Tanning Pre-Care

The most important part of tanning or taxidermy relates directly to how the animal was treated before the taxidermist or tanner receives it. The following list is a recommended procedure for taking care of your skins. Remember, how well your skin turns out depends mostly on pre-care. If your skin is going to be used for taxidermy purposes it probably is best to have a taxidermist skin it. Treat the skin better than you would treat the meat.

1. Dispatch the animal as neatly as possible. Don't shoot it if possible,

but if necessary use a small caliber gun. Do not shoot in the head area.

2. Clean the animal at the site to remove dirt, blood, etc.

3. Transport with the legs up and the stomach tucked into the chest

cavity.

4. Keep out of the sun.

5. Do not allow the animal to freeze.

6. Comb out all burrs, mud and blood, and make sure the fur is dry

before skinning. Use a fan if necessary, but never use heat.

7. Skin as soon as possible, do not leave until the next day.

8. Skin carefully, a small hole in a thin skinned animal will be a large

hole after the tanning process.

9. Case skinning is always preferred except for large game (deer, bear).

10. If the fur is to be stretched and dried the tail bone must be pulled

and the tail must be slit using a tail slitting guide.

11. Ears should be cut where they join the skull, not farther up.

12. If you wish the ears turned or the claws skun out it is your

responsibility or a taxidermists.

13. If you are going to stretch and dry the fur, flesh as usual for selling.

Removal of fat and meat is important. The membrane that is left will

be removed at the tanners.

14. If you are going to freeze the skin leave unfleshed, turn hair out, and

roll up tightly so no leather is showing. Place in a zip lock freezer bag

and squeeze out all the air. Label it.

15. Freeze in a freezer, storing outside is not good enough.

16. Take skin to tanner as soon as possible. Skins left in the freezer too

long will freezer burn.

17. Deliver furs frozen, do not thaw.

18. If you choose to dry your skins, dry at room temperature for one

week and then store outside in a garage or shed. Get it to the

tanner as soon as possible. The longer a skin dries the harder

it will be to tan.

19. For tanning purposes it is best to dry with the fur turned in.

If you have the slightest doubt about how to handle your fur, call the taxidermist or tanner that you will be sending the fur to and ask for instructions.

Remember to bring or send your hunting and trapping licenses when bringing in fur as these animals must be registered with the DNR.