Preserving antelope hide

[bts09]

Folks,

Interested in real-life experience with this as the internet suggests several different options. Hopefully I'll get a lope this year. I want to preserve the whole hide (I don't plan to do a mount other than perhaps a European mount). Once I skin it in the field, what's the best way to preserve the hide until I get it back home to tan it? Heavily salt the flesh side as soon as I remove it and roll it up? Fold it up tight with nothing on it and keep it on ice? Just looking for tips on how to get it home (it will be a couple of days' drive) without ruining it.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bhill552]

I am by no means an expert but keep it cold and dry. Bacteria grows in warm wet environments.

 

[deer_shooter]

I would salt the hide and keep dry and cold as possible.

 

[PAGOAT]

I froze a cape in a chest freezer then drove home with it in a cooler. A cooler and dry ice would probably do the same thing. Good luck.

 

[3855WIN]

Get all the meat off.

 

[wytex]

Antelope hairs are hollow, try to keep as much blood as possible off of it or they will absorb some blood. They also break off easily so handle it carefully. Roll it skin side in and keep it very cold or salt it. Keep it out of water, if you need to rinse it off let it hang dry before rolling it.
Dry ice may freezer burn it so don't get direct contact with the dry ice.

 

[JLS]

If you salt it, get as much meat off as possible (you should anyway). If you are preserving the hide, don’t drag it at all as the hairs will break. Do your cuts up the back of the legs. Should turn out really neat.

 

[WildWill]

I did one last year. Like others have said scrape off as much flesh as possible as soon you get the skin off not only does removing the flesh help preserve the hide but it makes scraping the hide easier. Then salt the hide heavily make sure to use canning salt and not regular table salt and roll it up. I put mine in a old cooler with no ice for 4 days and it was fine. Just remember if you put it in a cooler with or without ice try and keep the hide of the bottom of the cooler the salt will pull moisture out of the hide leaving pools of bloody red liquid in the bottom of the cooler that you don’t want the hide soaking in avoid putting the hide in a plastic bag for the same reason. Best of luck this fall.

 

[pointingdogsrule]

Adding to what others have stated..... 1. Skin that critter ASAP. I mean within 1/2 hour after it quits breathing. These hides (hairs) are very sensitive and fall out easily. 2. If you rool the hide up "too soon" it will not allow the heat to leave the hide. If possible cool before rolling it up.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[JonathonJEB]

All great advise above. I will add if you are going to tan it your self you could have a pickle solution already made up and just stick it in there and go back to hunting. Just keep an eye on the PH.

 

[Gr8bawana]

It seems like the hair from antelope flies off if you just breathe on it.
My taxi told me that if you salt it don't freeze it, just keep it cold and dry.

 

[Fitzwho]

If you’re going to be a few days from home, I would find a taxidermist local to where you’ll be hunting and drop it off with them. I did this on my Utah hunt two years ago. I killed first afternoon and planned on fly fishing for a few days, so didn’t want to chance ruining the hide or meat. Dropped off meat with a processor and the hide with a taxi in Price, UT.

He was actually $100 cheaper than the first one I had done locally in Midland. He fleshed and salted the hide and sent it to the tannery. Then shipped it back to me after he got it back.