BROOKHAVEN  — Taxidermist Brent Opdyke of Brookhaven said there are some ways hunters can protect their deer’s antlers in velvet if they want to get it mounted this weekend during Mississippi’s velvet season.

“Try not do drag him by the antlers. Skin him out and get him to the taxidermist or the freezer. If not, the velvet might have to be freeze dried,” he said. “Once you get him mounted, don’t put him by the fire place or next to a window. Over time it could bleach the side of the deer.  Dust them off and keep them polished up.”

The same applies to any deer mount. Additionally, hunters need to remember to leave enough hide for a taxidermist to work with if they want a good quality mount.

Opdyke is participating in the CWD sample collection as a taxidermy partner with the MDWFP. He said all he needs is the name, phone number, county they killed it in, species, gender and age. All he does is fill out a card and pulls out the lymph nodes for the MDWFP to collect.

“If people have questions or concerns I have pictures on my facebook page about how they can make cuts,” he said. “If they still have questions they can call me.”