Trophy care. Salting/Dip and pack?

wildfowler.250

AH veteran
Joined
Jan 20, 2019
Messages
159
Reaction score
113
Hunting reports
Africa
1
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
Sounds interesting. Will get them to show me!
Check out my PM . The man I spoke of will have your skins picked up in few days
Thanks, will do!
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.

Okay, I’ll definitely look into this. I’m getting of you don’t get enough salt in these areas you get hairslip or bacteria?
 
I'm a taxidermist. I'm currently mounting a big batch of skins that have been salt dried for up to 3 years. As long as they're caped/salted promptly and correctly to start with, and kept dry & pest-free, they'll be fine.
 
I'm a taxidermist. I'm currently mounting a big batch of skins that have been salt dried for up to 3 years. As long as they're caped/salted promptly and correctly to start with, and kept dry & pest-free, they'll be fine.

:S Agree:

I had a caribou cape that was properly salted and stored for even longer. It mounted up just fine.
 
I have had salted hides stay in Africa for 2 years, mostly due to paperwork issues, D&P means all items are cleaned, dried to international shipping standards with Vet certificates. Does not really effect quality of skinners work. Your stated 28 days is nothing to worry about and will not negatively affect your skins if they are stored properly which they will be at your D&P company. It is important while on safari to get hides off animals quickly, cool down, flesh fat of certain species and get the salt in all hair follicle ends to lock them in. This African skinners have mostly done for all mine.

From my experience the fine detail work for any skin has NEVER been done to NA mount standards. Even as a taxidermist it takes hours to properly turn ears to ends, lip skin to ends, noses split and turned. This has never been done to any Africa skin that skinners have completed for mine. You can get a tutorial on this but it takes a very long time to actually be able to do properly,1 second of a slipped scalpel causing a cut in lip skin means hrs sewing with the dreaded invisible thread. While on safari you will be hunting, I have never had time to do taxidermy. I always visit skinning shed to talk to but more importantly to secretly see what to expect when I get skins at home for mounting. If you see them using 10" kitchen knives sharpened on a local rock be prepared for lots of work when skins get home.

I am mounting animals now that I shot in 2021, D&P, then shipping home to Canada then getting to BC Taxidermist for tanning, now they are in my freezer and being completed. Blesbuck hide prep took me 5 hrs about normal, just did the black wildebeest on Thursday. OMG 9 hrs, skinner cut ALL lower lip skin of. Have to fine sew on strip of leather for form tucking. Cuts, ear cartilage still in and rock dry, even after soaking, cuts in leg pits from over excited or half ass skinners. This is the reason many taxidermists refuse to do Africa around here.

Be sure to do a follow up post on here so we all know how things went.

MB
 

Forum statistics

Threads
59,891
Messages
1,301,188
Members
109,239
Latest member
Juanakendra
 

 

 

Latest profile posts

Available Game 2025!

White Wildebeest.
CAustin wrote on ZANA BOTES SAFARI's profile.
Zana it was very good to see you at SCI National. Best wishes to you for a great season.
Hi gents we have very little openings left for 2025 if anyone is interested in a last minute hunt!

here are the dates,

17-25 June
25-31 July
1-28 Sept
7-31 October

Shoot me a message ASAP to book your spot 2026 is also filling up fast! will start posting 2026 dates soon!
Hello! I’m new… from Texas!
 
Top