River Runner
New member
This is usually the time of year folks start looking at the furs that have collected in the freezers over the winter and begin thinking about having something done with them.
Most folks will skin thier critters at the end of the hunt, some do it in the field. And when we're done we roll them up, put them in a plastic bag and freeze them, right?
No big deal? Well, I'm against the plastic bag idea. At least until the hide is chilled through out or semi froze, I don't suggest a plastic bag.
A common mistake that people make, and I'd like to point out, is... when thawing the furs, some folks pull the bag from the freezer, toss it on the bench and go mow the lawn. Ever done that? I think we all have.
For those that aren't aware of it, I'd like to point out the fact that your frozen furs should always be removed from the plastic bag when thawing them out, if that's what they were froze in. The air around them will help them thaw faster, and the fur isn't trapped in that bag sweating while we mow the grass. A fur thawed inside of a plastic bag sweats as it thaws, as we all know that means moisture in the bag. You see where I'm going with this already don't you?
Bacteria is the leading cause of hair slippage, and believe me there's plenty of it in that bag with the rolled up coyote skin. Bacteria also needs moisture to breed, so what we want to accomplish here is to eliminate as much of both as possible by not keeping everything trapped in that bag while we thaw them. Take them out of thier plastic bags, let the air get to them as they thaw, and let them thaw naturally. Open them up and lay them out as they begin to get limp again. Keep the flys and bugs away from them, and whatever you have planned to do with that fur once the lawn is mowed, your off to a good start.
~River Runner~
Most folks will skin thier critters at the end of the hunt, some do it in the field. And when we're done we roll them up, put them in a plastic bag and freeze them, right?
No big deal? Well, I'm against the plastic bag idea. At least until the hide is chilled through out or semi froze, I don't suggest a plastic bag.
A common mistake that people make, and I'd like to point out, is... when thawing the furs, some folks pull the bag from the freezer, toss it on the bench and go mow the lawn. Ever done that? I think we all have.
For those that aren't aware of it, I'd like to point out the fact that your frozen furs should always be removed from the plastic bag when thawing them out, if that's what they were froze in. The air around them will help them thaw faster, and the fur isn't trapped in that bag sweating while we mow the grass. A fur thawed inside of a plastic bag sweats as it thaws, as we all know that means moisture in the bag. You see where I'm going with this already don't you?
Bacteria is the leading cause of hair slippage, and believe me there's plenty of it in that bag with the rolled up coyote skin. Bacteria also needs moisture to breed, so what we want to accomplish here is to eliminate as much of both as possible by not keeping everything trapped in that bag while we thaw them. Take them out of thier plastic bags, let the air get to them as they thaw, and let them thaw naturally. Open them up and lay them out as they begin to get limp again. Keep the flys and bugs away from them, and whatever you have planned to do with that fur once the lawn is mowed, your off to a good start.
~River Runner~
