Has anyone used one of these kits. Wasco and Van Dykes? Did you hit any snags? Was there enough of the pastes and clays? I'm going to try and mount a couple of deer and this seemed the logical route for a beginner to take.

Also, when measuring for which form to get, do you need to deduct for thickness of the cape?

Any other problems I may encounter?

Jason, have a look at Taxidermy.net. There is a search function that should bring up answers to any questions you may have along the way. Most of the questions you will have will have been asked before so just do a key word search through the archives. Good luck.

Jason,
If this is your deer of a lifetime, let a pro do it. If this is for fun and to see if you like taxidermy, get after it. I learned by doing what you did and working with a pro. The mechanics of taxidermy (skinning, tanning, form selecting, eyes) are easy to learn. The 'art" of this is what you pay the pro for.

The kits are ok, but if you make a mistake, you do not have enough supplies to do it twice. Good luck.