When we came back across the border last fall with a whitetail buck......this is what you have to do, unless laws have changed, but I haven't heard of any changes so far. And this is for MN too, I don't know if it differs for other states.

1)If you plan on bringing the cape back......you must skin it off the skull and antlers.
2)the skull plate MUST be cleared of ALL brain matter and meat. Just the skull and rack. It doesn't have to be perfect, but for sure no brain matter left on it.
3)ALL the meat must be deboned. It doesn't matter if it's on 1lb chunks or 20 lb chunks. Just no bones coming back.

So I guess all in all, as long as the skull plate is cleaned and your not bringing back any bones....you should be good to go. I'd hate to take some short cuts and then have to sit at the border and do all that work. The border patrol guy told us about one guy that tried to bring a whole moose back across. lol He had to sit at the border and debone that whole thing out right there or forfeit it. Not the smartest fella I guess.