Rehydrating SEVERE freezerburn

[Amy]

Hey guys,

What would ya'll suggest for rehydrating a seriously freezerburned deer head? Had a guy bring one in to me the other day; he must have had it in his freezer without a bag or anything. Upon first inspection I noticed the ears and eyes were dry, as is typical, but the rest seemed ok, just your typical frozen-solid deer head. Well it has had plenty of time to thaw out and it still feels the same - because it seems as if the entire cape is freezedried solid to the meat. EVERYTHING is hard and stiff. It's easy to inject eyes and ears but injecting an entire head would take forever, if even possible.

Any suggestions for this? Once I get the cape off I can more easily deal with the freezerburn, but I have to get it off the skull first. Perhaps submerging the entire head in water would help?

Thanks,
Amy

[Nina]

Stop Rot sounds like a good thing try in this situation.

[oldshaver]

Im not a Taxidermist, but I would sure put salt in the water, if you intend on submerging the whole thing. A quarter pound per gallon of water, should do the trick, and will also help protect the thawed areas from slippage.

[EJ]

Amy,
        It took me 4 hours last week to do one. A guy brought me one that another taxidermist had in his freezer for 2 years. I hung it up to let it thaw and like yours the next morning it was still hard as a rock! I got a bucket of water and a needle and started injecting! I would skin awhile and inject awhile. I didn't think I would ever get the skull out!

[michaelf]

Amy,
Get some Stop Rot !!!!! I had a deer cape that i got from a friend that i know for a fact that had been in his freezer for four years then it stayed in mine for three. I let it thaw, painted it real good hair side and flesh side then let it sit overnight in a bag in the frig. The next day it split and turned like it just came in went through the pickle and tan great . You would never know that it had freezer burn from hell ! I used the cape on a deer i remounted for my daughter and I NEVER LOST A HAIR!You may want to paint both sides and refreeze for a couple of days . Either way should work .Good Luck

[Craig R]

What do you charge extra for something like this? I hope you didn't offer a set price already, Amy.

I love that...I'll just put it in the freezer and take it to a taxidermist when I remember it is in there.

[David Patton]

The Stop Rot idea is good. So is the salt water injection trick. The best thing is that thing will rehydrate fine after you get it off. It is going to take some time to inject. Just hang with it and get your money back on prep time. For the final turn of the ears and lips, you may have to wait until it has been soaked up for pickling.

[paul e]

michael i to had stop rot hit me square in the face or head when i first started using it
i do my dirty work in southern louisiana
every year i lost a few capes to this and that
it was a profound difference when i started using stoprot
now before some yahoo starts yelling the obvious i know it want repair a cape thats gone to far
but it sure has brought back more than few whoe were almost sure to be lost
as far as the freezer burn
it sure is nice and gives you more ammo in the battle

[michaelf]

Stop-Rot has saved me a whole lot of trouble! It goes with me when i go to my deer lease because i take deer off of 3 leases around mine and like Paul E said about Louisiana it can get just as warm in south Arkansas. It is very cheap insurance and if you treat the capes both sides they split and turn like a piece of cake.

[David Patton]

Glen recommends treating a cape with Stop rot and then freezing. It is supposed to make the splitting, turning and fleshing much easier. I haven't tried it yet...