How long can i keep a hide frozen?

[Wildfoot]

I'm hoping to bag a black bear this spring and I want to make the hide into a nice rug, but I dont think I can afford to get it made into a rug until late summer when I have saved up enough money. How long can I store a hide in my deepfreeze?

[WOOKIE]

I'm hoping to bag a black bear this spring and I want to make the hide into a nice rug, but I dont think I can afford to get it made into a rug until late summer when I have saved up enough money. How long can I store a hide in my deepfreeze?

As long as your freezer stays plugged in...lol

In all seriousness, I believe you can keep a hide frozen for a long time. Don't quote me on this, but I think MATHEWSarcher still has 1 frozen from last spring.

[Travski]

if you are going to be storing it for any length of time you should first make sure you fold it up so that the ears, lips and eye area is in the middle of the hide. This prevents them from drying out excessively. Secondly you will want to make sure you try to get the paws also folded into the center so they do not dry out. Make sure you squeeze all the air out of the heavy plastic black bag. If there is air in the bag you will get freezer burnt areas on the inside of the hide. Make sure you roll the hide so the fur is on the outside. Once you get all the air out of the bag you can tie it shut tightly. I would recommend that you double bag it or triple bag it to prevent air from entering. I have done this with one of mine and never had a problem with it after 2 years in the freezer.


Travis

[Wildfoot]

thanks for the advice! Im goin out bear hunting with Kirby, so he should be able to help me out a lot too. Anyone know a good taxidermist in the Osoyoos area?

[Wildfoot]

should I salt a bear hide before freezing it?

[Mikey]

salt ... no... preparation/presevation is everything .... if yer gonna freeze it ... the taxidermist will salt it properly
Taxidermist in Osoyoos area .... I seem to recall one on the hwy between Penticton and Oliver ...but I dont know how good it is
If ya wanna go for a drive ...theres a few in the Kootenays along hwy 3 ....

[Wildfoot]

thanks mikey.

Im definately going to look around before i send the bear to a taxidermist. This will probably be the only bear I shoot so I want to make sure it gets done right!

I have family around Kamloops, and I think there are some good taxidermists around Kamloops, so I will probably shop around there.

I guess the best way to judge them is to look at what they have on the walls?


anyone have a good guide that shows how i skin the head for a rug? or do taxidermists mind if i leave them the head to skin?

[Travski]

Most would prefer that you let them skin it out, One slip of your knife could end up ruining a great cape, If it is not a problem I would leave head attached to the skin and let a Professional do it.

just my 2 cents

Travis

[dakoda62]

Never freeze and salt together do one or the other but not both. A normal deep freeze may not ever get cold enough to freeze salted flesh and fat.

[ganonymous]

he salt will rot the meat even while freezing......

[bdoa]

Salt will keep the hide from freezing and the hair will slip.. never use salt unless you skin the face, turn the lips, ears, and skin the paws. you need salt in every possible crack and hole if you intend to keep it from slipping. If you want to leave the head in, Skin the bear streatch it out in the shade to cool & dry, then get it to a freezer asap.
Never put it in a Black bag and leave in the sun... even for an hour..

I bring a couple dozen bears to my Taxidermist every year, I let him deal with the head and feet, it is what he is paid to do... $135 a foot I am not doing it...

As for the initial question on this thread.. there is a simple answer.... wait until you can afford to do the rug until you kill the animal then you can be sure it will not be waisted...