.
[Illustration: HORNED HEADS--ANTELOPE, DEER.]
Split the lips and remove their fleshy interior, split the nose
cartilage and separate it from the outer skin. With some blunt tool pry
the skin of the back of the ear from the cartilage and turn the ears
wrong side out to their tips. Give the scalp at least 24 hours' pickling
or it will be liable to excessive shrinkage on drying.
Many a fine head mounted green, without thinning or pickling, has shrunk
and continued to shrink for months, until all stitches gave way and it
cracked and shriveled to an inglorious end. If a paper head form is to
be used, the top of the skull at the base of the antlers is sawn off and
the balance of the skull discarded, the more common method will require
the cleaning of the skull with antlers remaining on it. A little boiling
will expedite this and by chopping an opening (1-1/2 inches wide in case
of a deer) into the lower part of the brain cavity the brain is removed.
This opening will also receive the end of a wooden neck standard of
plank three inches wide.
[Illustration: DEER SKULL ON STANDARD.]
A nail through the top of skull will hold it temporarily till the lower
jaw bones are placed and the whole held solid by packing the base of
skull and jaws in a mass of soft plaster which will harden in a few
minutes. This neck standard should be at right angles to the greatest
length of the head.
Measuring the neck skin where cut off gives the circumference of an
egg-shaped board, representing a cross section of the neck at that point
in a vertical line. The neck standard is sawed off at the proper place
and angle and made fast to the board by nails and screws. With a very
short neck it will be necessary to depress the nose considerably that
the antlers may not come in contact with the wall. This should all be
calculated before fixing the skull permanently on the neck standard. The
standard can be held in the vise and a little measuring will indicate
the point of attachment and angle needed to clear the wall.
[Illustration: NECK BOARD.]
Now wind excelsior on the neck standard and skull until the skinned head
and neck are roughly reproduced. Try the skin on occasionally to guide
in this.
Do not put any excelsior on the upper part of the skull and face as no
amount of flesh was removed there. Give the cheeks a natural fullness
and remember the neck was not round like a stove pipe. By sewing from
side to side the shape of the gullet and wind pipe can be molded. When
the skin is still not quite filled give the head and neck a coating of
potter's (or modelling) clay and then several coats of well pasted paper
as directed for covering manikins for large animals.
When this has completely dried out remove skin from pickle, clean and
poison it and after placing the ear forms it will be ready to cover the
head and neck. I prefer good cardboard forms for the ears though some
use only metal. Lead is too clumsy and heavy, copper and wire cloth
corrode, pure sheet tin works nicely but is expensive.
The form should receive a couple coats of liquid glue before the skin is
put on to stay. Fasten the skin in front of the eyes with a brad and
draw into place about the base of the antlers. Use a heavy needle and
waxed linen cord for this sewing. Heavy gilling twine doubled will do.
Sew up from first one and then the other antler to the central cut down
the back of the neck, tie the threads together and continue sewing down
the neck. Get the skin on face and around mouth placed, then draw the
neck skin tight and nail to the edge of the board with finishing brads
an inch or more long. Any surplus remaining can be trimmed away. A
square of rough board, screwed on the end of the neck, will enable it to
stand on the bench with nose up while the final touches are put on the
anatomy of the head and face.
[Illustration: PAPER HEAD AND EAR FORMS.]
The split lips filled with a little clay are placed and will usually
stay without pinning if the lower lips are tucked under where they
belong. Fill the end of the nose and around the nostrils nicely, no live
deer ever had a shriveled up nose. Fill under the eyebrows as the skin
there was quite thick before paring. Set the eyes, after filling sockets
with clay. A little work with a sharp awl will put the lids in place
with lashes disposed aright. If the ears have not been permanently
fixed, do so now filling out their bases with stuffers and thrusting
stout wires into the head to keep them set until dry. A few stitches are
taken to hold the skin of both sides of the ears together, when dry they
are removed. Brush the hair down and if it persists in rough spots,
paste them and then smooth down. When dry the comb and brush will remove
the scales of paste readily along with any dirt from the hair. When dry
clean the antlers and oil them lightly, brush out the hair and clean all
clay from eyes and nose. Connect the eyes and lids with black wax, model
the inside of nostrils with cream or pink wax and varnish the end of
nose and any bare lip that may show. Pins and brads that will show are
drawn out and others cut off level with the skin. The head which has
hung drying on the rough board may be removed to a finished shield as
complete.
[Illustration: FINISHED HEAD.
(Author's work.)]
The paper form method has numerous advantages but is not always
convenient to procure. It will save the beginner much tedious work and
greatly expedite matters for the professional. These forms as supplied
by dealers are of the entire head and neck. By cutting off the neck at
the proper point, nailing in the neck board and screwing the plate of
bone at the base of the antlers to a block in the top of head it is
ready to receive the skin. It will require but a short time for the skin
to dry on this foundation so the finished head is often ready to return
at the end of a week.
[Illustration: PAPER HEAD FORMS FOR ELK AND DEER HEADS.]
For a number of years I have used a modification of this process. In
this the form is cast in halves which are joined on a board cut to the
outline of the head and neck. This will afford a secure attachment for
the antlers and in addition the skin of the neck may be nailed securely
each side of the opening cut, making any ripping or opening by shrinkage
at that point forever impossible.
These paper forms may be bought or made in various sizes, so by the
addition of a small amount of some modelling material any skin is
fitted. With a supply of them on hand work can be turned out rapidly
during the busy season.
These directions for mounting will apply equally in case of moose, elk
or other large game heads, always providing supports adequate for the
larger animals. A mounted head with insufficient and wabbly mechanical
construction is not a joy forever.
The head of a common sheep or ram is a good one for the beginner, as its
coat of wool covers small defects. It is a convenient size to handle and
if not entirely successful no great expense has been incurred. On the
other hand a fairly mounted ram's head is quite ornamental and suitable,
especially on the wall of a country house.