I have an elk cape taken in September that must weight twice as much as two others taken after the rut. Do you think there is something hormonal that thickens the hides of game during rut? This bull's hide was super thick, and tough to cut down the back. And now that it is dry, it probably still weighs twice what another cape of the same size weighs. Both are fleshed clean and salt dried. I have never had a cape this heavy.
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all the time. Since we do our own tanning, we REALLY notice how thick they are. I don't know about the hormones, but the ones we get in August from bow season are a lot thinner skinned. By September we start to get some really thick ones. Even to the end of the seasons there is great variety in hide thickness. Maybe somebody else can answer the hormonal question.
It was from a 330 bull, and the hide is hard as a rock now that it is dry. It appears to be 1/2" thick along the dorsal. Tannery is going to have a blast with that one! LOL