bigcountry

I got several mounts downstairs in my house from squirrels to pheasents to turkey fans to deer and antalope heads.. There is not much ventiliation in that room, and I have a wood stove. So humidity in the winter time is like 30% or very low according to my little meter.

Is there anything I can do to ensure my mounts stay in good condition? Especially the deer and stuff. I thought maybe theres somethign I can spray on that would moisturize them.

NO_GILLS

A water kettle on the wood stove will help the humidity, it is never a good idea to hang a mount over or next to a wood stove. it will cause the mount to dry out and crack, brittle hair etc. If you check out Van Dykes or Mckenzies, they have a conditioner that you can spray on older mounts to revitalize them.

rost495

Fish you just keep wiped down with a damp cloth and or dusted well.

Birds keep dusted and thats about all you can do.

Anything thats tanned(or even not) with fur will loose its natural oils. That needs to be kept up. As mentioned McKenziesp.com and others have agents to help. But funny as it sounds you can keep the mount dusted and spray a towel with WD40 and wipe it on. Not on the nose or other painted and sealed areas but on hair areas and it will do wonders for them. Its also how to keep snakes kept well. Snakes I just flat out spray ever so often.

Hope that helps some. I neglect my own mounts just like most do. But I try to help them once a year or so. Like a plumber has a leaky commode I suspect. And maybe now that I'm out of the business and only part timing it, I can get my own stuff done in the next 5 years

Jeff

Bill Yox

As a taxidermist, I always suggest no products be sprayed on the mounts. The feather duster is your best bet. If they get dirty, spraying windex or another GOOD window cleaner ON THE RAG, not the mount, then gently wiping, will help. WD-40 and other products are often suggested to help, but that itself attracts and holds dust. Your very best bet is always preventive maintanence, cleaning and dusting before they get bad. I know, they sell mount sprays, but then again, companies also sell hair tonic to grow hair...

rost495

Bill

You are right on keeping them clean. Unfortunately over the years the hide and hair will loose the oil it has in it from the tanning process. And I know that more oil attracts dust, BUT if the tanneries use oil in some form, in the first place, it can't be all that bad and has never damaged any of our mounts. Though I don't have anything that I've done thats over 25 years old yet.

FWIW Windex has ammonia, I believe, and that'll even help rid the oil that you need to keep in the first place.

Jeff

Bill Yox

Jeff, the tanneries oil the skin, the leather, not the hair itself. After oiling, the skins hair is cleaned of this oil in a tumbler using hardwood sawdust. If I were to put anything on the hair itself, and I wouldnt, I might look at silicone, only as a deterent for static. Yes, I suggested Windex as a cleaner because it will cut the grease and oils that might accumulate on a mount as dirt. Just for kicks, if you guys get an absolute grungy mount that you wanna try to salvage, try oven cleaner, directly on the mount. This isnt for a high-end mount, but for a really old dirty thing, when its this or the dumpster, try it. It foams up and it can be rinsed off. Then allow the mount to dry well. Itll often salvage a cruddy one.