Preserving Antlers in Velvet

MiG25

MiG25

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Over the years I've taken a few bucks in velvet, the smaller ones the velvet stayed intact simply by doing nothing. On a larger buck the velvet didn't even last the night.

There are specialty products sold, but I suspect they are simply 99% Alcohol with something like a little Neatsfoot Oil added.

Anybody ever just flush/spray with alcohol and then dry?

Other tricks?
 
yeah formaldehyde typically the GO but i did see online Taxidermy shop like Mckenzi i think, selling "VEL TAN" for tanning velvet antlers................... i was goin to go down this route for a velvet spike i shot an want to mount..... not as dangerous as formaldehyde .

i shot a big 27 inch sambar stag in velvet, he was hard to the tips so to speak, the antlers had noting done but upside down to dry....... it was a few months / 12 later that the velvet started to flake off..... you got to expect that with no treatment.
the bonus is i could stain, an mount the head hard.
 
Formaldehyde. Generally put in a syringe and injected throughout the antler until the blood stops coming out.

If the skull can be put in a freezer right away, it can be kept in there for a couple months and the blood will freeze dry preventing bacteria growth when it thaws out. I have a mount on the wall done this way and have not had an issue.

Fake velvet is another option but IMO looks terrible. Too perfect looking which looks off and colour is not quite the same.
 
Velvalok says it is alcohol and "proprietary oils". Hence suspicion it is simply 99% alcohol and something like Neatsfoot Oil for more $$$ than simply buying the basic ingredients.
 
I've freeze dried a few. Kept in the freezer for a year and then skull capped. Seemed to work fine. The one I got last year the velvet was ready to fall off. I scraped it all off then pressure washed it. I couldn't believe how pale the antlers were. 20210907_162829.jpg
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I did 2 Sitka blacktail euro mounts. I left them in the freezer for a year and a half then cleaned the skulls. Look pretty nice. They are small so fit in the freezer. There are other taxidermy products available but I have no experience with them.
 
savagelh said:
I've freeze dried a few. Kept in the freezer for a year and then skull capped. Seemed to work fine. The one I got last year the velvet was ready to fall off. I scraped it all off then pressure washed it. I couldn't believe how pale the antlers were. View attachment 603241
View attachment 603242
Click to expand...

its Bone of Sorts................. the Colouring is only due to the vegetation it rubs them on...
 
Nashville said:
Formaldehyde. Generally put in a syringe and injected throughout the antler until the blood stops coming out.

If the skull can be put in a freezer right away, it can be kept in there for a couple months and the blood will freeze dry preventing bacteria growth when it thaws out. I have a mount on the wall done this way and have not had an issue.

Fake velvet is another option but IMO looks terrible. Too perfect looking which looks off and colour is not quite the same.
Click to expand...

As a licensed embalmer (not presently practicing) I would advise to try not to go above 5% solution (3% is enough). Standard Formaldehyde is 47%; wear nitrile gloves and a respirator with the appropriate organic chemical filters on it. Using it too strong will cause searing in the tissue, and poor penetration and preservation. If you can get ahold of embalming fluid concentrate, it is better as it contains buffering agents and dispersing agents/surfactants. If you have a Funeral Director buddy, they might mix you up a pint.

Nasty stuff, but it works.
 
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