heres a clue. getting ready to put it up for a few days, i lightly sanded everything nice and smooth. coated it then rubbed in some deer fat.didnt heat it or anything, it soaks it up a bit, so i did it again and burnished it all over with a deer tine.the feel of it is somthing simular to cedar.the belly has been changing colors since i greased it and burnished it. pretty close to the color on the back now.Tony