# Storing Furs



## WaltR

I have some questions on storing furs. I hunt mainly Coyotes but have a good beaver spot lined up for this spring. I have never tried drying furs before I usually give the green furs away. I have all tools required to do this...I think. I may only shot 4-5 coyotes a month so I want to stockpile a little before I sell. These questions may seem silly but know I have read for a couple days and not found these answers.

1.) Air dry vs. Salt dry.What are the pros and cons?

2.) How do I store my furs once dry...on a stretcher, off a stretcher?

3.) Where should I store the furs once dry...in a freezer, just hanging?

4.) Does temp matter to the furs once dry?

5.) How long can I store my furs before spoiling?

6.) Wire vs. Wood stretchers. What if any pros and cons?

All imput is greatly appreciated. Thank you for you interest and imput.


----------



## beavertrapper

I can tell you for sure youll get answers to all the questions sooner or later but I can answer one now....dont salt your beaver pelts..it will ruin it from what I hav been told...tried once and it didnt work,i dont know reason why it didnt....an old timer told me only salt large hides...deer,elk,etc...dont know truth level or why....

wire stretchers are easier to store and take up less room...

they wont spoil if put up correctly......b4 being put up keep them cool and dry and they should be fine...youll see mold when they start spoilin...

good luck...if im wrong someone will correct my info....


----------



## azpredatorhunter

WaltR said:


> I have some questions on storing furs. I hunt mainly Coyotes but have a good beaver spot lined up for this spring. I have never tried drying furs before I usually give the green furs away. I have all tools required to do this...I think. I may only shot 4-5 coyotes a month so I want to stockpile a little before I sell. These questions may seem silly but know I have read for a couple days and not found these answers. 1.) Air dry vs. Salt dry.What are the pros and cons? 2.) How do I store my furs once dry...on a stretcher, off a stretcher? 3.) Where should I store the furs once dry...in a freezer, just hanging? 4.) Does temp matter to the furs once dry? 5.) How long can I store my furs before spoiling? 6.) Wire vs. Wood stretchers. What if any pros and cons?All imput is greatly appreciated. Thank you for you interest and imput.


 #1. Never Salt any furbearing animal... you only salt deer etc. to make buckskin...


----------



## azpredatorhunter

First thing you want to do is clean the fur of any foreign materials, ie: burrs, mud or blood...make sure the pelt is clean and dry...before you skin it. With a beaver you should rinse it in clean water where you catch it, if that's not possible and it's muddy, rinse it with cold water when you get home ( Never use HOT water)... dry it the best you can (an old towel) and skin it...


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Stonegod said:


> Well as long as we're at it....if someone could also tell me the proper way to store/freeze animals ( in the round ) i.e fox or raccoon?....and for how long can they be kept frozen? Sorry for the hijack, but I've been meaning to ask these questions and this way there's no need for a whole new thread.....I did a search but came up with zip.LOL


 Clean it, dry it and skin it out, roll the fur up, fur side out; starting at the bottom, tuck the legs and tail into the pelt and roll it up towards the nose, put the pelt into an air tight plastic bag and seal it, make sure you get all the air out and then put it into another air tight bag to prevent freezer burn. I wouldn't keep it to long, one year is about it..


----------



## sneakygroundbuzzard

im gload you guys aske these type of questions

that way i dont have too lol

but i still need to know the answers just like the others,not that i have pelt to put up ye

but im trying like a mad fool


----------



## sneakygroundbuzzard

tell your wife to empty out the deep freeze cause you need the space lol

so how far that will get ya

me i have my own little freezer i keep my turkey wings,feathers,wing bones,back strap sinew etc in

wife wont even open it up

its mine all mine i tell ya


----------



## catcapper

WaltR said:


> I have some questions on storing furs. I hunt mainly Coyotes but have a good beaver spot lined up for this spring. I have never tried drying furs before I usually give the green furs away. I have all tools required to do this...I think. I may only shot 4-5 coyotes a month so I want to stockpile a little before I sell. These questions may seem silly but know I have read for a couple days and not found these answers.
> 
> 1.) Air dry vs. Salt dry.What are the pros and cons?
> 
> 2.) How do I store my furs once dry...on a stretcher, off a stretcher?
> 
> 3.) Where should I store the furs once dry...in a freezer, just hanging?
> 
> 4.) Does temp matter to the furs once dry?
> 
> 5.) How long can I store my furs before spoiling?
> 
> 6.) Wire vs. Wood stretchers. What if any pros and cons?
> 
> All imput is greatly appreciated. Thank you for you interest and imput.


Welcome to PT WaltR.

I don't type much so I'll keep it simple.

1) Air dry---no salt

2) Off the stretcher

3) Just hang'in

4) Its best to keep them in a cool place (65-75degs) if you can. Don't put'em where they'll cook, and not where they'll freeze. The hides may look dry to ya, but it does take time for them to dry all the way after they are off the boards.

5) If your in a dry climate, you can store hides for a long,long time. I have a couple coyote hides hang'in on the wall that have been there 25 years.

6) Thats an IMO question. I like wood---I think it makes hides look nicer. Steel gets the job done too.

awprint:


----------



## WaltR

Thanks for the info so far. Keep it coming guys.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

After you flesh the animal, you need to put it on a stretcher...flesh side out for a few days or hrs. It depends on temperature and humidity... ( if you have a fur shed without heat and it's cold and damp it may take a few days, or if your fur shed is warm and you have a fan on the pelt, it could take a few hrs. to get it dry enough to turn it fur side out... some animals just stay on the streatcher fur side in... most trappers use an adjustable wood stretcher... other trappers use wire stretchers or solid wood stretchers...


----------



## WaltR

Very helpfull guys. I had no idea they would last that long without tanning them. I will give both wood and wire a try. I like the simple side of the wire, but I am gonna try wood too.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Stonegod said:


> So what does someone do as far a storing/freezing an animal in the round (whole)......I wouldn't be skinning just selling the whole carcass to the fur buyer.


 I don't see the reason to stuff a coyote in the frige? But you could SG...


----------



## azpredatorhunter

WaltR said:


> Very helpfull guys. I had no idea they would last that long without tanning them. I will give both wood and wire a try. I like the simple side of the wire, but I am gonna try wood too.


 if you are selling your pelts you need to sell them that season or at the start of the next season... get some books or dvd's on fur handling...


----------



## WaltR

Okay that makes more sense. That is what I was hoping for. I am going to start boarding them in a couple weeks then I plan to sell at the end of the year. Thank you for catching that before i made a big mistake.


----------



## hassell

catcapper said:


> Welcome to PT WaltR.
> 
> I don't type much so I'll keep it simple.
> 
> 1) Air dry---no salt
> 
> 2) Off the stretcher
> 
> 3) Just hang'in
> 
> 4) Its best to keep them in a cool place (65-75degs) if you can. Don't put'em where they'll cook, and not where they'll freeze. The hides may look dry to ya, but it does take time for them to dry all the way after they are off the boards.
> 
> 5) If your in a dry climate, you can store hides for a long,long time. I have a couple coyote hides hang'in on the wall that have been there 25 years.
> 
> 6) Thats an IMO question. I like wood---I think it makes hides look nicer. Steel gets the job done too.
> 
> awprint:


 Well said cat, that is exactly how they store them in the rooms where I sold my furs at the auction house, I've got a few marten that are the same age as your coyotes.


----------



## catcapper

Thanks Rick SG--- if your gonna store an animal "in the round" you need to let the animal cool before it gose into the freezer.

Never seal animals or pelts in plastic bags when freezing them---the bags trap heat and moisture that can damage the fur---use paper or cardboard to seperate them. You can bag them after they are froze.

Fur is an insulator. Piling hides or animals in a freezer can cause those in the middle to spoil. Put the animals in a single layer. If you have too many critters, switch the animals from the middle of the stack to the outside after 10-15 hours. And never try to thaw an animal in the round with any type of heater.

awprint:

~


----------



## azpredatorhunter

I personally wouldn't store any pelt or animal in the freezer...in my opinion, if you trap it you need to skin and flesh it that day... "Catcapper" You said. Quote: "never seal a pelt in a plastic bag when freezing them"?... The reason for sealing a (dry) pelt in a plastic bag is so it doesn't get freezer burn...the humidity inside a freezer is very low and will dry out a pelt (freezer burn) if it's not sealed...


----------



## chopayne

So basically you just clean it off then hang it up to dry and thats it?

Why do you need the wooden/wire stretcher?


----------



## fr3db3ar

azpredatorhunter said:


> ..


----------



## hassell

azpredatorhunter said:


> I personally wouldn't store any pelt or animal in the freezer...in my opinion, if you trap it you need to skin and flesh it that day... "Catcapper" You said. Quote: "never seal a pelt in a plastic bag when freezing them"?... The reason for sealing a (dry) pelt in a plastic bag is so it doesn't get freezer burn...the humidity inside a freezer is very low and will dry out a pelt (freezer burn) if it's not sealed...


I think he meant a fresh pelt, after they freeze then bag them.


----------



## beavertrapper

SG I'm sure ill b corrected....it seems to be a popular thing to do lately.....if ur not gonna skin which really isn't hard to learn then u just need to comb out the fur and let it cool and store n ur freezer ....bag or no bag really depends on how long till ur sellin.....you can check with ur buyer also to see if they hav any other suggestions....good luck hunting....it's ur hunt...be legal and have fun!!!!!


----------



## catcapper

hassell said:


> I think he meant a fresh pelt, after they freeze then bag them.


I'd say your right on the money Rick.

"Never seal animals or pelts in plastic bags when freezing them---the bags trap heat and moisture that can damage the fur---use paper or cardboard to seperate them. You can bag them after they are froze."

I thought I explained myself clearly. Here, I'll make it easier for any folks that didn't read the whole sentance.lol.

"when freezing them"--- kinda like hav'in a hide thats not frozen, and a person is gonna freeze it.

This is the reason to never seal animals or pelts in plastic bags "when freez'in them"---the bags trap heat and moisture that can damage the fur

I think "You can bag them after they are froze" is pretty much self explanatory.

I enjoy offering all PT members information/answers to questions they may have. Anyone hav'in questions on my post can PM me, and I'll do my best to help them along. I would prefer further explaination on the open board so everyone can learn.

40+ years of trapp'in and skinn'in behind me---and hopefully 40 more to come--- I might not be as dum as I look.lol.

Best part--- its "Free".

awprint:


----------



## catcapper

Stonegod said:


> Ok you guys keep saying "if you trap it you need to skin it"....I can agree with that way of thinking if you're running a trap line ect. But what if you're shooting(hunting) a raccoon or two at a time and don't care to go through the trouble of skinning fleshing ect but just want to sell the whole carcass to your fur buyer and it's not worth the drive to the fur buyer just for a few raccoons, fox ect. I don't care to get into the whole skinning thing....I don't have the equipment/skill nor space for it. But I also don't want to waste anything I may kill.


Theres a lot of folks that sell their fur "in the round". You won't get a top pickup price for them that way, but you already know that. Do what you want'a do---its your call.

:thumbsup: for not wast'in the critters you kill.

awprint:


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Stonegod said:


> Ok you guys keep saying "if you trap it you need to skin it"....I can agree with that way of thinking if you're running a trap line ect. But what if you're shooting(hunting) a raccoon or two at a time and don't care to go through the trouble of skinning fleshing ect but just want to sell the whole carcass to your fur buyer and it's not worth the drive to the fur buyer just for a few raccoons, fox ect. I don't care to get into the whole skinning thing....I don't have the equipment/skill nor space for it. But I also don't want to waste anything I may kill.


I said it SG. Think about it, if you shoot one raccoon or two what are you doing that's so important that you can't go home and skin and flesh the animal you just shot? Would you do that with a deer? It's not that hard to skin and flesh one or two animals, plus if you did you would have all the time you need to sell your furs. I don't know... just leave it in the woods or don't shoot them at all... IMO.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

chopayne said:


> So basically you just clean it off then hang it up to dry and thats it? Why do you need the wooden/wire stretcher?


 it's not the 1800's when they just nailed it to the wall. The fur market requires your pelt to be dried to the proper shape and size.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

FYI... I started trapping on my own in 1976... so it's not my first rodeo... My opinion is; if you're going to trap or shoot a fur bearing animal be prepared to skin your animal, flesh the pelt and stretch the pelt... if you don't know how to do that, buy some books or dvds on fur handling and you will get more money for your pelts when you learn the propper way to handle fur. It's not that hard to do... With all the anti-hunters and anti-trappers is this country we maybe the last ones to have the opportunity to follow in our forefathers foot steps...


----------



## azpredatorhunter

That wasn't directed towards you Sg..


----------



## azpredatorhunter

SG, I wouldn't leave an animal in the woods... I will check on prices on put up raccoon vs in the round..


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Stonegod said:


> I said it SG. Think about it, if you shoot one raccoon or two what are you doing that's so important that you can't go home and skin and flesh the animal you just shot? Would you do that with a deer? It's not that hard to skin and flesh one or two animals, plus if you did you would have all the time you need to sell your furs. I don't know... just leave it in the woods or don't shoot them at all... IMO. ...........you're missing to point AZ.....why bother to skin/stretch/dry a raccoon pelt when the buyer will pay only 2-3 bucks more for it? As far as just leaving it in the woods.....perhaps you see that as an option.....but I don't. As far as deer go....shoot it and take it to the butcher unless it's a yearling then we butcher it.


 I was being facetious, you wanker lol


----------



## chopayne

Why do furs need to be stretched?


----------



## beavertrapper

Stonegod said:


> Wanker!!!????......now that wasn't called for!!LOL


maybe not but it makes following this post pretty funny!!!lol...

....chopayne back up in the thread...ur question has already been answered...good luck


----------



## chopayne

mmm to stop it from spoiling? Sorry missed that post


----------



## beavertrapper

azpredatorhunter said:


> it's not the 1800's when they just nailed it to the wall. The fur market requires your pelt to be dried to the proper shape and size........


shape and size


----------



## C2C

I've got a few coyotes that didn't quite make it to the March sale . They are good dogs and I don't want to give them away on the May sale as in previous years . Should I try and keep them over til next March or am I better off selling em ? If keeping how should I do it ? I get differing opinions every where I turn .


----------



## azpredatorhunter

C2C said:


> I've got a few coyotes that didn't quite make it to the March sale . They are good dogs and I don't want to give them away on the May sale as in previous years . Should I try and keep them over til next March or am I better off selling em ? If keeping how should I do it ? I get differing opinions every where I turn .


it's up to you, coyote are paying good this year, I would send them. Now I am sure catcapper is going to say I am wrong, but I found my book and it says, you must seal them in a airtight bag " to protect them from freezer burn" and keep them in the freezer, it's the only way to store pelts over the summer months, unless you have some kind of cold storage. As the weather gets warm, you could get some insects that will lay eggs, and they could eat holes in your pelts. Rodents love to chew on pelts to...


----------



## C2C

azpredatorhunter said:


> it's up to you, coyote are paying good this year, I would send them. Now I am sure catcapper is going to say I am wrong, but I found my book and it says, you must seal them in a airtight bag " to protect them from freezer burn" and keep them in the freezer, it's the only way to store pelts over the summer months, unless you have some kind of cold storage. As the weather gets warm, you could get some insects that will lay eggs, and they could eat holes in your pelts. Rodents love to chew on pelts to...


Yes they are thru the roof on the first sale .. In the past however it seems that the next sale is quite a bit lower even tho they are the same pelts .. Thanx for the advice , I' think I'll send the poorer ones and maybe bag and cold store a couple gooders to send early next year .


----------



## azpredatorhunter

good luck either way...


----------



## catcapper

azpredatorhunter said:


> it's up to you, coyote are paying good this year, I would send them. Now I am sure catcapper is going to say I am wrong, but I found my book and it says, you must seal them in a airtight bag " to protect them from freezer burn" and keep them in the freezer, it's the only way to store pelts over the summer months, unless you have some kind of cold storage. As the weather gets warm, you could get some insects that will lay eggs, and they could eat holes in your pelts. Rodents love to chew on pelts to...


I'm not that old & grumpy Eric--- I agree with everything you said in this post---other than me tell'in you your wrong.

C2C---Coyotes are fetch'in a good dollar, but buyers at the late auctions are gonna be real selective. Your Alberta dogs are gonna hold strong. You might want to keep'em till next year Feb.

awprint:


----------



## C2C

Thanx for the reply and advice catcapper ... My dogs are on the Mar. FHA sale , hope they go as good as NAFA did ... I did better on FHA last year . Some friends here did real well on the Feb . sale .


----------



## azpredatorhunter

catcapper said:


> I'm not that old & grumpy Eric--- I agree with everything you said in this post---other than me tell'in you your wrong. C2C---Coyotes are fetch'in a good dollar, but buyers at the late auctions are gonna be real selective. Your Alberta dogs are gonna hold strong. You might want to keep'em till next year Feb. awprint:


lol...catcapper, any advise on how he should store the pelts untill next year?.


----------

