Why in Africa do they.......

03 March 2007, 04:45

bo-n-aro

......... plunge the skins and capes in a brine or salt sludge after skinning and fleshing?
I watched this practice while on my first trip and have talked to many others that have seen the same.
I have always been told to keep things dry??
I do not tan nor even salt my skins ( I have a great tanner that does that for me) but have never seen anyone here in the states do this.
Have I missed something?

05 March 2007, 05:31

Grafton

bo-n-aro, I have seen this too and yes I agree that keeping things dry is better.

Unless a skin is extremely dirty and bloody, I see no reason why it should be washed or soaked. The dry salt prevents the growth of bacteria. The idea is to draw the moisture and fluids out of the skin, so wetting it only delays this process. Small amounts of dirt, dried blood etc.. can be removed when the skin is rehydrated. I do not have an answer as to why this step is commonly done in Africa.

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05 March 2007, 09:35

L. David Keith

Salt brine if mixed properly, will set hair almost immediately. The liquid penetrates from both sides of the skin and stops bacteria. Bacteriacides should be added as an extra precautionary, but they are not a "must do" if the salt content is correct. Africa tends to be warm during midday, even during their winter. I just let Zimbabwe and it was 100-110 degree's by noon. My capes and skins were put in dry salt right away but I would have been OK with brine. Most knowledgeable PH's instruct their skinners to wash the capes and skins to remove all blood and dirt before placing them in brine. If they are soaked while still unclean, the salt can set the blood and make it difficult to remove. If you have any concerns about your personal trophies or your clients, discuss this with the PH before the hunt. They may need to make arrangements to get an ample supply of dry salt before your hunt. Good hunting, LDK

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05 March 2007, 12:17

Safari-Hunt

To kill Bacteria first of all.
I usually add some disinfectant in the salt water as well. The skin can lay there overnight without damaging it at all. Then it can be hung to dry very important it must be hung on wood otherwise if it is hung on metal pole the salt will leave a rust mark in the skin from the rust in teh metal.

After it has dried we put it back into the drysalt and only take it out before the trophies must be sent to the taxidermist or after a couple of days then when we fold it up with the hairside inside in a nice square. When the skin is totally dry and covered in salt there is no way for bacteria to harm the skins and it can be kept that way for a long time as long as it doesnt get wet.

Frederik Cocquyt
I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good.

11 March 2007, 18:21

Exit31

Great. I would like to know what the salt content is, as in amount? And I am assuming that (more) than 24 hr in salt brine is a no-no and drying after bine soak is a must.

Would your treat african predator skins this way, say cats and dogs to set the hair?

Because african (haired )game is short haired, I suspect this is fine. I have recieved North American game, caribou and moose especially which had been in brine, and it was a mess, the hair masserated right out of the folicals. You could push the hair off with your tumb! A caribou's hair is thick and long however.

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17 March 2007, 00:24

Safari-Hunt

Exit31,

The amount of salt is not that important as long as it is enough you cannot use too much but you cannot use too little.

I haven't left skin for more than 24 hours so I dont know if it would be bad for it but I know that after laying in the brine overnight it has killed all bacteria. When I have time I go past the taxidermist and pick up some white powder he has I dont remember the name but it works brilliant also adding it to the brine it actually shrinks the skin meaing that when dry there is no way that bacteria can infect the skin in the small sweat and hair holes. Everything salted up and closed

I really dont have much or any experience with cats and dogs/hyena but as far as I know and from what I have been told I would do exactly the same. But it is very important to make sure the skin is completely dry before you fold it.