Author Topic: Need some quick bobcat skin advice  (Read 1486 times)

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Offline Mesophilic

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Need some quick bobcat skin advice
« on: March 06, 2020, 07:10:44 pm »
A friend donated to me two bobcat skins he harvested winter 2018-2019.  Mostly fleshed, and then put in the freezer for the last year.

I have some tanning solution coming in the mail, but the tracking number is showing a miship.  Might be a few more days.

The hides are mostly thawed and sitting in my fridge with ice packs (I love how my wife no longer tries to murder me for my actions  ;D )

Is there anything I should do right now to keep the hair from falling out or the hides from degrading?
« Last Edit: March 06, 2020, 07:18:05 pm by Mesophilic »
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Need some quick bobcat skin advice
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2020, 09:38:09 pm »
You could salt them then rinse them off when you tan them.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Mesophilic

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Re: Need some quick bobcat skin advice
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2020, 12:24:21 am »
You could salt them then rinse them off when you tan them.

Sounds like a plan.  These were cased and rolled up fur side out.  The head area is still frozen ao I wasn't able to fully turn them inside out.  So hopefully some of the salt will work it's way in and help to melt over night.  It's 32° in my shed so we'll see how it goes.

Can't possibly be as hard as brain tanning an elk hide in Nov  ;D
Trying is the first step to failure
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Offline BowEd

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Re: Need some quick bobcat skin advice
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2020, 03:24:38 am »
It would'nt hurt to refreeze your skins till your tanning chemicals come.
Your skins after thawing and before tanning should be thoroughly fleshed good.
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Offline Mesophilic

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Re: Need some quick bobcat skin advice
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2020, 09:15:44 pm »
My tanning solution made it this afternoon.   Spent a good chunk of the day fleshing and scraping, just waiting for the hides to dry some more then I'll apply the solution before I go to bed.

One of the hides was so greasy that a washing with dish soap hardly made a dent.  So I worked some ashes in to the skin and let that sit for a bit while I worked on the other one.  A couple of washings with more dish soap and I think I'm good to go.



Trying is the first step to failure
-Homer Simpson-