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I had about a dozen mounts in my attic. I went to get them today to clean them and had to throw 3 away that were completely ruined by bugs. The rest are just starting to show some damage, but I think are all okay. The signs are small Rice Krispie type sheds on the mounts. I know this has been discussed before, but can anyone tell me what to do with the remaining mounts? I hate to lose them. Thanks for the help. | ||
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I would usually say call Miller's Trophy Room, but the owner died and I'm not sure what happened to the business after that. I've heard throwing the animals in the freezer for a few days (if you have a big deep freeze) is an option. Hopefully someone will have some other ideas for you. On the mounts you threw away, if they had horns or antlers, I hope you kept them. Horns and antlers could be mounted on a plaque or even on a fake skull. They could also be remounted on forms using new capes. ____________________________ If you died tomorrow, what would you have done today ... 2018 Zimbabwe - Tuskless w/ Nengasha Safaris 2011 Mozambique - Buffalo w/ Mashambanzou Safaris | |||
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You have to place them in plastic bags with the insect killer SEVIN. Then you have to freeze the mounts like that in the bags for over seven days to kill the hatch cicle. | |||
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Thanks. I have one buffalo head that I can't get in the freezer, any other ideas? | |||
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If it means a lot to you, I would advise you to take it to a professional Taxidermist and have them fumigate it. Once finished, you can have them do any repairs (fill holes in the horns and patch missing hair etc). Otherwise, find a company with a walk in freezer and ask them if you can set your buff in there over the weekend. I would get a large cardboard box from an appliance store to cover it with. You would most likely have a difficult time finding anyone that would allow that but it's worth a try. Best bet is go to a professional. Those heads need to be treated or you'll continue to have infestations. LDK Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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Thanks. I recall seeing ads in Safari Times for a company that does this work. I just don't have the cash to have them come in and do it, but I thought they also has a "bomb" that you could set off that would take care of the problem. Does anyone know the company name? Thanks again for the help. | |||
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Many taxidermists have walk in freezers as do meat cutters etc. I was trying to help. Spend the big bucks and have a pro do it. | |||
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Sculptor: You did help. I appreciate the information. I've sent messages off to a couple different companies. We'll see if they reply. Thanks again. | |||
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Sculptor is right on the mark. Call some meat cutters in your area and ask to rent a small space in their walk in freezer, most of them will say yes . Place the mount in a couple of heavy duty plastic bags with nothing showing of the mount and leave it in there for a week or two.....  life member of SCI life member of NRA NTA Master Scorer SCI Scorer for Rowland Ward www.african-montana-taxidermy.com | |||
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That would be Miller's Trophy Room Protection. As I mentioned in my prior post, the owner of the company died and the company closed. I got a letter from some other taxidermy outfit saying they will be taking over for them, but unfortunately I don't remember the name. Good luck getting rid of the bugs. I've had them before, they're a pain. ____________________________ If you died tomorrow, what would you have done today ... 2018 Zimbabwe - Tuskless w/ Nengasha Safaris 2011 Mozambique - Buffalo w/ Mashambanzou Safaris | |||
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Just a tip to prevent an angry taxidermest. Make sure you call to let him know you are coming over with mounts with bugs on them, so he can prepare in a special area, and not in his showroom or main area. Good Luck, W. | |||
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Thanks for all the help. One of my buddies at work suggested that I call one of those Rent to Own places and rent a chest freezer for a month or so. I think I will try that route. If I place the mounts in the freezer for 7 days, should I still use sevin on them? Thanks | |||
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Yes, Put SEVIN in the sealed bag with the mount. Powder them down good. Its nasty stuff so be sure and follow the directions and clean them off afterwards outside with compressed air. | |||
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Thanks. This sounds like quite the operation. | |||
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just an FYI-Sevin is a HIGHLY TOXIC INSECTICIDE(ALSO HIGHLY CARCINOGENIC)- BE SURE AND HANDLE IT WITH CARE, ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS!! i don't know what concentration they sell know but the 7 1/2% Sevin i worked with at my fathers ag chemical plant in the 1960's was deadly. we had a stray dog that hung around the warehouse and was loaded with fleas. one day i got the bright idea to dust him LIGHTLY with Sevin- 1 hour later it started having seizures and died. Vote Trump- Putin’s best friend… | |||
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Jdollar: Thanks for the warning. I will be careful. This is starting to sound like something I don't want to get involved with. | |||
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All the suggestions so far are great, but the best thing to do is call your local exterminator and he will take samples of the bugs and can spray the mounts. The spray is just water with insecticide and won't hurt your mounts. Let the pros handle it, much easier. Jerry Huffaker State, National and World Champion Taxidermist | |||
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Jerry: Thanks. I didn't know they would be interested in doing that. Thanks. | |||
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Place mounts in a plastic bag and seal with a Vapona no-pest strip inside. Leave for several days. | |||
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A quick Google search turned up that Miller Trophy Room Preservation is now doing business as Wildlife Taxidermy Preservation, LLC. Looks like their phone number is 704 279 9378. My mounts had them a few years ago and I tried everything you are getting ready to do. I actually sprayed put them in my front yard and sprayed them all with Diazinon. It didn't work as it is next to impossible to kill the eggs. I rented a Uhaul and took them to an exterminator where they put them in a chamber and gassed them for 24 hours. That didn't work either. I called Texas A&M and they didn't have an answer. I broke down and called Miller and they solved the problem. They treated all my mounts every year or so and never a problem. If you do use Wildlife Taxidermy Preservation, let us know how it works out. Good luck, it 's a pretty bad feeling watching the hair fall of your mounts. BTW.. Don't do the Diazinon deal as I poisoned all the bugs in my front yard, which the birds ate. Unfortunately, we ended up with a bunch of dead black birds all over the place. | |||
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BA: Thanks. I didn't get a response from Miller, so I will try the new company name. I was headed to the store to buy a freezer tomorrow, so I'll hold off on that to see what they say. Thanks again. | |||
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I think you better figure out what attracted the bugs in the first place. One or more of your mounts probably has residual meat in it somewhere. Personally, i wouldn't keep any mount that was infested prior, regardless of treatment. That may be a hard pill to swallow with something like an African collection though. Good luck! | |||
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Dogcatcher223: Thanks. I did throw away the animals that had the worst issue, including an Nyala that was a really nice mount. I have only found a few remaining problems on one mount and have it isolated from the rest. | |||
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TRL: Don't throw away the horns. You can always remount them or at least horn mount them. | |||
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Thanks, but actually, the horns were pretty chewed up as well. It could have been that just the inside mounting was messed up and it looked like the horns, but when I lifted them, a pile of "saw dust" came out of the horns. I tried calling Wildlife Preservation last week, but kept getting a fax instead of a phone number, although the number I tried was listed as their phone number. I'll try again tomorrow. Thanks. | |||
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Hi, Just a passing thought ... HMMM. How about getting a " Low Budget Tent " (Wallymart) , large enough to fit a few (or all) of your mounts. And & then," Duct Taping " all of the vents & seams , making it an " air tight, vapor barrier ". DELOUSING: 1. Large Tent 2. Duct Tape 3. Raid Fogger http://www.killsbugsdead.com/fop_fkpf.asp http://www.killsbugsdead.com/fop_cdrf.asp " Use the fogger in your apartment, home, attic, basement, cabin, garage, storage areas, shed, or camper. " It could be set-up in the backyard, apply the " Fogger ", & let it sit for a few days. I would give it at least two applications, just to be on the safe side. Just my two cents .. PAPI  | |||
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Raid defogger will not kill dermestid beatles, at all the different stages of their life. Sorry but your wasting your time with the Raid. Jerry Huffaker State, National and World Champion Taxidermist | |||
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So Jerry, are they dermestid beetles that cause this problem, then? Interesting..... Also, can an exterminator really address the problem and turn this into a minor inconvenience? Thanks, Scott "....but to protest against all hunting of game is a sign of softness of head, not of soundness of heart." Theodore Roosevelt | |||
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The "saw dust" is actually the insect droppings. | |||
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The " Carpet Beetle " is listed as , one type of " Dermestid Beetles " ( ?? ). http://cmsc.minotstateu.edu/mu...dermestidcolony.html The " RAID FUMIGATOR " is listed as a treatment for " Carpet Beetles ". http://www.killsbugsdead.com/bu_beetle.asp Oh well, sounds like the " FREEZER METHOD " might be the best option(s).. However, wouldn't you also need to " Fumigate " your home, to keep the items from getting re-infested ... ? PAPI | |||
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I tried calling Wildlife Tasxidermy Preservation Company a couple of times, but keep getting a fax sound, not a phone. I need to get on the Internet again tonight to see if I can find a real phone number for them. I also talked to a exterminator. They said they would do it, but couldn't tell me if their solution would ruin the hides. I'll keep looking. | |||
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I tried the fumigator as well. It killed some of the bugs but did not get the eggs. The Miller guys told me that this will slow them down, but not stop the problem. You can also buy some clothes moth traps to catch some of the males as they move from one mount to the other. Again, this will just slow them down and not solve the problem. Try sending those guys a fax. Also, I will look through some old files to see if I can find a phone number for one of the guys that did the actual treatment. | |||
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TRL: I just got a call from Brad at Wildlife Pres. His number is 980 521 5517. | |||
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Thanks. Are they in North Carolina or Texas? Thanks again. | |||
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I believe they are in North Carolina. They travel around treating everyone's animals. He told me they are going to be in Houston mid June. | |||
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Thanks. | |||
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My buddy who goes to Africa yearly has tons of mounts. He says to put them in a big plastic bag with "Home Defense" spray available at Home Depot. Kills everything. | |||
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Thanks. I did get in contact with Wildlife Preservation Taxidermy. Nice people. I will send to them this weekend a list of the animals I need worked on. They said they could come to the house (expensive) or ship them the mounts. I really don't have a lot of mounts, so I will either ship them to them or drive them down (8 hour drive). | |||
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