Gundog Training Forum

I'm going rabbit shooting in the next week or so. Is there a practical way to treat the skins to make dummies from them? Seems a shame to waste them.

Thanks
Col

drawing pin the skin to a board fur down, rub borax into the skin, leave for couple of days then cable tie to a dummy

head off feet off , pull carcass through the neck hole turn skin inside out place over a piece of 4 inch plastic pipe or a log ,,use the back of a knife to remove the rest of the flesh from the inside of the pelt then rub in borax. place the dummy inside the skin which should be a pouch fold over the end and leave in a hot press for a week or 2 the skin will shrink onto the dummy elastic band then away you go very long lasting , ive often put it in the microwave for 30 seconds instead of the long stint in the hot press.

I took one skin off with a midline incision then salted it to dry, turned out fine but a bit "crispy".

Skinned another tube style like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeFr_HuAR1M

just pulled the pelt fresh over a 1/2 lb puppy dummy and secured with 2 elastic bands, didnt go crispy but started to fall apart after 6 months use.

I can't get too excited about them not lasting forever for the purpose and availability of replacements.

I used crystals of Permanganate of Potash with water added to turn it a deep purple colour, this was just painted onto the inner skin . It works very well and lasts for years but the skin makes crackling sounds as you tie it on to a dummy due to the solution drying out the skin.........dogs don't seem to mind the crackling sounds ! One little tub of crystals cost me pennies at the chemists I got it from 55 years ago. Only a very small finger pinch of crystals is needed to paint a skin....... I've still got about 1/3 of the little tub left after using it on rabbit and squirrel skins for 55 years !

Wullie