Was randomly thinking about the common white color of farmed-deer's racks, and wondering what if anything you all do about it? Sure looks nice to add color to them. Do any of you all have a problem with it? If not, how come? etc. Explain your setup or what you do to give em some color. I've heard of a few things but just wanting to see your all's info and then I'll share some ways I've heard of.
Color of racks....what do you all do?
- Thread starter Whitetails
- Start date
I have had a couple people tell me to take small pine or cedar trees and burn them real quick to get the needles off, then place them in the pen with your bucks when they are rubbing out. This allows for some tar to get on the antlers, and the black soot from the burned trees gets in the antlers. Supposedly its a nice color to add. Only what I have heard though.
Johnny B
Johnny B
nickh said:
LOL Any more info? Do you know any ways to make the horns look more natural?
nickh said:
I'm assuming this is from an albino, or otherwise white deer? Think of the market we could open up if we all had bucks with pink antlers-drawing younger girls to the deer stand, maybe even hunting in the name of breast cancer awareness!
They get there color from the trees / weed's that they rub. My buck had dark antlers from small maple and pine tree's in the pen. A lot of our wild deer are snow white. I plan to put some cut cedar's in the pen for them to rub this year to see what that will do.
Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
I do taxidermy in the winter, I color several racks a year. Burt sianna, and Burt umber oil paints are the perfect colors. first color the bases heavily with burnt sianna, then take a laquer thinner covered cloth and wipe off paint immediately, work the paint the whole way up the antler and up each point, this will allow the paint to fill in all the low spots and scratches. allow to setup a few hours, the do the same with burt umber. Works for me every time.
You wipe off all of the paint with the laquer thinner covered cloth? Not sure I understand. Then you work the other paint up the antler and the tines.....with the cloth?? Ha, sorry I know it seems like common sense to you, just hard to understand, and I'm sure easy to mess up!
Joined Sep 2010
572 Posts | 0+
Indiana
You can get a water based stain kit from McKenzie Taxidermy and do them your self. Its easy brush on then wipe down with water to your desired color.
Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
yes, you can paint the antler heavily with a brush at the bases and very lightly on each point and then wipe the paint off lightly with a laquer towel, in doing so it will wipe off all the paint exept for all the deep scratches and divets, if you try it and play around with it a bit you will see its not to hard, and it is very realistic, use dark antlers for reference if you have some.
Thanks for the info Antlershed! What buck is that in your avatar? From the picture, I like his characterisics - typical and inward. Got a website?
Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
nelsonwhitetails.com , it loads really slow, trying to figure out whats wrong, I am new to building a website, so i will continue to mess with it.
HI GUYS. I do a lot of antler repair work, repairing broken tines,main beams ect. for a few taxidermists here in south central Pa. all of wich require staining If anyone needs it done give me a call at Outback taxidermy
York Springs Pa. Ask for Mike
York Springs Pa. Ask for Mike
For sure and for certain it is the trees they rub on, and to a smaller degree the ground they come in contact with. As we all know, when the velvet comes off and the blood is gone, they are bone white.I have cedar trees in my pens and I have had some pretty dark racks, if they rub them often enough. If you don't have live trees for them to rub on in your pens, or the right size/kind, then go out in the fall and cut some down of the right size/kind. Take a post hole digger or ice auger and dig a hole and 'plant' your tree. You can take off all the upper part of your tree for easier handling. Some mortar might help to help stiffen it enough to withstand the pressure they will be applying to it. Of course these are only good for one season, but they will work. They will rip what you put in there to shreds, so it will take more than one.