caribou hides

Is stop rot an option?

 

Salt is always an option on a fly in as you don't have to bring it back. If you kill a bou it is used up and can be shaken off the capes before the flight out
then resalted at the truck. If you are in a camp leave it for the next group or simply spread it out and it will be gone with the next rain.
To not salt is asking for heartache and lost trophies, we have done many sheep and caribou hunts and would never even think about not
having salt along

 

I agree you can always make room for a couple pounds of salt. But...
I've had the cape preservation discussion with many guides/outfitters.
My opinion is the most important factor is to hang capes up where air can circulate around them. (In the shade if you can)
I've seen more capes go bad from folding them up and keeping them where they don't get any air.
Plastic bags should only be used for flight time and no more. Plastic bags are cape killers if not in the freezer.

I think this is more important since how good the salt works is somewhat dependent upon how good the fleshing/skinning job was.

 

Make sure that you have a disclaimer in you contract that covers your ass if thier hides slip due to improper field care.

 

I have worked the caribou camps for years all capes fleshed, salted drained and resalted and hung to dry outside in the wind. Taken in at night and they usually dryed in a couple of days. Do not go on any of these hunts without salt if outfitter does not provide take couple of lbs with you cannot go wrong with salt.

 

An outfit that does not have salt even at an outpost camp is NOT worth giving my money to they are worthless. BUT Most ALL do it's typically the lazy hunter on a self guided cheap hunt that cares to do nothing with his capes , no extra work, and then blame everyone else that his skin goes bad.

 

So true. If there is room for meat on the way out, there is room for salt on the way in. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

I don't doubt they have a "weight allowance" for a few cases of beer on the way in -- maybe they can leave that behind and bring some salt?

 

If the same group of guys goes North "each fall" and gets caribou, then sits on their asses and watches em deteriorate and eventually slip.. then charge accordingly.. you can either educate em on how to turn lips, ears, nose, eyes, and flesh and salt and advise to bring salt and how to salt em, drain, re salt, etc. if they take your advice, great, if not.. Charge em accordingly. The excuse of not bringing it is BOGUS..