I got black bear hide salted right now, it been sitting about 24 hours. I checked the hair and it is falling right out if I just pet it. I didnt remove all the fat and meat,left a little and salted figuring I would remove the rest after the pickle. Shouild I hurry and throw it in a pickle or wash off and resalt. Thanks again guys and gals. I tried calling Amy real quick but didnt want to bother her at 9 at night. LOL
Return to Lifesize Mammal Taxidermy Category Menu
Bret:
It sound like you could have done alot better job of fleshing. You have to remember that in order for the salt to properly set the hair it has to be able to penatrate the hide and dry it. On bears you need to get all the fat off until you see the dermis that looks like pebbels or scales. any farther and you may start cutting hair butts. Never Never Never leave on any meat. It's near impossible to expect salt to penatrate meat in order to get to the skin.
You have a couple of options. Is the hide still plyable enough to flesh ? If it is you can try to flesh it and get all the fat and meat off of it and re-salt. If it's starting to harden I would let it go but if its starting to slip now You'll run the chance that the tannery will reject it. It sounds like you are planning to tan this bear yourself. It might be a good project to practice on as most tannerys charge additionally to flesh hides that arnt properly fleshed.
Good Luck.