Would there be any problem leaving a bear rug wall mount at my camp year round. The camp has no electricity or heat when we are not there. Does it cause any damage to the mount.

Shouldn't be an issue . I'll come up and monitor the situation just to sure.

I've had one at my camp for decades with no problems. I was concerned about mice ruining it. They destroyed a fox and coyote mount that were sitting on the floor. I guess they can't reach the bear rug.

Sprinkle it with borax and comb it into the fur.Borax is poisonous and will keep vermin away from fur.It is used in taxidermy today in place of arsenic.

Mildew much there ?

As long as it is dry, and the rodents can't gnaw it, it should last for generations if properly mounted. Bugs, on the other hand, can ruin the highest quality mount in weeks if given a chance....and they are everywhere. The borax deal Boco suggested is worth doing, as is touching off a bug-bomb every now and then......say, as your leaving to go back home so you will be out of the cabin a few days to let it air out?

as a P.S. to the above......the lack of heat in the camp shouldn't bother the mount at all. When you have problems from heat, it is caused from constant fluctuations in heat like being over a fireplace or heat register, not gradual changes that last days at a time.

Actually, borax isn't poisonous like arsenic and they're used for two different functions. Borax is used as a desiccant to dry tissue, but it's ability to deter bugs and rodents is poor at best. Most taxidermists use "dry preserve" in place of borax, because it includes an insect inhibitor. A lot of dry preserve does use borax as one ingredient, but only as the desiccant.

Thank all of you for the advise. The mount is a youth hunters and he asked if he could put it up on the wall over the entrance door. Very proud of him I was with him for his first Turkey,Buck and Bear. The camp has no mildew or moisture problems. I gutted the original camp took the roof off and changed the roof direction. Put on an addition that doubled the size and added a covered porch. Insulated the entire thing with ROXUL insulation. ROXUL is insect and rodent resistant and wont burn. Camp was 22x26 know is 26x44 with a 14x22 second floor and a 10x26 porch all under one gable roof no valleys.

This is very true..."dry preservative" would be better as a bug inhibiter, but I can let you in on a little trade secret....that stuff is, depending on who sells it, as much as 80% or more, borax by volume. If I had a choice I'd use the Dry Preservative over borax, but being a retired taxidermist, I have pounds of it out in the shop yet! Most people don't have it, but can get borax at the grocery store.

Borax will deter some bugs and can kill some others.It is the main ingredient in dry preservative and is the main bug deterrent in it.Another main ingredient is for inhibiting mold and bacteria.Borax nor dry preservative are meant to deter rodents.

"While at the "Field"Leon Pray developed the borax solution process to replace the arsenic system of bug poisoning".

Exactly.Taxidermists didn't have a long lifespan then.

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