Trophy Preservation and Restoration

There are many sportsmen and women who have gotten different trophies mounted over the years, whether a 10 pound bass or an 8 point buck.  There are a few things that you can do to ensure you keep the mount looking good for many years.  For one, using a “Dawn” dishwasher detergent and water solution to wash your mammals is a good idea.  The “Dawn” cuts through grease and helps restore the look.  “Windex” is a good product to use for trophy eyes for cleaning.  If you have a deer that have antlers that do not look appealing, rubbing “Old English” dark furniture polish on them adds a very nice luster.

Trophy preservation and restoration is not limited to large mammals.  For those of us that had fish mounted many years ago, the fish may be cracking in some places, fading, or just not look as good as you’d like.  Because the technology in taxidermy has advanced so greatly over the years, an old fish mount can be restored to look better than when you first brought it home.  Eyes have become much more realistic, and paints have been developed to give a very natural appearance.  Fins can easily be repaired, and the whole trophy can be repaired, eyes replaced, and the trophy can be repainted to look like new again.  So don’t let your trophy bass hang on the wall looking less than desirable.  Take it off of the wall and take it to your taxidermist for a face lift!

 Bob Dorta is a recent graduate of the Dan Rinehart Taxidermy School in Wisconsin and is available to provide these and other taxidermy services.  Contact him in Naples at (239) 821-3141.