How long will hides stay good in a freezer?

Originally Posted By: sweatybettyi wouldnt say more than a year. what did you do to prep them before freezing?

+1
i called the taxi today and asked if i could freeze the hide and he said yes just not more than a year at most!

he said i have to skin and flesh and salt it and he would charge me 60 bucks to tan!
 
Originally Posted By: sweatybettyi wouldnt say more than a year. what did you do to prep them before freezing?

I didn't do anything but roll them up. This is my first attempt at saving hide.
 
If we are talking canines mink rats or cats then Im guessing they will be freezer burnt. If they are beaver and coon you might be ok. Ive never had much luck keeping thin skinned critters much more than 6 months. After that freezer burn starts to show up. If your going to flesh them yourself rehydrate them in a bucket of COLD water overnight and pull them out and flesh them right away. If your going to have a taxidermist do it, better warn him in advance.
 
They are coyotes...forgot to mention that important detail.

I'll probably just call this a lesson learned and skin out a couple in the future.
 
Originally Posted By: sweatybettydo not salt them before freezing. the salt keeps the hide from freezing thoroughly.

OK. Do you use the regular iodized salt? Do you coat it pretty heavily?
 
i am noooooo expert! but i heard iodized salt is a no no! just regular table salt. my taxi said i had to do all th fleshing and skinning and salting etc! then he would tan for 60....no thanks

get cro-tan for 20 bucks
 
I have raw coyotes in my freezer rolled up frozen in walmart bags for up 4 yrs at a time. before I tan and mount them.
just need to make sure face is rolled in.

Dan
Shepherd taxidermy.
 
if you are going to freeze a hide, no salt at all. salt will keep the hide from freezing thoroughly.
as for buying salt, go to your local feed store and buy a 50# bag for $6-7. ask for fine feed salt.
 
Originally Posted By: sweatybettyif you are going to freeze a hide, no salt at all. salt will keep the hide from freezing thoroughly.
as for buying salt, go to your local feed store and buy a 50# bag for $6-7. ask for fine feed salt.

I got you now. I read your first reply wrong. Thanks for the help.
 
That's some good advice there on both counts.

If you don't need 50 pounds of salt, check the grocery stores for 25 pound bags of non-iodized "canning and pickling salt."
I used to buy it for less than $4 a bag.
 
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Originally Posted By: lon0121you can buy regular box of salt non iodized for 60 cents!

A pound don't get far when salting a black bear .
wink.gif
 
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