Don't ruin it in the first hour.
A great mount starts long before the taxidermist - out in the field, in the first hour after the shot. More trophies are lost to a wrong cut or a warm truck than to anything the taxidermist does. Get the field care right and you give them something to be proud of.
A shoulder mount needs far more hide than people think - the whole neck, shoulders and brisket.
Do thisCape LONG: cut the hide off well behind the front shoulders, not at the neck. And never cut the throat or brisket to field-dress a trophy - that ruins the exact area the taxidermist needs. If unsure, skin nothing and take the whole animal to a pro.
For a euro (skull) mount or antlers alone, you're saving the skull plate and horns.
Do thisCut the cape away without nicking the hide you might still want, keep the skull cool, and get it to a taxidermist or boil/beetle it properly. Never saw the skull plate until you're sure you don't also want a shoulder mount.
Heat and bacteria are the enemy - they cause 'slip', where the hair falls out and the cape is ruined.
Do thisGet the animal and cape cool as fast as you can. Same-day to a taxidermist is ideal; if you can't, skin the cape, roll it flesh-in and freeze it solid. Never leave a trophy in a warm truck or bag it up warm.
A trophy bird's feathers and skin are delicate and easily bled on or broken.
Do thisDon't gut it. Plug the mouth, vent and any wounds with tissue to stop leaks, smooth the feathers, slip it head-first into a nylon stocking or paper (never plastic, which sweats), and freeze it whole. Get it to the taxidermist frozen.
Most fish mounts today are replicas - the taxidermist recreates it from your measurements and photos, so you can release or eat the fish.
Do thisTake good side-on photos, measure length and girth, and note the exact colours (they fade fast). If it's a skin mount instead, keep the fish wet, cold and unfrozen-if-possible, and get it in quickly.
Field photos are part of the trophy - and rough handling shows up in the finished mount.
Do thisWipe away blood, tuck the tongue back in, and pose the animal before rigor sets in. Carry it, don't drag it over rocks and brush - scuffs and broken hair are hard to fix.
Trophy care runs alongside good meat care - see shot to freezer for handling the rest of the animal, and preserving wild game once the cape is off to the taxidermist.
⚠️ General field-care guidance, not a caping tutorial. Techniques differ by species and by the taxidermist's own preferences - the best move is always to call your taxidermist before the season and ask exactly how they want the cape handled and delivered. Follow local laws on tagging, transport and proof of sex or species when moving a trophy.