enough salt to turn a bucket of water into another ocean on the international map?

What is the salt for and once it has cured do you tan it? This is fascinating I always wondered how this was done but didn't comprehend what I found online.

What prep was done prior to this please. Obviously you skinned the raccoon but then what?

*hugs*

I skinned the raccoon and then stretched it over an ironing board shaped board and tacked it down.. The salt acts as a dessicant to dry the moisture and ALSO tends to melt a lot of the fat...After about a week the pelt is hard and stiff as a board...then you start scraping it to remove all the salt and dried tissue and bone fragments and whatnot.. then a soak in Hydrogen Peroxide removes ALL traces of blood and breaks down the protein in the pelt slightly enabling you to work and wad and crumple the hide to make it soft and pliable... Watch videos on YouTube about curing and tanning hides!

By the way...I really enjoy talking to your husband...We taLK ON A LOT OF THE ARTISTS' lIVESTREAMS.

Um. Good. For some reason I use a mixture of salt and alum (it was what I read on printed dead trees about big hunting and what else) I am not sure why it will be better or worse, but it still comes out stiff as a cardboard.

Then I use a lanolin cream (Yes, the ones ladies for the face skin :-D ) which penetrates the skin and makes it flexible. Requires a few layers over some weeks and it keeps getting softer as time goes.

Alum works well, too.

i remember doing this, one time i accidentally left a pin sized spot on the hide un-salted and a fly must have landed on it only to come check it the next day *in the midst of summer* to find maggots crawling all over the hide........i did finish curing but it smelled like week old roadkill for ike two months. Im planning on trying to catch myself a nice yote this winter cause ive always wanted a coyote pelt ahhh good times good times -w-

I use a mixture of salt and alum as well.

No...It was road kill...I would NEVER harm a raccoon...they are my family's totemic animal...2/3 of my Tattos are of raccoons...and I crocheted a raccoon afghan and raccoon hats...but I work with fresh road-kill in good shape and salvage every thing I can from it! I turned her hide into a bag to carry my pipes and smoking materials in... I HONOR her spirit!

I have has FIVE pet raccoons in my life...