HOW I SHAVE A WHITETAIL DEER HIDE AFTER A PICKLE

In today’s taxidermy shop video, I’m walking y’all through how I shave a whitetail deer hide after it comes out of the pickle. This step is one of the most important parts of getting a cape ready for tanning and making sure you end up with a clean, thin, mount-ready hide. I’ll show my process for checking the hide after the pickle, where to thin it down, how much pressure to use on the wheel, and how to avoid cutting weak spots around the eyes, nose, lips, and brisket. A properly shaved cape makes all the difference when it comes to getting a smooth fit on the form and clean detail work later. If you’re a taxidermist, learning taxidermy, or just enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes work that goes into mounting a whitetail, this video is for you.