Total newbie to fur handling

T

tdouglass

New member
Ok guys, I have been reading a lot online, but can't find a full process, from beginning to end. What I am looking for is what steps to take to get from dead coyote, to coyote fur draped over the sofa.

1. Skin the coyote - I've been reading a LOT and watching tons of videos on this, and I am ready to attempt this, pending coyote
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2. Flesh the pelt - I know what to do here, still reading about the how, but I can figure it out.

3. Stretch/dry - Don't know how to do this with a cased pelt instead of an open pelt, still trying to figure this part out. I read I should go fur in first for 6ish hours, then I can reverse it and do fur out until dry. How long will this take?

4:???? After the stretch/dry process, is the pelt OK to be used? Hung on wall, draped over something, ETC?

Thanks, I'm still looking this stuff up, but it's going pretty slow.
 
After step 4 ( stretch and dry) it will need to be tanned.A skin just dried is what is referred to as " green".You can tan it at home,but shipping it out is probably your best choice.The only tannery that comes to mind right now is,Moyle Mink.You can find them on the Web. On number 3.If you stretch the pelt cased,you need a coyote stretcher.Probably easiest to get a wire one.If you want to go flat,make a cut up the belly from the genitals,right up to the chin.Then, go from the front paws,straight across to the cut up the belly.If the skin were lying on it's back,the cuts would look like a cross.Then get a piece of plywood and use push pins to hold it open.I would start at the nose,right in the tip.Then,pull straight down,and pin the base of the tail.Now you have to open it all up as evenly as is possible.Use as many pins as you have to.They will not hurt the skin.Good luck.
 
after the skin is dry remove it from the stretcher and it is ready to sale find a local fur buyer or look into nafa of fha your state trappers association should have a yeary auction. there is no need to tan unless you choose to do so
fur buyers ask diffrent things contact yours and ask him what they would like

look into hal sullivans book

fur handleing 2000 there is also a video it will show you what you need to know from skining to putting up fur for sale
 
Don't try to keep it for your own use as a green pelt.If you want it for your couch or as a wall trophy,you will want it tanned.Otherwise,the hair would fall out,and make an oily mess on your furniture.
 
Time on step 3 will depend on temp, air movement (fan, and humidity. Hide will be wet then turn tacky then dry. I turn at tacky phase, If you let it go too long and it gets too dry you can wrap a moist towel around it to soften it up a little. It has to be pliable enough to turn inside out. Furharvesters has a lot of info on fur put up and finished sizes, etc.
 
Ok guys, thanks for the advice.

Looks like tannery prices aren't really to bad. What type of skinning should I do, cased, or open? Or is it personal preference?
 
Coyotes are skinned cased for the fur industry. I would skin cased as fleshing is easier on a beam. Have it tanned and then split it up the middle if you want. For one coyote you would be money ahead to just get a coyote (shoot or trap) and then look up someone near you who has all the equipment and either have them do the work or use their fur tools to do it your self while they watch. In order to have a nice pelt when you are down there is a lot to learn. I have skinned and fleshed many animals for people who want them tanned. Putting up fur is something that you can have a lot of time, money, and a special area to do properly. The stickies at the head of this page have a lot of info.
 
I am new to the whole process myself. I have now skinned and tanned 5 dogs myself. The hides may not be professional quality but I have enjoyed the experience.
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There are a number of methods to tan the hides. I have tried the Lutan process with good results. If you want to tan the hides yourself there are plenty of sites that can guide you through the process. If you would like I can send you the step by step process I use.
 
one quick and easy way that i've tanned hides with is a 50/50 mix of denatured alcohol and turpentine. put enough in a 5 gallon pail to cover the hide, stir it every day(because the two chemicals will separate) and after about 7 to 10 days you'll have a pretty nice tanned skin. after that just oil it lightely to keep it soft. i tried that on a fox pelt two years ago and i haven't lost a hair off of it and it is as soft as can be.

anybody else every try this method??
 
I just tanned a otter pelt and am doing a bobcat as well. I fleshed stretched and dried them to sell at action. Well got my wires crossed on last pick up date and all my furs ended back in the freezer for this december. I rehydrated the otter in a salt and water brine a thrid salt to water just till it was workable. I then wrung it and hung it to dry a bit the threw it on a sheet of plywood and salted the crap out of it. I rubbed and worked it in real good then hang it by the nose. This is case skinned goingbto be a wall hanger at my pals cabin. Would make a good quiver as well but that another project. After working salt and hanging a few time a day for a couple days. I turned it fur out and degreased it in good warm water an pinesole solution. I then wrung it good and hung it to dry. While it was drying i gather some of the darkest red oqk acorns i could find and smashed them up. Put them in a pot with enough water to cover and brought them to a rapid boil and the simmered till the water took on a good dark look. Then i placed the pelet fur side in on a wooden stretcher and used a paint brush to apply the brine. Several coats over a few day. The hide took on a nice pretty brown color and really looks nice. The thing with the colored brine is you can see the spots that dosnt take the brine. Those are the spot that didn't get fleshed good or is still oily. A little salt rubbed in let set and hit with a piece of fairly coarse sand paper and treat those spots again and move on. This is called acorn tanning and is just one of many way to tan a hide. Im now working down some cedar beeries for the oil to treat as a moth and insect repellant plus i love the smell of cedar. It is a natural insct repellant and is used for many things good for yah. I do have pics of the process if i new how to post them as well as some great links to tons of awsome info and how too for the home tanner. Heck im just having fun probablly would have been easier and cheaper to buy a chemical solution. This is the green time though and natural tanned sounds so much better for marketing my hides.
 


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