So, you’ve brought your new taxidermy animal home, and you can’t wait to put it on display. But you need to make sure you pick the best spot for it if you want it to remain lifelike and vibrant for years to come. Here are five ways to ensure your mountain lion mounts in Cody, WY (and other animal mounts) stay looking healthy so you can enjoy them for a long time:
• Keep out of the sun: While lighting is used to highlight your trophies, there’s another reason why you should use it: to keep your prized mounts in the shade, and out of direct sunlight. Place taxidermy animals near windows and they will soon succumb to damage caused when too much ultraviolet light is present. For white coat animals, UV light will turn them yellow, and darker colors can become bleached. If you deduce that the only place you have available to display your mount is near a sunny window, be sure to install a quality UV blocking window film.
• Avoid severe changes in environment: If the temperature and humidity differs greatly each season, this can spell trouble for your mounts. Let’s say you want to display your animal trophy on the living room wall. Before you do, take into consideration how changes in the weather from season to season affect the room. For instance, know if the sunlight tends to pour into the room on hot summer days, or if it gets freezing cold near the windows in winter. Find a spot with a year-round taxidermy-safe atmosphere.
• Watch the temperature where stored: You are likely to store taxidermy mounts in your attic or basement—two areas of your home that are typically hot in the summer and super cold during the winter months. The problem is that extreme changes in storage conditions, including temperature shifts, can cause mountain lion mounts in Cody, WY and others to break down. Fur may fall out or become brittle to the touch. Horns and antlers can split or crack. Feathers may fray.
• Be wary of smoke: From burning logs in fireplaces and wood burning stoves to smoking cigars and cigarettes indoors, it’s important to know that, in general, smoke will ruin animal mounts. Therefore, you want to avoid hanging mounts over smoke-producing fixtures, and think hard before decorating your cigar room with your prized taxidermy trophies.
• Clean regularly: Cleaning your animal mounts is not only good for presentation. It’s also an easy way to maintain a healthy look, and it takes just a few minutes a week. Simply run a soft dry cloth or feather duster over fur and feathers to remove dust, but make sure to steer clear of using harsh chemical cleaners. Every once in a while, wipe down pieces with a soft damp cloth. If you are apprehensive about do so, get cleaning advice from the pros.
To schedule a professional to work on deer, bear, fish, bird or mountain lion mounts in Cody, WY, don’t hesitate to contact the experienced team at Nature’s Design Taxidermy. We look forward to helping you preserve your hunting memories!