Okay, I have done a few mounts (6) and I always get good compliments on them. But there is one thing I know nothing about and would like to know more.
Usually I cape, turn and split. Then I take it down the local taxidermist (frozen) and he tans it for me. He told me last year that he wasn't going to do his own tanning anymore (there wasn't enough $$ in it) so, I need to either learn how to do it myself or at least prep it so that I can send it off to be tanned. I prefer the later.
So what is the next step? Do I now salt, drain, salt, and then flesh on a beam? Or is it better to flesh then salt?
What will the tanneries accept as a "green hide?î
Thanx for any help, Tim
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You've been "stuffing" and now it's time to pay the piper. I don't know whether you'd gain more by telling you or telling you that WASCO and Van Dykes both have taxidermy instructions on this next step. You've obviously got steps intermingled and confused. You ALWAYS flesh and THEN you salt. Lay the hide where it will drain overnight, next morning, shake th salt off and resalt. Deer hides seldom take over two saltings to get the hide dried enough that moisture doesn't drip out of it. Once the hide is dried, NOT HARD DRY, fold it up so it fits in a box or bag and send it to the tannery. Some tanneries are going to require you to provide either letterhead, a business card, or some other proof that you're a professional while others could care less. No professional "TANNERY" that I know of accepts green hides.
Okay, if you "ALWAYS" flesh before you salt, then what do you do when you are miles back in and its hot out. Obviously you don't have the tools to flesh yet everyone is told to salt the capes to preserve them. Is this an acception to the rule so the hide won't rot? Or do you just try and get as much meat off as possible?
I'll look at some instructional videos too. Thanx.
If you are miles from nowhere, get the hide off as soon as possible. Get as much meat and fat off as you possibly can. turn the lips and ears. Don't let those ears air dry! Lightly score the hide (carefully)in a crosshatch pattern with your knife. I't going to be a lot easier to cut a bear hide than it is a a moose. The thicker the hide the deeper you can score. Within reason of course.
Salt and let drain. Salt again if you have it. You don't want the moisture to stay on the hide for the trip back. You want to keep it as cool and dry as possible! Bears are the absolute worst. When you have the ideal conditions (in your shop) flesh then salt.
Any taxidermist worth their salt, he he....does not guarantee any tanning because of the variables of processing the hide before return to civilization.
You'd better buy the books. There's a BIG difference between FLESHING and SHAVING. I've been back in the boonies a few times at last count and I've fleshed moose, elk, goat, and bear (I take an ulu knife for bears and it's a super item to have in your pack). Any big game guide in the far west or Canadian west worth his license is going to have that hide FLESHED as soon as possible. If it's bitter cold, that's not something to worry about, but I've been in Alaska after sheep and the temps hit 80 degrees. The ONLY OPTION is to flesh and air dry or salt dry, but if you don't get the red meat off, hair is going to slip, PERIOD. BD hit it dead on. Fall bears are the best example. You shoot one of them and if it's not fleshed or frozen within hours, the hide is going to look like polka dots when it comes back from the tanneries.
Don't put them in plastic bags ! causes da hair to slip \
keep in a box .
If you are miles from anywhere and can't get out fast enough with your deer head then the only thing to do is cape it out that means the ears also and salt everything there shouldn't be any fat on the deer cape anyway rub the salt in on the hide the turned ears also.Then put in a garbage bag and throw it in a corner and forget about it.The deer cape will keep good this way It may semi dry out so what.