Guest warrior_8301 Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 I recently purchased some instructional DVDs (coyote rug, deer shoulder mount, squirrel mount etc.) and they seem to do the whole thing without stopping except for the normal times for salt and chemicals. I have a couple coyote hides that I was going to make rugs out of, but I think I messed them up. I didn't have time to flesh them after I skinned them so I just salted them up good. The guy in the DVD said not to salt them unless there is hair slippage because it makes fleshing hard. So what do I do next time if I don't have time to flesh it immediately after skinning the animal? Is it alright to throw the cape in a trash bag and then in the freezer unsalted? If so how long can I leave it like that? Since I am just getting started, I want to get 3 or 4 coyote hides before season is over so that I can have something to practice on over the summer. I guess I need to know what I need to do immediately to hide before I can put it aside for a while. The DVDs I got don't explain these kind of details. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artisticwhitetails Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Re: Beginner Questions It's not hurt at all. Actually, I find it easier to flesh between the first and second salting. Use a draw knife and beam after shaking off your first round of salt. In the future, go ahead and remove the large chunks of meat after skinning before you salt. Cover it with salt and let sit 12-24 hours, shake off and use your knife and beam to remove whats left, then resalt till dry. Its now ready to pickle or ship to the tannery. Tip: use milk crates or something similar to place under the hide during the drying process and place a fan in the room blowing air on the hides. This will allow the air to circulate under the skins and they will dry out much faster. Yes, you can freeze a hide after skinning. Just keep it wrapped up and sealed to protect against freezer burn. How long it can stay in the freezer depends on how well it's wrapped and sealed. Never put a salted hide back in the freezer! The salt may keep areas of the hide from freezing which will result in slippage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Re: Beginner Questions [ QUOTE ] Never put a salted hide back in the freezer! The salt may keep areas of the hide from freezing which will result in slippage. [/ QUOTE ] There's a tip to remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTF Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 Re: Beginner Questions Skin them ASAP and then lay them flat inside freezer in burlap to freeze. Flesh side out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest warrior_8301 Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 Re: Beginner Questions Thanks guys. I fleshed up my first hides this weekend. One being the coyote hide I spoke of before and the other being the hide of a very young calf that my father had die. I did it by hand on my homemade fleshing beam. I think they turned out alright. I actually had better luck fleshing the calf. I don't know if that was because it was fresh or if it was a little thicker skinned. I hope I got enough off of the hide. I removed all of the fat and meat, but I had a real hard time getting the thin layer of spider web looking stuff off. I would start to get greedy and think I could get it off the, but I would just end up tearing a hole in the hide. My tanning chemicals are supposed to be here this week so I can start that process. I guess I will find out then it I fleshed them good enough. What will happen to a hide if it is not fleshed well enough? Does the hair fall off or does it make the hide stiff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTF Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Re: Beginner Questions [ QUOTE ] What will happen to a hide if it is not fleshed well enough? Does the hair fall off or does it make the hide stiff? [/ QUOTE ] Not to worry. After they are in the pickle for about a week, go ahead and reflesh,...but be sure they are drip dry. Then put them back into the pickle. Do not pickle both hides at the same time. The yote will pickle fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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