Salt for hides on a pack pack hunt

[Hunt247]

Hey guys I'm just wondering how much salt do you take on a back pack hunt. I'm going after sheep and have a grizzly LEH aswell. I have packed salt for sheep before but never weighed it as it was on a horse pack hunt. I'm thinking we used 3-5lbs total on a the three sheep hides we had but not sure if I'm under guessing. As for the grizzly hide I don't no where to guess any helpful comments would be appreciated.

[Xenomorph]

Hey guys I'm just wondering how much salt do you take on a back pack hunt. I'm going after sheep and have a grizzly LEH aswell. I have packed salt for sheep before but never weighed it as it was on a horse pack hunt. I'm thinking we used 3-5lbs total on a the three sheep hides we had but not sure if I'm under guessing. As for the grizzly hide I don't no where to guess any helpful comments would be appreciated.

I think you're limited by the weight you carry. Sprinkle lightly and redo when you get back home? 3-5lbs should suffice for a light application.

[325]

25 pounds for a grizzly

[Rackmastr]

A grizz you wont have enough salt in a backpack (unless that's all you're carrying) to do it right. Need to get it back to a camp where you've got a big bucket of it. I will say that its never a bad thing to have 'too much' salt.

For a sheep cape or similar, you can get away with 4-5lbs. I carry two Gatorade bottles full on a sheep hunt. Fleshing very well and removing fat/meat/etc is very important.

[BiG Boar]

Honestly 25 pounds for a grizzly is right. Personally more is better. But how fast can you get the hide out is the question? Are you 1 day hike from a truck? Can you whip back to the lake you flew in to where you left 30 lbs? Basically 3 pounds for a grizzly will buy you one night. They have thick skin and its warm. Don't shoot one unless you know you can get it to 25 pounds of salt inside of one day. Unless of course freezing is an option. Also, if there was a glacier there, you could bury it in snow for a day or two with no salt, but I wouldn't recommend it. Keep in mind a grizzly hide weighs damn near 80lbs, plus you have to take the skull for 20lbs more. You will have to make a second trip for your gear, no way around it.

[dakoda62]

More the better.

[srupp]

On a grizzly 25 is a start...you also need to know how to remove the paws, split the lips, split the nose, turn the ears and turn the eyes..its a challenge..good luck..
Steven

[Seth]

And what is the favoured type/brand of salt for said application?

[boxhitch]

Anything in the 'fine' granule size.
Tanneries have to adjust for iodized salt , but it happens all the time so non-iodized is not essential
Livestock salt is the cheapest option, from a feed store.

[Wild Images]

Sifto pool salt from crappy tire

All I use

[dracb]

Freezing without adequate salting first is not a great option. Moist hides are frozen rolled which means the inner part of the roll does not freeze for a day or so. Then when it is time to thaw the unsalted innner part is the last to thaw, taking a couple of days to do so. Parts of your hide basically have a long histories of being unprotected by salt. It is a recipe for heartbreak by loss of a trophy. Ask a taxidermist about how well freezing works out.

I should have been more explicit in my post to insure the reader knew I was talking about the grizzly hide referenced in the initial post and not about capes. Even so it is safer to salt than not to salt unless you can be absolutely sure it will stay frozen until processed the the taxidermist.

[Rackmastr]

Freezing without adequate salting first is not a great option. Moist hides are frozen rolled which means the inner part of the roll does not freeze for a day or so. Then when it is time to thaw the unsalted innner part is the last to thaw, taking a couple of days to do so. Parts of your hide basically have a long histories of being unprotected by salt. It is a recipe for heartbreak by loss of a trophy. Ask a taxidermist about how well freezing works out.

I freeze a ton of capes and have no issues. But you're right, you need to make sure if you freeze that you freeze properly (not rolling something up and allowing the heat to remain in the inside). I often fold a cape in half and lay it flat on the top of the freezer in a bag and that allows it to freeze nicely.

I never freeze a salted or partially salted cape. Only ones which have been caped off a head. Then once its time for fleshing/turning I'll salt it up and let it dry hard.

Freezing works fine, just need to do it right.

[325]

I never freeze capes. I always use salt. A salted hide is better than a frozen hide if you have to ship it (say on the Greyhound to your taxi). I buy livestock "mixing" salt. It's basically fine grained salt without iodine. It's cheap - about $15 for a 50 pound bag.

For the grizzlies I use 25 pounds initially when I first salt it. I let it sit overnight, then remove all the now wet salt and replace it with another 25 pounds. I am super anal when it comes to caring for my capes, and am a firm believer in using lots of salt.

Remember it's impossible to over-salt and hide, but quite possible to under-salt one. If in doubt, use more salt.

[srupp]

I never freeze capes. I always use salt. A salted hide is better than a frozen hide if you have to ship it (say on the Greyhound to your taxi). I buy livestock "mixing" salt. It's basically fine grained salt without iodine. It's cheap - about $15 for a 50 pound bag.

For the grizzlies I use 25 pounds initially when I first salt it. I let it sit overnight, then remove all the now wet salt and replace it with another 25 pounds. I am super anal when it comes to caring for my capes, and am a firm believer in using lots of salt.

Remember it's impossible to over-salt and hide, but quite possible to under-salt one. If in doubt, use more salt.

Most exellent advice well said..the non iodized free flowing salt is sold at the feed store in wiliams lake..40 kg ? Cheap.
Cheers
Steven

[Rackmastr]

I never freeze capes. I always use salt. A salted hide is better than a frozen hide if you have to ship it (say on the Greyhound to your taxi). I buy livestock "mixing" salt. It's basically fine grained salt without iodine. It's cheap - about $15 for a 50 pound bag.

For the grizzlies I use 25 pounds initially when I first salt it. I let it sit overnight, then remove all the now wet salt and replace it with another 25 pounds. I am super anal when it comes to caring for my capes, and am a firm believer in using lots of salt.

Remember it's impossible to over-salt and hide, but quite possible to under-salt one. If in doubt, use more salt.

Great advice about making sure you use enough salt.

I don't have the luxury of being able to salt everything right away, as sometimes I'll take in 2 capes in an evening and want to make sure I take the time to flesh/turn properly for salting. I'll freeze until I can have time to flesh. Never had issues if done right.

You're right though about shipping. I've had people ship me frozen capes and its always a risk with greyhound and making sure it stays frozen, timelines, etc. Shipping a salted cape is simple and safe.

[Brez]

1 kilo of Sifto or like per sheep shoulder cape. That is turning and fleshing it out completely - ears, nose, lips, all fat, etc. I've done a few and they turned out OK.