Will Sunlight Damage a Mount ???

Turkey Ridge · 12-27-2006, 11:03 AM

Can anyone tell me if Sunlight will fade or damage Whitetail shoulder mounts at all? I'm moving soon to a different home & where I want to hang my Deer mounts there is alot of sunlight through the windows. In that room we are not planning on curtains or blinds as of yet. Will the sunlight fade the horns or cause any deterioration to the mounts???

KBacon · 12-27-2006, 01:31 PM

Sunlight will fade your mounts and bleach them out.

Alex The Hawk · 12-27-2006, 04:39 PM

Yes and dried up the hair also.

gamehunter1269 · 01-16-2007, 07:31 PM

yea it will fade it. some ppl put mounts by their window because they belive that it shows off the mount more. But just purchase nice lights and you wont have that problem anymore

CrittersTaxidermy · 01-17-2007, 09:49 PM

Turkey Ridge

Yes sunlight will fade the hair only on your deer mount.The horns should be fine. But if you are moving into a new home you can check to see what kind of windows you have. Many of the new windows will have protection against certain light and it should be ok if that is the case. As for it drying out your mount or the hair. It shouldn't do that. Once a hide is tanned the hair is set and it should be completely dried when you pick it up from your taxidermist. There should be no shrinkage at all. If there is shrinkage or drying on a new mount from your taxidermsit, just take it back to him and ask him to fix it. Most don't mind at all to do this.

madabula · 01-18-2007, 08:42 AM

Ditto's

Ultra violet light will fade and deterorate the pigment and fiber of the mount. The additional heating and cooling of those areas expand and contract the skin surface and can cause cracking in mounts that are not professionally tanned and built on very stable platforms.

There are UV protectants that can be applied to the hair of the mount. and there are UV protective films you can put on the windows but these help only slightly with the heating and cooling issues. (Fully reflective films can be used that will negate both problems but darken the windows and keep the neighbors from enjoying your mounts!

Mike
www.mikescustomtaxidermy.com