Hunting Washington Forum
Community => Taxidermy & Scoring => Topic started by: duckmen1 on March 19, 2014, 11:02:05 PM
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While trying to tan hides I am having problems with the skin slipping on the catiledge on ears of coyotes. I can't figure out why. I fleshed the hides and put the hides on salt. Every time the ears slip. My deer hides are coming out really good. Thinking I might flesh and go straight to tanning solution to fix the issue. Any thoughts
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I'm assuming that you have turned the ears inside out. Then try packing the ears with salt immeadiatly after you turn them. Get rid of any and all moisture. There is a ton of bacteria on the heads of bears, coyotes and cougars. See a pattern there? all predetors. Hope that helps you.
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Are these fresh hides or have they been in the freezer awhile?
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Freezer since August.
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I guess i need to just keep changing the salt. But since I have the tanning materials on hand I think I will flesh and go straight into the tanning solution. Any thoughts on that.
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Did you freeze it fresh or salted? If your freezer isn't very cold, salt can inhibit freezing long enough to cause slipping.
Is the hair slipping at the edge of the ear or all over? If only at the edges, you may need to split them closer to the edge.
Are you leaving the ears inside out after salting? If not moisture can pool inside and inhibit drying.
Were they fresh frozen? If you let them sit to long before getting them in the freezer, the deterioration may have started pre freezing and your seeing the result on the thaw.
Just some thoughts, good luck.
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Shot yotes and skinned on the spot. After couple hours they were in freezer. Went straight to truck and put hides on ice for transporting. No salt on hides till after fleshed after they came out of freezer. Skin is just peeling from cartiledge if i touch it. It's not really hair slipping. More like skin peeling. I think there way just too much moisture For too long while salting.
Your replies have really helped. I have a hard time with yotes, but deer are coming out great. Just a little shrink edge because of the ingredients I used to tan. Will post pics of deer later
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Pull your Yote hides out of the freezer and set them on a towel to that. Once that split and turn the face including the ears. Flesh and rub salt into the skin side. Then fold the hide so that the moisture that is being pulled out can drain and put the yote hide on an inclide to drain for 24 hours. After 24 hours rub new salt into the hide. Refold and let set for 24-48 hours.
What are you using to tan the hides?
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Did you turn the ears ?
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No didn't turn the ears. I am using alum, fawn dish soap, salt, baking soda in water mixed.
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That is more than likely your biggest problem. You need to turn the ears ! ! ! !
Where did you come up with that tanning solution?
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There is your problem right there guaranteed....... If you don't turn the ears the hair is gonna slip every time.
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The tanning solution I came up with from a few sites online and modified a bit. Other than shrinking a bit it turns out pretty good for home tanning. I will take pics in a minute and post.
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Hear is a deer hide from the tanning solution. Not the greatest pics but they will do. Comes out pretty stiff but once you break them they are pretty soft. Not quite what the tannery does when I get my hides back but not bad at all for a do it yourself tan.
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I'm assuming that you have turned the ears inside out. Then try packing the ears with salt immeadiatly after you turn them. Get rid of any and all moisture. There is a ton of bacteria on the heads of bears, coyotes and cougars. See a pattern there? all predetors. Hope that helps you.
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Ya learning my mistakes. Gonna get better at it thanks to all the help from you guys. I expect the next hide to come out well when ever I get one.
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Just checked the yote hides and now that the ears are pretty much all dry they do not slip a bit. I was surprised that they came back. No rot or anything.
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:tup: Alcohol is my friend!!!!! Isopropel rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol does wonders to halt bacteria and help set hair. squirt some on as soon as you can, on outside & inside when turning ears, salt heavily. Also aluminum sulfate & water pickle can help set hair. The other thing i've done is brushed commercial tanning liquid such as Mc kenzie,Heads west, rinehart, liqua-tan on skin side if ears, nose pad,eyes,lips etc.... after salting before hide dries for storage, keeps shrinkage under control too! Hair slippage can be a nightmare especially on clients work. Hope this helps. Red Leaf
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something I forgot to mention,with fox, coyotes,cats etc... I try to submerge them only as long as I have to. When the washing,acid pickle, degreasing, tan bath is accomplished and nuetralized I gently use a towel to remove wetness(spin cycle in washer works, wife won't like it!) >:( Then I use a hair dryer or compressed air especially on ears & face so bacteria won't cause problems. Nice & dry , I see others addressed that. I have had great luck using Para tan, a Knobloch product, and EZ 100 a syn tan from Dan Rinehart ( a Ritell product) instructions are included with product. Also ph strips are helpful, other supplies needed are salt, citric acid for pickle( vinegar or lemon juice also work, dawn dish soap for degreasing, and baking soda to nuetralize pickle & tanning acid. Not as complicated as it sounds the ph strips really help. Good luck, & keep tanning, the first hides I tanned were woodchucks & muskrats. It wil get better with practice, A rotary rasp chucked in a drill, coarse sand paper, & a cup brush in a drill help at the softening/oiling stage. Red Leaf
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Very good info. Thanks
