drying own skins

A squirrel got squished by my house. I walked out, drug it in back, and skinned it. How do I preserve the skin so that I can use the fur for fly tying? Just dry it?

I scrubbed most of the fat off the back. I've read to use salt and alum.

My main point is to not let it smell.

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Tight lines,
Steve-O

That must have been a pretty huge squirrel that it was necessary to drag.

I skinned a Mallard early in duck season. I just pegged it with small nails in to a piece of plywood and covered the "inside" with coarse margarita salt. It took a couple of weeks, but it turned out great. I dried it in the garage during winter so I imagine it will be easier to do now.

My suggestions are go overboard with the salt and make sure the skin is in a place where random critters cant get to it.

I believe that JD has hit the nail on the head. Especially about going overboard on the salt (or 20 Mule team borax or however you choose to go) Also might not be a bad idea to check it once or twice for any meat or fat that shows up to be scraped off)

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RRhyne56, Flyfishing Warden
northtexasonthefly@attbi.com
http://www.robinscustomfliesandleaders.com

No smell once it's fully cured?

I may wait for some hot/dry weather to cure this.

properly cured there ought to be no obnoxious odor at all. Just best to let it do its curing in the garage or somewhere like that and in a place where other critturs can't get at it.

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RRhyne56, Flyfishing Warden
northtexasonthefly@attbi.com
http://www.robinscustomfliesandleaders.com