Now WHAT!!! to the general board

[fflutterffly]

Here is a question I ask on the Fly Tying section. 71 have read the post, one answer. Help me.
Thanks guys.

We did it! we found a little road kill squirrel and cut it's tail off. Now what do we do to cure it?

[SJDrifli]

I would think put a bunch of salt on any flesh that might be left. Pin it to a board a way from other animals outside, salt it a few times over the course of a week or two. This will cure and dry it out. Should get rid of any ripe odors that will most likely arise. Not sure if anything needs to be done to the fur itself. Hope that helps a bit.

[Justin]

I heard Borax is good, but I really dunno
Google it, just sayin

Justin

[Justin]

Justin

[Papasequoia]

Sorry, I've only snipped fur off of live squirrels before; I don't know what to do with a dead one.

[midger]

I saw the post but didn't answer as I don't do any type road kills because they are too risky with the bugs they can carry and it isn't worth risking 100s of dollars in other materials that can get contaminated if all the bugs aren't killed. Squirrel tails only cost about 1-2 bucks each cured and dyed many pretty colors. My .02

[Pete]

Disclaimer: I am not a mountain man who makes a living off skinning road kill. I have treated some deer and elk tails plus a couple of squirrel tails.

Stick it in a zip lock and soak it in alcohol for a couple of days. That should kill all the vermin. You can also freeze it a couple of different times. Freeze it, thaw it and freeze it again a couple days later.

As for smell. Being there is not really any fat or meat on the tail they don't get very stinky. I let them sit in the sun for a couple of days and have never really had a noticable stench come off them. Cut a tail off a road kill gray squirrel, last summer. Tossed it in the back of the truck and forgot about it. Then I pulled it out of the truck it was fine with no stink.

Have used Borax on some of the fleshy skins. Works better than plain old rock salt.

Just my $.02

Pete

[briansII]

What they said. If you decide to go the freezer route, make sure your freezer temps get well below freezing temps. Some critters can survive close to freezing temps. I'd leave it in there for a few days, to maybe a week.....just to be sure.

briansII

[duckdog]

I'd toss that sucker into the trash and go buy one that has been comercialy dealt with. then i'd take that one and stick it in the freezer for a few day's,take it out for a day or two then stick in back in for a few more day's. no mercy when it come's to protecting my Whiting/Hoffman stash.
mike

[Raider]

Ariel, It can't be cured. The poor little squirrel was already dead when you found it.

Sorry, Couldn't help myself!!

[Eric]

Ariel, It can't be cured. The poor little squirrel was already dead when you found it.

Sorry, Couldn't help myself!!

Eric

[Swanee]

Hey Ariel
Take 2 pencils across your fingers and stick the bone and meat part between the pencils with the skin and fur underneath the pencils. Then take a pair of piers and get a hold the bone and pull....at the same time squeezing the pencils together. It will de-bone and take all the meat with it leaving nothing to spoil or stink. Then lay it out straight in a sunny place to dry for a few days. This works well on grey squirrels.
Next lesson is on field dressing cottontails....seeing is beleiving.
Swanee