Mounting a Quebec Caribou

Mounting a Quebec Caribou

Two caribou in velvet that Garry collected in Quebec in September, 2001

Garry mounted this Quebec Caribou for a customer. For those of you interested in the process of creating a large taxidermy mount, here are some photos of the procedure.

Here is the tanned caribou cape and antlers.

This photo shows the ear cartilage removed, the plastic ear liners and glass eyes. The ear liners and eyes come from a taxidermy supply company.

Before the project is started, after measuring the cape and antlers, Garry orders a molded foam manikin from a taxidermy supply company. Here is the caribou form with the antlers attached.

Next, the glass eyes are attached to the manikin using clay.

The eyelids and eyebrows are sculpted in the clay.

Next, the manikin is coated with a special glue (hide paste) for taxidermy.

Here, the skin is ready to be set onto the manikin.

The lip skin needs to be tucked into the slots on the manikin. The mounting stand allows the manikin to be turned so that you can work on it from all sides.

Sewing up the seams!  The mount will need to dry for about 2 weeks.

Finished Quebec Caribou, along with other projects in progress in the shop. The final touches involve epoxy work around the eyes, nose and lips, followed by painting the fleshy areas of the caribou.

This is another finished Quebec Caribou. Note the difference in color of the fur.

Caribou vary a lot in color.

Here's Garry with two caribou with antlers in velvet that he collected on his last trip to Quebec from September 2001. I've named the one mounted on our wall Carlton, and over the holidays he was adorned with gold beads and ornaments. 

Two caribou in velvet that Garry collected in Quebec in September, 2001