JHA Caribou Taxidermy

[Weasel]

I'm considering a caribou hunt with Jack Hume Adventures next year. One thing that concerns me is getting the antlers, cape, meat etc. back home to Oregon. Driving is out of the question, so I'll be flying.

I see on the JHA website that they offer taxidermy work. Has anyone here taken advantage of that option? How did the work turn out? Were you happy?

For those of you who have hunted with them and had to fly your kills back home, how was your experience?

    Thanks!!

    Jerry

[Lechwe]

My last trip to Quebec I had a friend in camp from Salt Lake City and he had his bou mounted in Canada and shipped and it turned out great. Can't remember who did it though. I do know they flew 2 boxes of meat each back with them on the plane with no problems at all.

Good luck. One of my favorite trips for sure.

[cedar]

"16 ft drop at 40 yds."  I disagree.  I have no scientific data or formula to back it up but today at a 3D shoot, we shot the rinehart moose at 53 yds.  I was shooting my Wes Wallace Mentor TD recurve which is 45@30.  My POC arrows weigh 550-560 gr.  I held the tip of the arrow on the tip of antler and the arrow impacted approx 4 to 5 ft lower in the scoring area.  I believe my own eyes before any formula.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Jerry

I have no clue about the taxidermy quality there - but find out for sure what it will cost to ship a mount to you when completed - ...then compare that with getting the horns home yourself and having local taxidermy done.  I worry alot about capes/horns when I travel to hunt, so my advice to you is #1 - if you don't know how to flesh the cape (not much needed on a 'bou), turn the ears/eyes/nose then LEARN HOW!  Find a local taxidermist to show you.  #2 - Make sure you'll have access to enough salt to take care of a cape properly - at least 20 lbs for a caribou shoulder mount.  I've went as far as flying in salt vs. my weight allowance to be sure.  Trust me, its a sinking feeling to have a dead caribou and find out there is a 5 lb bag of salt for the whole camp.  Getting a properly salted 'bou hide home won't be an issue - put it in a checked bag.  The horns...I don't know airline regulations anymore, but mailing it is one possible solution.  Cut in half lengthwise through the skull plate, lay the antlers together and build a box around it or wrap in a quality gamebag (like canvas) and tape it up.  Mail it home to yourself with a few thousand dollars insurance on it.  One option.

Maintaining velvet on an early caribou can be a real pain - I don't know how you'd do that in camp nowadays.  Back in '94 I took a quart bottle of formaldehyde and a big horse syringe along and injected it myself.  I wouldn't recommend crossing the border with things like that today.

Managing your capes can be a headache, but is doable, and even mandatory, if you want to be assured of a good mount.  I managed getting my full mount muskox hide home from the End of the World to Indiana.  I don't know what the folks in the hotel in Calgary on the way home thought about the crazy guy in the parking lot working on a whole muskox hide, but got him home ok.  That was a 96 lb checked bag right there!

Good luck!

Ryan

[Scott Teaschner]

Ryan is right on. I think it is something every one should learn as far as trophy care. Be carefull of your guide you may no more than he does in capeing. I have seen some horable cape jobs by so called professional guides. I have been in camps and offered to show guides and they had little intrest in learning. Things I have seen as a taxidermist ar portions of the nose or corner of the lips missing. Corner of the eye missing is very common. The best though on larger game like elk is the spiral cut going from the back of th skull to the brisket with one side of the shoulder missing! Make sure cuts are straight and stay down the middle of the back give yourself plenty of shoulder. I ship quite a bit and it is not cheap elk with out detachable antlers are usally around $600.00 to $800.00 to send back east.