These simple maintenance tips will keep your hunting mounts looking great for years to come

SHOULDER & FULL-BODY MOUNTS

Darren recommends cleaning your mounts every three or four months with a damp cloth, wiping with the grain of the hair. Otherwise, dust can destroy your trophies over time by attracting moisture and eventually becoming sticky.

To ensure the eyes retain their lustre, meanwhile, gently rub them with a cotton swab and a little glass cleaner; they’ll instantly regain their lifelike sparkle. And to give the nose pads a realistic wet-looking appearance, Darren recommends a light coating of non-yellowing clear gloss.

Excessive or inadvertent handling of a mount can cause indentations in the hair. To easily remedy this, rub and roll the hair down with the grain, then comb it with a wire brush (a dog brush is ideal). Again, ensure you only brush with the grain.

As for antlers and horns, which can become dull-looking over time, Darren recommends restoring their lustre by wiping them down with a cotton cloth and a mixture of 40 per cent boiled linseed oil and 60 per cent turpentine. While this technique is effective for all antlered game, he says it really brings out the best in moose and elk antlers. He cautions against using a lacquer, however, saying you want to clean, not coat, the antlers.