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[CoyCaller]

I got me a badger.  I would like to tan the hide with the face and front feet and claws intact.  I skinned it and I tried to flesh it last night but man is he greasey.  How do you get all the fat off of the hide?  I tried a few things for awhile and I finally gave up.  I salted and froze the hide until I can get some advice.

BTW- My first try with your tanning kit was a success.  My coyote turned out very nice.  I had a little slip on one of the back legs, an area the size of a quarter, other than that it is perfect.

What caused the slip?

[The Tanner]

With greasy animals like badger, beaver, raccoon, and bear you need to wash them thoroughly with a degreaser. 

Flesh it as well as you can and then salt it.  You don't need to put it in the freezer if you salt the hide.  It can stay salted for a few months until you are ready to tan it.

Once you are ready to tan the hide wash it with a degreasing soap like Dawn dish soap.   Rinse it off and tack it out.  Now use the rounded edge of the scraper tool to scrape the hide.  This will open the pores and bring more grease to the surface.  Wash the hide with Dawn again and it should be ready to be tanned.

[CoyCaller]

OK!!!!!! This badger is driving me nuts!

I thought I had fleshed him well enough but I may not have.  He took over a week to dry and when he did his back between the shoulders is still a little pink under some of the remaining membrane.  The head and the front legs are white and look good but they are stiff as a board and impossible to turn right side out as they are cased.

Do I start over and try again?

[The Tanner]

It might be a good idea to re-soak the hide.

Get a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with just enough water to fully submerge the badger.  Dissolve 1/2 cup of crystals and a few Tbl spoons of salt then put in the badger and let it soak overnight. 

Check the hide.  When the pink areas turn white then the hide is fully tanned.  Now pull the hide, let it drain, and then apply a light coat of oil.

Please remember that cased skins are going to be a little more difficult because nothing is flat.

Good Luck and happy tanning.

 

[CoyCaller]

Tanner,
I soaked the hide as prescribed and the hide looks good.  Should I oil the hide and then turn the front legs and head fur side out bofore the hide completely dries?

[The Tanner]

Yes, in this case I would turn the legs and head before it is fully dry.  It won't hurt anything.  It will just take a little longer to dry.

Good Luck

[CoyCaller]

Thank you for all of your help.  I really appreciate you, this site, and your products.

Adam