Bears, wolf, lynx and other similar animals should be skinned in the same manner as illustrated whether the skin is intended for a rug or a life-size mounting. The preparation of skins for rug mounting requires considerable care and effort. Skin animals as soon as possible; as bacteria will start to grow within four hours of expiration.

Important: If a freezer service is available; we suggest the head and feet be left intact as in most cases this delicate work should be left for qualified taxidermists.

Skinning Step by Step:

1. Never cut through the lower lip. From the center of the throat, continue to cut straight out to the end of the tail.

2. Leg cuts are made from the center of the pads up the back of the legs to the center cut.

3. Skin out the legs and sever foot at ankle joint leaving foot intact. Then skin out body.

4. If you choose to skin out feet; skin out the feet to the last joint leaving the claws attached to the hide.

5. Skinning of the head requires careful attention to the lips, eyes and ears. Sever head area from carcass and fold back skin over skull to assist in the removal of the scalp. When ear cartilage is reached, cut the ear cartilage from the skull on the inside. Turn ear inside out & cut & cut away- flesh at the base of the cartilage. Skin out the back sides of the ear to approximately one quarter of an inch of the edges. Skin down the skull, being careful not to cut through the skin, especially around the eyes. Preserve the eye lids, use the finger of your free hand to guide the outside to be certain you are not cutting into the lids. Lips should be cut close to the skull leaving the lips attached to the skin. The inside of the lips should then be split.

6. After skinning (freezing). It is preferred that all hides be frozen as soon as possible after skinning (field preparation). We do not recommend salting. When packing, the unskinned areas (head and feet) must be placed on the external portion of the folded skin to ensure that freezing will take place.

   Salting should only take place when a freezer service is not available. After fleshing the skin should be laid flat and salted thoroughly. The ears should be turned inside out and salted, care taken to dress the slit on the inside of the lips and salt well. Where the skin folds and remains unsalted, it will decay causing hair slippage. Be sure to use sufficient salt. Rubbing it into the skin with your hands being sure that it gets all over the entire skin. The edges of the flanks of the skin must not be neglected as any unsalted areas will decay.

   IMPORTANT: A salted skin may be transported damp, without any danger if kept cool at all times. Do not use plastic bags, if there is any danger of the hide being subjected to heat and sunlight. All salted hides should be frozen if at all possible prior to shipping.

7. Shipping:

   • All specimens should be carefully and properly labeled.
   • Export permits and/or license numbers must accompany shipments.
   • Phone destination Collect to advise pending shipment. Contact Info
   • Package securely and label. Advise carrier to phone when shipment reaches destination.
   • Mark package "Rush - Perishable".
   • If shipping by bus we find it best not to ship on a Friday or over the weekend. Weekend bus staff can be difficult to deal with.
   • Lodges and outfitters are welcome to ship collect. We will divide the shipping charges between all the customer's specimens in the shipment. This makes for affordable shipping.