I recently finished my first couple of Pronhorns. When fleshing I did extensively score the gland area with a scalpel in order to get good salt penetration into that area. The hide was sent to a commercial tannery & wet-tanned.
While it is not extremely offensive, there is still a strong odor from the gland area on these mounts that I finished 4 weeks ago.
Did I miss something that would have prevented this odor, or will it fade away over time?
Thanks, Bryan
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After tanning there should not be any musk smell left. The few pronghorns I do leave to the tannery smelly but return smelling like a typical tanned cape. My tannery shaves the gland off, down to the hair roots, no odor or hair loss. I also get all capes wet tanned. That musk smell is strong, I have some old horns that were given to me that were never cleaned and they still smell after 8 years. Will it go away, somewhat, altogether hard to tell.
how do you do the horns? maybe them?
remove the horns & completely clean the area.
The smell is very localized to the gland area. It did not appear that the skin in this area was at all thinner than when I sent it off for tanning.
Perhaps I need a different tannery for antelope?
Please buy yourself a shaver. I've used a Dakota for 11 years now. Trust yourself to do it right, not a tannery. You can use the shaver to flesh the gland areas on a speed-goat before salting. It doe's a great job. It's also great for fleshing bears and lions prior to salting. When you take more control, it will get done right.
I guess I should not have relied solely on the tannery. Gonna have to get me one of those Dakota's.
Appreciate it.
p.s. Do you think the perfumy odor will eventually fade?
Bryan, since your only true option is to dismantle and re-mount with a new cape. Is it a customer's? If it is, I would re-mount with a properly tanned cape at my expense. It's your reputation, and it would be an in-expensive fix in the long run. Good luck.
& really doesn't smell too bad. The room it is in does not smell at all. It only smells when I put my nose right next to the cheek patch. When I fleshed it I did thin the area quite a bit with a scissors, but ceratainly not as well as if I'd used a flesher -maybe that is why it's not as bad as it could be. Anyway, you are right Jim. I will make sure future Pronghorn capes get properly thinned.