Taxidermy help... How bad did I mess it up?

[Canebrake]

We're in the process of moving and in an effort to speed the process along, I hung all of the taxidermy in the shop at the new place. Fast forward a week and it's still there due to call- outs at work, calving problems, Daughter's volleyball games, and on-and- on.

We've had some super humid days, and in a nutshell, everything is soaked. Not quite dripping but very wet, nonetheless. All I know to do is gently towel dry everything and get them in front of fans inside the house and I'm hesitant to use any heat at all. I haven't noticed any cracking or hide separating from around horns or antlers. I could kick myself square in the butt for this one.

How bad did I screw it up?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[sureshot375]

It's certainly not ideal. I would call your taxidermist for specific recommendations.

I would think a dehumidifier and some fans might be the least aggressive way to get them dried out. I would err on the side of gentle. I wouldn't have the fan speed too aggressive.

Don't kick yourself too hard. Life happens.

 

[RR 314]

Man, I am not a taxidermist but I would get after it with a shop-vac (reversed). Certainly would not use heat. Wait for taxidermists to tell me I am wrong---and go with their advice.

 

[Canebrake]

I got everything consolidated and put a couple of box fans in the room just to keep the air circulating. The dehumidifier will be here today, and I'll get it up and running. I guess we'll see how it turns out.

 

[gizmo]

More than likely you are fine. There might be stuff possibly move around on you or minor cracking or separations but I doubt you did any really damage. All of that is easily fixed.
Hell with some pieces I take them out and shampoo them with a taxidermy detergent after mounting them and they’ve dried before I start finish work. I’ve also done it to mounts that we restore.

 

[buck wild]

Maybe you've already done what you are going to do, but I'll be the OPPOSING one of a few of the other recommendations. SLOW DOWN the drying process! It's the rapid drying that will cause additional cracking etc. When we are mounting, we typically want a mount to dry out over 2-3 days, not hours. Especially in the dripping phase, you note. If the moisture soaked deep enough and the taxi used a water-based glue, the glue has now rehydrated. If the hide dries faster than the glue beneath, that's when the severe cracking will happen and the mounts will "drum". Over time, the areas that drum will be weaker and possibly even crack the hide later in the years to come.
Pat dry with a towel, then place them in an area (climate-controlled) that will allow them to dry over the next couple of days.

 

[Canebrake]

SLOW DOWN the drying process! It's the rapid drying that will cause additional cracking etc. ....... allow them to dry over the next couple of days.

I thought about this shortly after my last post. I feel like the "drying phase" is where most people start to become impatient with their Taxidermist because even though their mount looks great and is technically finished, it's not actually FINISHED.

Thanks for the different perspective.

 

[Fryeguy]

Yes dry slowly. I have a deer mount in my living room now, that a friend gave me where I work. It sat underwater for 3 days thanks to a massive flood we experienced. The deer had fallen off the wall and was in the floor. Caked in mud. I took a waterhose to it, rinsed it off, it smelled like hell. I took dead down wind and another scent free laundry detergent and washed it really well. Sat it in the back of my garage and let it slowly dry. It faded slightly in face area some, but it’s been hanging in my living room for the last 14 years. I did call the taxidermist before hand to get my options. The first one worked fine

 

[BRICKBURN]

This is a very interesting thread to me.
I have never lived in a place with the type of humidity that can do what you are describing. WOW!

I hope you get the moisture issue solved.

 

[buck wild]

This is a very interesting thread to me.
I have never lived in a place with the type of humidity that can do what you are describing. WOW!

I hope you get the moisture issue solved.

I'm 5 miles from the Texas coastline and the humidity is REAL here but even during the hot summer days, we often have to "bag" fresh mounts in large garbage bags overnight to keep them from drying too fast. A combo of water spritzing and applied oils keep the thin areas pliable enough to work day 2-3.