Searched archives/no answer to my exact question. I have a red fox that I am mounting for myself, I snared it this year and put it in the freezer about 8 hours later,I wanted to let the hair dry before I froze it and I also groomed the burs out right then, the temp was in the low 40's. At the time I'd never heard of green belly. Tonight I skinned it and sure enough it had green belly, smelled kinda bad too. I did not notice any slipping, I had to go to work so as soon as I had the skin off I salted the hide well, rolled it up and plan to flesh it tommorow. The archives said to use DP and mount immediatly, however I have not yet ordered the form so I cannot mount it. I had planned on fleshing, pickling and wet tan just like I do with deer. If I should not wet tan how should I prep it while I wait for the form? Is it a lost cause? I'd hate to buy the form if it's just gonna go bad. I also have another in the freezer that will likely also have green belly. I'd appreciate any advice.
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wet tan it dont mess w/ dp its crap
i use it on all my coytoes, bobcats and foxes - i have not lost any of them yet
Those are scent glands. And also a male fox I presume. I cath 30 to 40 a year and always have the green smelly belly on males. I can not think of seeing it on females. If you look real close the green is in lines similar to veins. If so those are glands
It is a male, so is the other one. Thanks to all for the info!
Look, regardless of what you do, remember, slippage happens BEFORE anything else took place. If that hide is going to slip, it's already begun and all you can do is limit the damage. DP IS the most viable solution if you have a form ready. Seeing as how you dont', you can use those other suggestions, but there's no guarantee. People fail to realize that when they get it in, tossing it in the freezer whole is no answer. Larger animals take hours before the cold permeates the complete body. The intestines, after having lost their motility, begin eating themselves and the tissues surrounding them. That results in the green belly. The secret to this issue is to measure you animal, skin it out quickly and THEN freeze it. While you wait on your form, you can think about any of the options suggested here.
NOW, lp, since you're such a wizard, why don't you tell us who you are instead of talking BS? If DP is such junk, what do YOU use on your birds?
You save me sooooo Much Typing. LOL.
George.