Prep for freezing a deer hide

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thepennsylvanian
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Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby thepennsylvanian » Sun Dec 16, 2018 3:36 pm

I wanted to take a shoot at doing my first whitetail hide. I don't have time over the next few weeks, as I leave for deployment just after Xmas. I have room in my deep freeze, but I dunno if I need to do anything special to preserve the hide. I have been told not to salt it prior to freezing so I rolled it tight and double bagged it. Can I expect it to last until spring??


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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby live2hunt » Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:42 pm

Taxidermist always told us not to roll them made it harder to thaw. Think it was just his preference not sure it affected anything hide wise. I’ve never heard of any other prep so will be curious also. Thank you for your service
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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby Bowstring » Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:22 am

Hopefully you rolled it skin side in (any exposed skin will freezer burn) and you don't need to salt it. If so you will be fine, and it will be like new when you defrost it this spring.
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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby thepennsylvanian » Mon Dec 17, 2018 3:44 am

Bowstring wrote:Hopefully you rolled it skin side in (any exposed skin will freezer burn) and you don't need to salt it. If so you will be fine, and it will be like new when you defrost it this spring.

I roll skin side in, as tight as I could. Im hoping to get going on just before turkey season get under way!
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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby adelle26 » Mon Dec 17, 2018 5:46 am

Skin side in, rolled up. Double bagged if you’re worried about freezer burn. It will keep indefinitely.
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thepennsylvanian
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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby thepennsylvanian » Mon Dec 17, 2018 7:44 am

adelle26 wrote:Skin side in, rolled up. Double bagged if you’re worried about freezer burn. It will keep indefinitely.

Awesome that's exactly what I did. I've done a hide before on an axis deer in Hawaii but I worked it immediately. I wanted a good winter whitetail hide and I was worried about freezer burn and the hair. Will freezing it cause any damage to the hair? Like slipping or anything like that?
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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby adelle26 » Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:14 pm

Only thing i’d avoid is freezing and thawing multiple times. That’s your only slippage worry. And washing the hide if bloody or dirty. Water is a good way for bacteria to multiply on a skin, so don’t wash until you’re ready to tan.
Last edited by adelle26 on Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Prep for freezing a deer hide

Unread postby thepennsylvanian » Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:15 pm

Ok, awesome thank you!!!!
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