Bobcat Hide Prep

[Ellis]

How do I prep a bobcat for either mounting or tanning? Is freezing it ok before skinning?

[bjg]

Recently killed one and this is what the taxi told me:

Skin down to head (don't attempt to skin head), detach head and freeze until I could get it to him. I didn't attempt to save the paws as he said it would be considerably more to have them included in the tanned hide. I skinned mine immediately so I can't answer about the freezing prior to skinning. btw, i'm just having the hide tanned and not a body mount.

[tex4k]

Freeze him whole immediatly, find your prefferred taxi., tell him what you have, then let him tell you what to do next.

[Texastaxi]

If you think you might want to mount it, put it in a trashbag and freeze it whole.
Depending on the mount will determine how your taxidermist skins it, so it's best to let him do it.

If you just want the hide tanned, I'd suggest the same thing or you could come out with a really lopsided rug.

[Tbar]

If you think you might want to mount it, put it in a trashbag and freeze it whole.

X 2


Tbar

[Ellis]

Thanks guys. I was hoping that I could just freeze it. I'm a big into DIY projects but something like this I'll probably want to get a pro.

[47]

If you think you might want to mount it, put it in a trashbag and freeze it whole.
Depending on the mount will determine how your taxidermist skins it, so it's best to let him do it.

If you just want the hide tanned, I'd suggest the same thing or you could come out with a really lopsided rug.

What's the longest amount of time it can remain frozen and still be usable?

[Texastaxi]

What's the longest amount of time it can remain frozen and still be usable?

The sooner you get it tanned the better off you are. The problem comes in the extemities, like the ears, nose and toes. Those areas can get freezer burned, just like meat, and will be harder for your taxi to work with.

If you package it as good as you package the meat you process, it will last longer than if you just put it in a trash bag.

In saying all that, I've worked with a bobcat that was in a guys freezer for at least 2 years with no problems. He had it in a trash bag, tied off and in a second trash bag, tied off and somehow managed to squeeze most of the air out of both. Six months is nothing. After a year, you should really **** or get off the pot.

Also, keep in mind that if you're not ready to fork over the money for a mount, most taxidermists will take the cat, skin it and get it tanned for you and charge you for just that. At that point, they will either store the skin for you or give you the skin back with storage instructions so you can keep it yourself.

[47]

The sooner you get it tanned the better off you are. The problem comes in the extemities, like the ears, nose and toes. Those areas can get freezer burned, just like meat, and will be harder for your taxi to work with.

If you package it as good as you package the meat you process, it will last longer than if you just put it in a trash bag.

In saying all that, I've worked with a bobcat that was in a guys freezer for at least 2 years with no problems. He had it in a trash bag, tied off and in a second trash bag, tied off and somehow managed to squeeze most of the air out of both. Six months is nothing. After a year, you should really **** or get off the pot.

Also, keep in mind that if you're not ready to fork over the money for a mount, most taxidermists will take the cat, skin it and get it tanned for you and charge you for just that. At that point, they will either store the skin for you or give you the skin back with storage instructions so you can keep it yourself.

Cool, thanks.

Time to get off the pot then.