Hey Guys,

I've got a Spanish billy goat that I got back from the taxidermist not too long ago. He smells, plain and simple. I've heard goats were known for smelling, but is there any way to get the odor to go away?

Thanks,

Yes.Put in the garden shed It will always stink more so when the room warms up.sorry

Spanish/Catalina Goats do have an odor to them. I wash the cape in a mixture of 50/50 Lysol and Downey Fabric Softener prior to mounting it. You could do the same thing on a mount. Mix up the Downey/Lysol in about 2 gallons of water and wash down the mount. Let it sit for an hour or so and then rinse it off with a garden hose. As long as you don't soak the hide down and keep the majority of the water on the hair you should be fine. Use compressed air to dry off the mount and let it completely air dry.

Hugh

Hugh, without wanting to sound too stupid, are you saying to use an air compressor like I'd use to fill my car tires up with? Is there one designed just for drying things off?

I called the taxidermist that mounted the goat. He said to use a formula of peroxide, baking soda, and a few drops dawn detergent. Said to put it in a spray bottle, spray it on the mount (outside), and let it dry (under a patio or something away from direct light). Any thoughts on this?

Thanks,

Is it a white goat?
I would think the peroxide would bleach the hair - be careful.

I've tended to a few old smelly ones for clients who have had goats mounted elsewhere before they found me.

I slightly wet some fine sawdust with kerosene.
Rub this into the hair and let it sit for 20 minutes before blowing it out with a compressor.
I then shampoo and condition the mount making sure not to over wet the seam when rinsing.

One goat bought to me, (i think he bought it on EBay), i gave 2 treatments but the smell persisted so i rehydrated the seam at the horns and found it did not have the skull cap cleaned properly before it was mounted, hence the smell. That smell would have never gone away without a proper cap clean & remount.

She Huntz,

I had the same concern about the hair being bleached too. The taxidermist said it would be fine, although, the goat is predominantly white. I'll make sure to test a small area on the part that is black on the animal first.

Ironically, we use peroxide and baking soda to get the smell off our dog when he's been skunked. It didn't bleach his hair, but the white on his coat looked much whiter.

Al,

Yes, either compressed air, or a leaf blower or a shop vac, anything that will send a large volume of air over the mount. I didn't think about the baking soda trick, but it might work. Goats do stink however, I know I shot a Catlina in April and it was ripe. Its getting the lysol/downey soak!

Hugh