I recently got my first caribou in for a shoulder mount and while fleshing it I noticed little pimples on the inside of the cape. I cut one open and it was a larve inside. I found out that they all (George river heard) just about have this. My question is do I have to cut everyone out? or can I just tan and mount? I use the services of a tannery and all my skins are salted then dry tanned. I can't see those things surviving the salt, pickle, tanning solution then being dried and tumbled.
Thanks
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I just tanned a caribou back skin last week it was covered in those as well. I just scraped them off with the membrane on the beam then auto tanned it, shaved it, oiled it and dried it. It came out great. I think it will be fine. Jack
Jack, thanks for the input. I don't shave, just salt and i am afraid that by just sating and shipping these things might hatch during shipping to the tannery.
If they hatch they will leave.....LOL
Chances are they will be long dead after the salting. Caribou are infected by a good number of parasites. At least two of them are the origin of the larva (warbles) you mention. The larva in skin cysts are probably from the warble fly (Oedemagena spp). Another common parasite which produces "warbles" or nymphs is the nostril fly (Cephanomyia spp). Larva from that species are usually found in the throat and air passages.
They need be of no more concern than the Bot fly Larva found in white tail. Unless the animal you caped has a record infestation load, it might be wise to just slit each cyst scrape each one out of it's cozy little nest in the dermis.
Its not the enviroment they need to hatch they are long since dead like pollywogs out of water.
The larvae had already hatched, or they wouldn't be around.