I have a new respect for Taxidermists


Squirrelhunter91

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TO ALL TAXIDERMISTS:

I have a new respect for all taxidermists out there. Today, I shot a woodchuck. I skinned him out and because I want to tan this guy, I had to flesh the skin. Fleshing the skin was a pain in the arse. I just can only imagine how long it takes for yall to do a single deer. Of course I didn't have the proper equipment, I was using a razor blade. But, I now I have new respect for taxidermists.

Here is a pic of me at work on the woodchuck skin in the garage:

HPIM1025.jpg

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Re: I have a new respect for Taxidermists

shunter, let me tell you about a product that may help you greatly in the future. You are a newbie at this so naturally you will be slow at fleshing. This is one area of taxidermy where it pays to be quick as you want to get that hide salted asap. Whitetail Designer Systems makes a product called STOP ROT that should buy you some time untill you get faster. Heck, Im pretty quick and I still use it on every skin I take in. Its a wonderful product!

Very easy to use. All you do is apply it to the flesh side of your skin with a paint brush. I actually start applying it during the skinning process and continue untill the whole flesh side is covered. Once you have your animal skinned, only remove the big chunks of fat and red meat. Turn the ears, lips, eyes and nose if your mounting the animal. Reapply the STOP ROT to these new exposed areas. Now you can apply your first round of salt. After 12 hours or so you can shake off the salt and do a more thorough fleshing job using a beam and knife of your choosing. At this point the salt and STOP ROT will have made the remaining flesh and membrane easy to remove. After fleshing you can now re-salt and allow your skin to harden.

Stop Rot can be purchased at many taxidermy supply companies or directly from Whitetail Designer Systems. www.whitetailsystems.com

Good luck, AW.

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Re: I have a new respect for Taxidermists

Bud I have to say I am impressed. You are taking on a very tuff job there.....even if it is just a small groundhog. Congrats and best of luck. Looks like AW gave you some pretty good advice there. Heck I may even try it myself this winter if I take another bobcat. Wish I would have known all that last season when I shot that big one on opening day of bow season. Would have been pretty, wanted to mount him, but just couldn't see paying what everyone around here wanted. Keep up the good work....!

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Re: I have a new respect for Taxidermists

[ QUOTE ]

Fly, I just think it would be cool to have, how many people can say that they have a tanned groundhog skin, that they shot?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have. Been there done that . If I can find the pic of the little bugger, I'll post it.

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Guest shedhunter

Re: I have a new respect for Taxidermists

[ QUOTE ]

I removed the old salt today and replaced it with new salt. Next, it goes in the pickling solution, correct?

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Correct Joey

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