I guess I am missing something. I have mounted around 75 whitetail so far. I have never pickled a deer cape. I rough flesh, salt, rehydrate in a salt water solution, fine flesh, and tan with tanning cream. What am I missing? Why should I pickle? I just did my first Coyote. I pickled it. It turned out great, but did I need to pickle? I don't know, but I was scared not to.
Return to Gamehead Taxidermy Category Menu
The same guys who tell you that you can't are the same ones who've been telling me they can pickle without salting. I do pickle questionable hides or especially thick hides to ease in shaving, but not much else. I'll even burst your bubble and tell you I'd be hesitant to even tan a 'yote. I flesh, degrease and wash in clothes softener, spin dry, DP, and mount. Never worried about an ear slipping, never had a problem. Just me, of course.
Every person has a different stroke. For me I follow what the tanneries do and never had a problem. I only use DP on birds only, everthing else in the my shop gets tanned no matter what I get in (including house pets LOL) but that's my system and it works best for me.
We all have our own ways and each one of can argue till we're blue, purple and what ever color you can think of to say we're right and your wrong. The best I can say is do what you like and if it works go for it. Me I like to try many diffeerent way and when I find what I like stick to but still have an open mind to try different methods.
I guess that pretty well sums it up for all of us. Good read.
Thanks for the feedback.