I found a LARGE road-killed badger today ( still limp- no rigor mortis) and brought it home...noticing upon arrival that it had bloated a little...I "popped" it at the bellybutton to let the gas out and wrapped it and put it in the freezer...will freezing kill the smell that might remain or how can i get it skinned out for full body mount without damaging it (considering dorsal skinning/ also have fresh drowned skunk in freezer with stink on it in bag)...I have been in pursuit of a good badger for awhile and aside from high bids on Ebay I think this was a stroke of luck to find it completely undamaged on side of the road...maybe if I cut and wash out the abdominal area? Need help please.
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First of all, you said no rigor. Fact of the matter is that rigor is temporary and occurs within a certain period of time after death. Then rigor passes and muscles relax again. So based on your "bloating" you described, I'd say rigor came and went already. Which means the animal is not quite as fresh as you may think.
Secondly, freezing wont remove stink. It just prevents further decomposition while in a frozen state. when you defrost it, it will be just as stink as it was when you put it in the freezer. Personally I'd have skinned it when I found it and get it in a pickle fast. The way you skin it doesnt matter as far as whether it stinks or not or whether it will "make it" or not. I like dorsal cutting. I'd suggest applying "Stop Rot" while defrosting, get it skinned out, rough fleshed and get it salted and in the pickle ASAP.
I hoped this answered your question? Im not sure I understand your post the way you worded your question.
I was just going to say the same thing . Its been dead longer than you think . The bloated belly and smell should have given you a clue . You should have skinned it before freezing it becuase now you will have to wait for it to defrost which will make it decompose even more . Rick
This time of year is not prime for any animal fur, you may want to practice on this one, and find a prime winter furred one for your perfect badger. I wouldnt put the time into a summer road kill unless it was for practice. Free is not a good specimin, thats why e-bay is a good place sometimes to get a good badger. Good things cost you something. However, a free road kill, you have nothing invested, so when you thaw it back out and it falls apart from rot, you will be out nothing, and you will see why people buy prime ones in the winter.
As Mr.T said. No animal is prime this time of year. But, they can still make an "ok" looing mount. Just won't be as fluffy. What Hogger said is true to an extent. I wanted to add that freezing doesn't stop decomposing but it realy slows it down. I would do as he said and STOP-ROT treat it and get it in the pickle ASAP!
OK now i realize through you guy's wisdom that i have made a mistake but not necessarily a FATAL one, at least for the mount...Ok Stop-rot is good, will procure that shortly, but what pickling formulas do you suggest...this is planned to be a full body mount, worse case a pedastal.
now it is time for you to use the orange search button on the left here, search for,
pickling formulas
pickle recipes
pickle mixes
safety acid
citric acid
vinegar pickle
and you can pick one out to use.
If the badgers are plentiful and have a long season where you are, just learn to trap them and you can get a bunch. Best ones are in feb, good long fur.
OK guys...called Van Dykes today and placed order for 1 qt of Stop Rot and 5 lbs of pickling crystals ( just add water)...hopefully within 2-3 days oder will get to me and this dilemma will be over...wife says if i take badger out and "gut it like a sheep" (she is from NZ) and put baking soda in abdominal area problems will be solved...?
I don't know where you are located, but in many states badgers are legal furbearers and are out of season this time of year.
if she is a taxidermist,or for things that you need to do around the house. Hogger told you good advice, skin it and put it in the pickle fast, no baking soda.
The wife's been inhaling too much sheep wool! DO NOT put baking soda on that hide for crying out loud. That hide will slip for sure. baking soda PH is super high. you dont want that on you hide. That's why you need the pickle. It has a low PH. Study this on the archives and tell the wife to stick to sheep.