I am an amateur taxidermist and I have a well fleshed, salt dried skunk hide. I would like to use the DP method. How do I rehydrate the hide so that the preservative will take? Do I need to pickle the hide? After I apply the DP, do I brush off the excess so the glue will hold on the form? I now know that I shouldn't have salted if I was going to use DP, but it's too late now. Thanks for any assistance. Charlie
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at this point the hide will have to be tanned. I think it would have shrunk enough that it will have to be thinned and tanned to get any kind of stretch out of the skin.
Just rehydrate in a salt solution until plyable and flesh and thin ,then wash in water add some bacteriazide and a few drps of ivory soap soak a bit and rinse ,hang to drip excess water tumble in sawdust and apply your DP and mount , I always recommend Van Dykes instant preserve Vs Borax based DP, instant preserve works faster into the skin.