After the deer hunt is over, it is time to mount the antlers. Depending on when you got your deer, you may need to remove the velvet before mounting. Check the age of the age of the deer and where he is in the process of shedding the velvet from his antlers. This will dictate the process to use.

 

Peel away the velvet with your hands if possible. Your buck may have already begun to scrape off his own velvet on tree bark. This is always helpful. Most velvet will be in the in-between stage and will require a little effort. Peel away all of the dried velvet flakes and determine your next step by how much velvet is still attached. Boil the antlers in a large stock potwith a pinch of iodized salt.

 

Use a small paring knife to cut away or loosen any biological matter still on the crown of the antlers where they used to attach to the skull. Carefully immerse only the crown and antlers for a few minutes at a time in the water. Do not boil for too long or the antlers will become brittle and break easily. If you are going to use the antlers as dog bones, boil as little as possible so the protein will stay in the antlers.

 

This process is helpful in removing the stubborn skin, fur and other matter. Scrape the antlers clean of debris. After the antlers cool enough to handle, use a fine grained sandpaper, lightly go over each antler until you have a smooth finish.

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