15 year old salted cat skin

[byrdman]

I have a wildcat skin that was dorsal skun with everything turned/salted/dried. It has been hanging for about 5 years after 10 years of storage in the freezer.....will this thing still tan for mounting? or should I re-hydrate it and cream tan?

[muscle20]

     All you can do is try to hydrate it ,the fatty acids might of deteriorated it being in that state for such a lengthy time.

[gunner62]

All you can do is try, what have ya got to lose???

[byrdman]

well thats just it I would rather leave it up to a professional tanner....was hoping to get a response from one

[coonhollow]

I definitely wouldn't send it to a commercial tannery I would want to monitor it through the process. myself I would rehydrate it in a 3# to a gallon of water solution, drain it and get it in a pickle solution, then straight to the tan. just don't drag your feet!

[byrdman]

whats a 3#to a gallon solution?.....3# of what?

[coonhollow]

3 pounds of salt to each gallon of water

[PLTannery]

Good Luck... I have 4 cougar here to do... Be salted AT LEAST 13 years. Probably as many as 20.  IF all goes well (which I am pretty certian it won't) he will have 4 nice tanned cougar skins.  If it doesn't he'll get 4 Really nice Sets of Cougar Claws! 

I would not put 3# of salt in a Gallon of water... I am not even sure you can fully dissolve 3 pounds of salt in a gallon of water.   It will take a VERY long time to rehydrate.  Use a Surfectant and A little salt, maybe a handful per gallon. WATCH it closely. If its starts to fall apart its toast.