How to Use Dry Preservatives for Whitetail Capes

Preparing the Cape

• 1

  Weigh the cape to determine the amount of salt needed; about 1 lb. of salt is needed for each pound of hide.

• 2

  Spread the fresh cape on a flat surface, flesh side up.

• 3

  Work carefully with a knife or scraper to remove as much meat and fat as possible. Avoid piercing or cutting into the cape.

Salting the Cape

• 4

  Open the salt bucket and measure out the salt you mean to use. Close the salt bucket immediately to keep moisture out.

• 5

  Sprinkle salt evenly over the entire scraped surface of the cape, including the edges. Any small portion you miss is likely to rot and may make the hide unusable.

• 6

  Pour salt evenly over the cape until salt is about 1-inch deep on and around it.

• 7

  Cover your salted cape with the canvas to protect it from rain or dew, and leave it for 24 hours.

Re-salting

• 8

  Remove the cover, pick up the cape and shake off the salt.

• 9

  Brush all salt from the surface where the cape was placed.

• 10

  Apply clean, fresh salt in the same manner as was done previously. Replace the cover to the salt, and leave the cape for another 24 hours. The more moisture the salt absorbs from the cape, the better your hide will be preserved.

• 11

  Refresh the salt one last time. When you leave the field, or wherever you placed the cape, fold the cape with as much salt as possible on and around it, and securely wrap it in the canvas cover. When you get home, tan the cape or take it to your taxidermist immediately.