Been thinking about salvaging rabbit and squirrel hides for fly tying. Guessing a guy could just use clippers and shear them for dubbing without having to do much for preserving them. Zonkers on the other hand will need some tanning or other work for keeping them supple and usable. Has anybody here tried this?
Wash the hides after fleshing to get blood and dirt out in warm, soapy water with a bit of bleach. Rub in fabric conditioner or hair conditioner. Then rinse well and squeeze/wring them dry. Finish by blowdrying the hair. It will make a difference when using it. Stretch the hides in a cool place with some air moving. They will not stink in the process and they will work fine.
Same basics for bird skins, but rub borax into them on the skin side.
