Trophy care. Salting/Dip and pack?

[wildfowler.250]

Hope you’re all having a good weekend folks.

I wanted to ask a some opinions on salting hides etc and storage.

Essentially I’d lined up someone for dip and pack who my local taxidermist back home rates very highly and has used several times . They’re about 6 hours away which wasn’t a problem. But in a difference province.

With foot and mouth, I can still use them BUT I have to store them salted at the outfitters for 28 days and get a vet cert to move them out to the dip and pack.

- Would you expect the quality of the hides to degrade over this month? I have been told that as long as the salting is good, they can last years?

- Or is it best to have them dipped and packed asap? Back home they go into the freezer asap so I’m not quite sure how the above two steps relate.

- are all dip and packs equal with their end product? My taxidermist seems to rate one chap above others because he takes a few extra steps and he feels the hides arrive in much better condition.

Really appreciate any advice. It’s my first time going out. Really unsure when I’ll be able,(if ever) to go out a second so the last thing I want is for stuff to go ‘off’.

Thanks in advance!

 

[375Fox]

In concession areas salted hides will stay for weeks or months until the shipment justifies taking them to town. It’s normal outside private land in South Africa and Namibia. I’d have your taxidermist show you how to fully turn ears and lips so you can verify the skinner’s work so those spots can get proper salting. Most problems start with the field trophy prep. Not all skinners are equal and PH’s typically don’t closely inspect their work if at all.
Not all dip and pack is equal but most is acceptable for shoulder mounts. I haven’t had any problems with hides. The problems have been skulls that were not properly degreased and difficult to clean several months later or were over boiled with broken noses.

 

[btheis13]

Following.

 

[UKHunter]

Hides will last a long time if the field prep is good and they are properly salted. Nothing to worry about if the outfitter holds up their end with initial prep.

 

[wildfowler.250]

In concession areas salted hides will stay for weeks or months until the shipment justifies taking them to town. It’s normal outside private land in South Africa and Namibia. I’d have your taxidermist show you how to fully turn ears and lips so you can verify the skinner’s work so those spots can get proper salting. Most problems start with the field trophy prep. Not all skinners are equal and PH’s typically don’t closely inspect their work if at all.
Not all dip and pack is equal but most is acceptable for shoulder mounts. I haven’t had any problems with hides. The problems have been skulls that were not properly degreased and difficult to clean several months later or were over boiled with broken noses.

Thanks! I didn’t know that was a norm for more remote hunts but mates sense. I’ll have a look and see how to roll the ears and noses because he’s mentioned it in the past when I’ve sent stuff to him.
I don’t want to be a … fill in some sort of blank breathing down the skinners necks but I suppose it’s reasonable to inspect the salting? It’s a lot of cash per animal at the end of the day?
Skulls - I’d have preferred doing them myself. I was going to have them dipped but they’ve to boil them that much for dip and pack that I may as well get a skull mount done at the time. Apparently they all go into one big tub for hours. Not the 40 mins and then pressure hose I’m used to doing.

Hides will last a long time if the field prep is good and they are properly salted. Nothing to worry about if the outfitter holds up their end with initial prep.

Thanks! I’ve spoken to someone that’s used them and they say they’ve never had issues with the prep side and that’s including transporting stuff from Limpopo to KZN so hopefully all okay



Any other thoughts or inputs is always welcome. Always learning!

 

[JimP]

Sounds like this is your first trip over to Africa.

On both of my hunts in South Africa the outfitter had their own "salt sheds" where your skins will be stored from the time that they are taken off of the animal until they have enough of them to justify the trip to the dip and pack company.

When you get to your outfitter ask to be taken to the area and you will be surprised at the number of skins that they have in it, and you can even watch as they rotate the skins around in it.

 

[eatmore-pbj]

Check out my PM . The man I spoke of will have your skins picked up in few days

 

[375Fox]

Thanks! I didn’t know that was a norm for more remote hunts but mates sense. I’ll have a look and see how to roll the ears and noses because he’s mentioned it in the past when I’ve sent stuff to him.
I don’t want to be a … fill in some sort of blank breathing down the skinners necks but I suppose it’s reasonable to inspect the salting? It’s a lot of cash per animal at the end of the day?
Skulls - I’d have preferred doing them myself. I was going to have them dipped but they’ve to boil them that much for dip and pack that I may as well get a skull mount done at the time. Apparently they all go into one big tub for hours. Not the 40 mins and then pressure hose I’m used to doing.

Thanks! I’ve spoken to someone that’s used them and they say they’ve never had issues with the prep side and that’s including transporting stuff from Limpopo to KZN so hopefully all okay



Any other thoughts or inputs is always welcome. Always learning!

I had my taxidermist show me what he was looking for and a few lessons on deer ears then after skinner finished I turned the ears just a little further. They weren’t offended.