My six-year-old daughter jumped up and down with pleasure, her eyes glowing as she motioned towards the grey squirrel mendacity on the base of a cedar tree.
“I acquired it! I acquired my first squirrel,” she hollered.
She had certainly shot her first squirrel, along with her little pink recurve no much less, and it was a day that neither of us will ever overlook.
There’s one thing particular a few child taking their first squirrel. I shot mine once I was 11 years previous, and I painstakingly skinned and dried the cover. For years, I had the cover hanging on my bed room wall till, ultimately, it was taken down and misplaced throughout a transfer. I want I nonetheless had it only for the reminiscences it held.
My daughter, nonetheless, requested if we might get her squirrel executed as a full-body mount and I, after all, stated sure. However, the stipulation was that I might do it for her.
I mounted exactly 1.5 squirrels prior to now. The primary one, years in the past, was a black squirrel that my brother and I fastidiously labored on collectively with out understanding something and it got here out alright. So far as I do know, it’s nonetheless on show at my dad and mom’ home.
The second squirrel mount I tried was a grey squirrel. I had executed it as a enjoyable mission earlier than my daughter was born, and it additionally got here out simply alright for not having a lot data on squirrel taxidermy.
Nonetheless, I needed to higher for my daughter, and I’m comfortable to say that her squirrel mount got here out nice. By this DIY squirrel mounting course of, I saved myself a couple of hundred {dollars} in taxidermy charges. In case you are contemplating giving taxidermy a attempt, I might suggest beginning with squirrel taxidermy — it’s enjoyable, comparatively simple, and much less expensive (and decrease stakes) than starting with an enormous sport animal.
The Equipment
I ordered an all-in-one package from Ellzey’s Squirrel Taxidermy. The package runs $90, which is a number of hundred {dollars} lower than it could value to ship your squirrel off to a taxidermist. All you want is slightly effort and time to make the remainder of it come collectively.
Having by no means ordered from them prior to now, I wasn’t positive what to anticipate however was pleasantly stunned upon opening the package deal.
All of the squirrel mounting kits out there on their web site embody every part you have to to mount a squirrel — minus the squirrel after all.
Included with the provides are full-color picture directions, together with written directions. You may simply entry movies on YouTube for reference, however I discovered having the photographs in entrance of me extraordinarily useful — and there’s no have to pause or restart a video.
I’ll order all my squirrel kits solely from Ellzeys sooner or later, as in addition they have a better choice than different locations.
The Squirrel
After getting shot a squirrel that you simply need to mount, it’s important to comply with a couple of steps to make sure that the fur stays in nice situation for taxidermy. You’ll need to be very cautious when skinning the squirrel, and as a substitute of the standard “hurry up and pores and skin it” that’s typically how most hunters clear squirrels, you’ll need to “case pores and skin” your squirrel, which implies making minimal cuts to the cover. The squirrel package does present full directions on how to do that, nonetheless, you do want to amass the squirrel earlier than you order your package (extra on this in a minute). If wanted, you’ll be able to merely wrap your squirrel in a number of layers of hermetic freezer luggage and freeze it complete till you’re able to mount it.
At this level, you’ll need to take into account the professionals and cons of a DIY mount. Like several good do-it-yourself mission, there may be at all times an opportunity of failure or the potential for the mission not turning out fairly in addition to you had hoped. In case you don’t need to danger it, you’ll be able to definitely ship your squirrel to an expert taxidermist. In case you like residing life on the sting…then proceed with the remainder of this text.
Measure the Squirrel
Earlier than ordering your package, you will need to measure your squirrel to see what measurement type you have to. I’ve made the error of not measuring a squirrel and blindly ordering the shape, and naturally, it was too large. Whereas it’s nonetheless potential to make use of a type that’s the incorrect measurement, a variety of improvisation is required. It’s simpler to simply measure and order the proper measurement to start with.
You’ll measure your squirrel from nostril to the bottom of the tail and order primarily based off that measurement. Ellzeys has directions on its web site on measure your squirrel. Most types are available in numerous sizes, together with 9”, 10”, 11”, and 12”. A typical grey is often 9 or 10 inches, whereas a fox squirrel can measure 12 inches or extra.
Case Skinning
Case skinning a squirrel entails making a minimize from the bottom of 1 again leg (if it’s a grey squirrel, which means proper the place the white fur meets the grey), throughout to the alternative foot. You’ll then pores and skin it down the physique, making no extra cuts within the cover. Utilizing shears or a really sharp knife, minimize all of the ft off on the final joint earlier than you get to the toes, and take cautious consideration whereas skinning the face. The picture directions within the package are extraordinarily useful right here. The face would be the most tough to grasp, however don’t fear, most errors may be mounted.
Tip: Pliers come in useful when pulling the bone out of the tail.
Getting ready The Conceal
As soon as your squirrel is skinned and (hopefully) in a single piece, you have to to start out the fleshing course of. That is pretty easy as many of the cover will probably be peeled off the squirrel flesh-free. You will have to concentrate to the face and the areas across the nostril, ears, and mouth and scrape off any small items of flesh which will stay behind. You’ll additionally need to study any holes within the cover from a bullet or arrow and ensure no flesh stays round these. You’ll then want to stitch up any holes with the needle and thread supplied within the package.
You CAN refreeze your squirrel cover at this level for those who want extra time. The remainder of the method is straightforward however will doubtless take you an hour or two from begin to end.
Wash and dry the cover with dish cleaning soap (any variety is okay) and punctiliously clear off any blood stains or extra grime on the fur. Rinse it in addition to potential, as any remaining cleaning soap will make the cover look barely matted and go away a barely stiff or cheesy really feel. Gently towel dry the cover or use a blow dryer till the fur is fluffed and not damp.
Subsequent, you’ll liberally apply Borax to the flesh aspect of the squirrel. It’s higher to make use of too little as a substitute of an excessive amount of — the Borax will be certain that the flesh aspect of the cover will dry with out smelling like rotting flesh. You’ll need to work Borax into the legs and tail, particularly since these locations are more durable to flesh.
Getting ready the Type
I counsel fastidiously sliding the shape into the cover at this level to ensure it suits correctly. If it’s too large or too small, you have to to make some cuts or add clay to make the shape match realistically.
You’ll add some clay to a couple spots on the shape and add the eyes. Pay particular consideration to the inserting of the eyes. They’ll give your squirrel a loopy eye look in the event that they aren’t positioned evenly.
Run the lengthy piece of wire by means of your type to your tail and apply clay to the bottom. I like to recommend not shifting the tail an excessive amount of till your mount is totally dry, because the clay can shift when it’s moist.
Mounting
Rigorously pull the pores and skin over the shape and stitch up the open incision. You’ll need to exactly pin the ears, mouth, and eyes in order that they keep in place whereas drying. Relying on which type you’re utilizing, you may as well pin the ft so the toes are splayed open. Nonetheless, they’re pretty simple to maneuver even after they’re dried.
As soon as every part is pinned appropriately and your squirrel seems the way you need it to, you’ll need to discover a cool, dry place to retailer it. Ensure that it’s in a spot that’s out of attain of babies or pets. Drying time can fluctuate relying on the squirrel and air temperatures, however they’re typically full dry inside a month. You may inform if the squirrel is dry by fastidiously touching the ears — if they’re arduous, the squirrel mount is dry.
Tip: you should utilize a gentle brush to fluff up the fur and tail after mounting. To make the tail seem fuller, you’ll be able to gently rub the hairs the incorrect manner and hit it with slightly hair spray, so it stays in place.
My Daughter’s Squirrel Mount
I made a decision to take my squirrel mount a step additional and grasp it on a bit of cork bark, which is way cheaper than the slabs of pretend bark or wooden slabs from taxidermy suppliers. It’s pure, reasonably priced, simple to hold on the wall, and is available in various sizes. The bark I used turned out to be the proper measurement. You may definitely discover one thing from the woods to make use of as a base to your squirrel mount, nonetheless, you’ll need to be certain that it’s correctly cleaned so that you don’t have bugs. To take your mount’s background even additional, you add some faux leaves or acorns.
My daughter was thrilled with how her squirrel mount turned out. My subsequent taxidermy mission will probably be a cottontail rabbit, one thing I’ve by no means tried. Hopefully, it really works out in addition to this bushy tail.