Should I soak a hide before fleshing?

Soak fresh hides for ten or fifteen minutes before fleshing. This soaking loosens up the tissues and washes out some of the blood and dirt. One can, however, flesh a fresh skin easily enough without soaking. If the skin is at all dried out, dry in spots, or completely dried, then soaking is definitely in order.

Can you salt a deer hide before fleshing?

Apply a layer of salt to all areas of the flesh side of the hide. Applying salt on the hair side is not necessary. After salting, roll the hide up and place on an incline to allow fluids to drain away from the hide. Wait approximately 12 hours.

How do I know if my hide is rotting?

Firstly, if your hide starts to rot/decay, it will smell. This is due to the bacteria breaking down the the meat causing it to rot. You may notice at this point that the hairs on the hide will start to loosen and fall away from the hide. When this happens, it is known as ‘hair slip’.

What does salting a deer hide do?

Salting a deer hide is one of the best ways to temporarily preserve the hide before tanning. Salting pulls moisture from the hide, keeps the hide from rotting, prevents hair from falling out, repels flies and breaks down proteins in the skin which aids the tanning process.

What does wet tanned mean?

Wet Tans ~ Wet tanned hides follow the same procedure as the dry tanned hides. The only difference between the two methods is that the wet tans are not dried a final time. Hides are finished and packaged wet. They are sent out after being frozen for a week to insure wetness.

How to drag a deer with a Cape?

When you instead have to make a drag, be cautious of what you’re doing. This is one of the easiest times to ruin a cape. Always drag your deer by the antlers or front legs rather than the back legs. This ensures the front end will be in the air, and there won’t be any friction between the cape and the ground.

Can you cut a deer’s throat?

Avoid shooting it in the head or cutting its throat. “A good taxidermist can fix a deer that’s been headshot, but not even the best taxidermist can use a cape with a 10-inch cut in its throat,” said Josh Neuharth, owner of Western Wildlife Creations in Menno, South Dakota. 3. Make all Your Cuts from Under the Skin

How do you store a deer Cape?

Don’t let it ride on a game rack above the exhaust or laying in the dirt outside of deer camp. When it comes to storing it in the freezer, make sure the cape is double wrapped in garbage bags. “Try your best to keep the cape out of water, heat, sunlight, or any place that bugs might get to it,” Gonsor said.

Can you hang a deer by the neck?

When it comes time to butcher your buck, never hang it by its neck. The stress of the rope can cause major problems that your taxidermist won’t be able to fix. The same goes if you need to dispatch your deer. Avoid shooting it in the head or cutting its throat.