Fresh Skins and Hides

The most important work takes place after shooting a trophy. Proper field preparation is vital in the quality of the skins and hides.

Please ensure that the following procedure is followed:

1. Do not drag the animal on the ground after it has been shot, as this results in unsightly scratches and scars.
2. Do not leave it lying in the sun since heat speeds up the decaying process resulting in hair slip.
3. Skin the animal as soon as possible as decomposing bacteria can damage the skin within as little as 6 hours after shooting.
4. Skin the animal in accordance with the type of mount required.
5. Remove all flesh and fat.
6. Wash off all blood and dirt with cold water.
7. Lay the skin out on a clean surface with the flesh side facing up. Immediately salt the flesh side of the skin with approximately ½ cm layer of salt (no.1 vee sout). Ensure that all areas are covered and that there are no folds in the skin preventing the salt from penetrating.
8. Do not fold the skin, except for immediate transport to taxidermy, as the salt might fall off the skin.
9. The skin must remain in salt for 3-5 days after which the skin should be dried.
10. Dry the skin in open air or sunlight to ensure that it dehydrates as fast as possible.
11. Before salting the skin (step 7) the skin can be soaked in a disinfectant-salt solution of 2kg salt to 5ml dettol to 10l water for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. Ensure that the skin is immersed in this solution and continue with step 7 thereafter.