I was given a pheasant skin and a deer tail yesterday by a co-worker. What should I do to these items to sanitize or preserve them for future use? They are from fresh kills and in ziplock bags.
Preparing/Preserving Materials
I was given a pheasant skin and a deer tail yesterday by a co-worker. What should I do to these items to sanitize or preserve them for future use? They are from fresh kills and in ziplock bags.
Well I can tell you what I do. It may or may not be right but it has worked. I havent had any problems with outside bugs invading my store bought items. I place ENOZ Crystals (available at Wal-mart) in a coffee filter with a rubber band in with the skins inside of a plastic zip lock bag. I then let them sit for about a week and then into to the freezer. I then take them out let them thaw and then replace in the freezer once more. Im sure there are other methods so make sure to ask around. One more thing is I never actually store my self jobs with the ones purchased from the store.
Seege
First scrape all of the excess flesh and fat off of the back of the Pheasant skin and slice the deer tail and remove the bone. Now apply 20 Mule Team Borax liberally to the fleshy parts of the skin/tail and leave them in a warm dry area flesh side up to cure for about two weeks. I have cured skins/pelts this way for years and have never had any problems with them spoiling. After they have cured, you can also put them in the freezer for a couple of weeks or even microwave them for about 10 seconds to kill off any vermin. As with any "donated" natural materials, you should always isolate them from the remainder of your tying supplies for a couple of months.
Good luck.
Jim Smith
Before curing them if they have any blood on them make sure you soak it out by putting the skin or hide in hot water and soap and soaking them until the blood is gone. Them rinse them and let them dry then put the Borax on them. Ron
Lots of deer hides and tails being cured this time of the year. Spent a couple hours last night with one that knows everything there is to know about curing--Cris Helms. He said he has finished 30 hide this fall. All washed (warm water and soap) combed to remove dirt blood and burrs, then washed again. Clean off the fat and flesh while wet and hang out doors to dry. No salt or borax--- With boraz the finished material is stiff,air drying much softer. Same with a tail debone wash etc and air dry.
The bird skin should be cleaned of flesh and Boraxed--No salt. I store in plastic container with "Enox Moth Moth Crystals" using a section of lady's hose to hold the crystals,for a week or so. Enoz kills all bugs their eggs and larvae.
Just finish 4 tails---
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Bill
What would any of you do diffrent if the feathers are not on the skin and have sat in a freezer for 2 weeks. How about some that have sat in a freezer for 1 year with out being treated with any thing before hand. I have one batch from a hunter on T-day and am still waiting for a freind to drop some of that he has had in his freezer for over a year now and he keeps forgeting to bring over. His Wife is very understanding I guess.
WF- Tell Chris that Ron in Montana said he isn't doing enough. He had best get bussy.
A freezer dosen't hurt feathers at all. Just take them and wash them good with dish soap in hot water. I would soak them for a bit and then dry them out. No big deal how long they have been in a freezer. You sure are not going to be eating them are you ?Ron
[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 05 December 2005).]
One tip that you might use: As you're drying the skin with the borax, tack it down to a board in your garage. This will make it dry perfectly flat, making it easier to store. If you don't do that it will curl up.
hikepat,what I've done with loose feathers is wash them in warm water with some mild dishwashing soap. Stir gently. Let soak a few minutes. While soaking get a beer. Grab a colander (cooking pot with a lot of holes in it). Put feathers in the colander and run under warm water to get rid of the soap bubbles.
Then I put the feathers on a paper towel to get rid of some of the water. Pat with another towel gently.
Place the feathers in a paper lunch bag, keeping a lot of air in the bag close the bag with a rubber band. Chuck the bag and a dryer sheet in the clothes dryer. Run the dryer on fluff for 15-20 minutes or untill well done.
Your feathers will come out like new, and will smell like a mounain meadow to boot!
All kidding aside, the feathers do come out of the bag clean, dry, and in absolutely beautiful condition.
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