HANDBOOK TOR CAMPERS. 47 



To skin a deer head for mounting, cut the skin around the 

 neck well down on the shoulder and breast. Then cut along the 

 upper side of the neck to the top of the head. Thence make 

 diagonal cuts, one to each horn. Cut off the ears close to the 

 skull, turn them inside out, and cut away the meat, leaving 

 the cartilage. Skin carefully around the eyes. Cut the lips 

 close to the skull, leaving them attached to the skin. Split 

 them from the inside and fill the cut with salt. 



Rub plenty of salt into the flesh side of all parts of the skin, 

 and let it dry slowly in the shade or roll it up hair side in and 

 ship at once to a taxidermist. 



To butcher a deer hang it up by the hind legs, slit the skin 

 along the middle of the breast and belly and to the end of the 

 tail ; then along the inside of each leg. Cut off the feet at the 

 joints and peel off the skin. Cut through the wall of the 

 abdomen without piercing the intestines ; loosen the diaphragm 

 at the back and sides; cut away the lower intestine close to 

 the bone and empty out the entire contents of the carcass. 

 Split the breastbone with a hatchet. 



The best cuts of vension are the saddle and haunch. 



To make jerked venison or " jerky " use lean meat cut into 

 strips about one-half inch wide. Lay these side by side on a 

 frame made of slats or poles supported about 4 feet from the 

 ground and keep a small smoky fire going underneath until the 

 meat is thoroughly dry. 



Fresh meat should be hung up and protected from flies by 

 cheesecloth. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Photographs. — Photographs taken in the shade of the forest 

 require from 5 to 15 times longer exposure than those taken in 

 the open. 



00771 pass. — One end of the needle always has a distinguish- 

 ing mark, but manufacturers do not always mark the same end. 

 Make sure which end of the needle points north and remember it. 



