Can someone please tell me of a good book or video that would teach me the basics of handling green hides? I have several hides in the freezer that aren't fleshed and don't really know the next step. At what point can they stay out of the freezer without ruining?
P.S. thanks to all who answer the questions on this forum. It really helps us beginners alot!
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McKenzie has a 3 video set on whitetails that's pretty good. They do not dry skins hard in the tanning segment, as some taxidermists do, if you check the archives you'll see that that has been debated before and probably will again. In the first video,"Fleshing&Tanning Basics" they start from a green head, cape it, split lips, nostrils, eyelids and turn ears, then they flesh and salt, pickle & tan. They demostrate shaving with a fleshing machine, and show the mini-flesher, although they don't use it. The other videos are "Mounting Basics" and "Finishing Basics".