Chapter55 - Pelt Preparation

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.
net/publication/275354018
Pelt-handling techniques
Chapter · January 1987
CITATIONS READS
0 4,497
2 authors, including:
Martyn Ernest Obbard

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
123 PUBLICATIONS 2,821 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
Factors affecting human-bear conflict View project
Status of Southern Hudson Bay polar bears View project
All content following this page was uploaded by Martyn Ernest Obbard on 27 April 2016.
The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

842 WILD FURBEARER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION IN NORTH AMERICA • SECTION V: THE PELT AND THE FUR INDUSTRY
55
PELT PREPARATION
G. EDWARD HALL, Hudson’s Bay Company, Fur Sales Canada Ltd., 65 Skyway Ave., Rexdale, Ontario M9W 6C7
MARTYN E. OBBARD, Wildlife Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Queen’s Park,
Toronto, Ontario M7A lW3
This chapter is intended to be used by experienced trappers, not averaged about $40 and damaged pelts of the same size and color
by beginners. People who have never trapped should first read an averaged $15.
introductory manual that explains the basic procedures involved Pelt preparation consists of cleaning and grooming, pelting
in pelt preparation. There are many basic “how-to” books (skinning), fleshing, stretching (boarding), and drying. Careless
available from trapping supply outlets in Canada and the United handling at any of these stages may result in damage that will
States or from trapper-oriented publications (e.g., Trapper and significantly reduce the pelt’s value. Damage may also occur as a
Predator Caller, Fur–Fish–Game, Canadian Trapper), and some juris- result of inappropriate trapping practices or rough handling when
dictions offer introductory courses that have manuals suitable for the animal is in or being removed from the trap or being
beginners (de Almeida and Cook 1987). Because this chapter is transported to the place of pelting.
directed at trappers with some previous experience, we assume a
basic knowledge of the tools used in skinning and scraping; these
will not be discussed in detail here. Nevertheless, much basic
information on pelt preparation is reviewed in the text as a
TRAPPING METHODS
“refresher” and as a way of emphasizing the correct procedures Humane Trapping
that should be followed by all trappers. There are many regional Wherever possible, quick-kill humane trapping systems should be
variations in methods traditionally used to prepare pelts. How- used. Trapper education and the increased use of humane
ever, in this chapter we present generally accepted techniques trapping methods have done more than reduce unnecessary
that will produce a pelt that is currently acceptable to the majority suffering by furbearers—they have resulted in better quality pelts.
of fur buyers, brokers, and garment manufacturers. In addition, This is because the leather or fur is less readily damaged if an
we present subtle variations in basic techniques that will help animal is caught in a body-gripping trap such as a Conibear (using
trappers to maximize their incomes by producing pelts that an appropriately powerful model for the target species) or in a
are more desirable to fur buyers. These suggestions to improve leghold trap used with a slide wire and slide lock in a drowning
basic methods come from many sources, including the senior set for aquatic furbearers. If furbearers are caught by quick-kill
author’s experience as a trapper and fur grader. methods, damage to the pelt is minimized. In the case of land
The pelt preparation process begins at the trap site. From the furbearers, appropriate trap locations and the use of humane
time the furbearer is removed from the trap or snare, the trapper trapping systems (i.e., foot snares, padded jaw traps, box traps)
should handle the pelt carefully to ensure that it reaches the fur will minimize damage to pelts.
dealer, the fur grader, and, finally, the buyer, in the best possible
condition. In this way the trapper’s income is maximized,
because well-handled pelts bring better prices than poorly Use of Snares
handled pelts. Some damage is due to natural causes (i.e., Improperly set snares can cause considerable damage to pelts. If
fighting, rubbing of fur) and nothing can be done about this, but instead of being caught by the neck a land furbearer is held
trappers can avoid additional damage through proper trapping by the shoulders or hips, these areas can become badly rubbed.
and pelt handling practices. Animals struggling in an improperly set snare will break or rub
The trapper can lose 25–50% of the value of an otherwise top- guard hairs and underfur. This can happen when a snare is set
quality pelt if it is graded as slightly damaged or placed in a lower with too large a loop or is set an improper distance from the
grade because of improper trapping techniques or careless ground for the target species. Placing snares of the correct size at
handling. Pelts that are poorly handled and therefore placed in the the proper height for the target species will reduce the chance of
badly damaged grade may lose 50–90% of the value of undamaged capturing nontarget animals. Also, the wire used in the snare
pelts of identical fur quality (primeness) (Obbard 1987). For should be thick enough not to cut the animal’s skin. Steel wire
example, at the February 1985 fur auctions of the Hudson’s Bay used in trolling for fish, although strong, is too fine for use in
Company in Toronto and the Ontario Trappers Association in snares and will cut deeply into a furbearer’s skin. Proper snare
North Bay, top-quality Eastern coyote (Canis latrans) skins (XL–L locks should be used and snares should be attached to a solid
size, A color) sold for an average of about $75 (CDN), whereas support such as a living tree (> 7.5 cm [3 inches] in diameter) so
slightly damaged skins of the same pelt quality, size, and color that the snare will tighten quickly, resulting in a quick death. This
C O P Y R I G H T © 1 9 9 9 , Q U E E N ’ S P R I N T E R F O R O N T A R I O.
WILD FURBEARER MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION IN NORTH AMERICA • SECTION V: THE PELT AND THE FUR INDUSTRY
Chapter 55 • Pelt Preparation • G.E. Hall & M.E. Obbard 843
reduces damage to the fur and cuts in the skin, and is more possible. An additional washing may be necessary before the pelt
humane. is fleshed or stretched. Pelts of land furbearers are normally
Snares set for beavers (Castor canadensis) seldom cause problems washed after they are removed from the carcass (if it is necessary
unless the animal has an opportunity to reach air. This can be to wash them). In all cases the fur should be as clean and dry as
avoided by setting snares deeply enough and anchoring them possible, but pelts should only be washed if necessary because of
with heavy poles or rocks. the time required for the fur to dry. Any burrs in the fur may be
removed at this time and the fur carefully combed or brushed.
Prior to skinning, furbearers, especially freshly killed raccoons
Waxing and Dyeing Traps (Procyon lotor), should be stored so that they do not touch;
A trapper can considerably reduce damage to pelts by waxing all this will enable them to cool as quickly as possible. Piling animals
traps prior to use; as a result of being waxed, traps are less likely on top of each other retains body heat and promotes hairslip.
to freeze to the fur. Although some trappers do not wax Conibear
traps because of the difficulty in setting them, this problem can be
alleviated if the wax is scraped away or melted from the trigger Removing the Pelt
set-up assembly. When the striking bars of a rusty, undyed Three methods are used to prepare pelts. Trappers should prepare
Conibear close on a pelt, the fur is often stained to such an extent their pelts according to the methods established for each species
that the discoloration cannot be removed during pelt dressing. by market practices (outlined below).
Dyeing or painting Conibear traps will reduce this problem; this Open Pelt.—In this method the pelt is cut lengthwise down the
procedure is strongly recommended. middle of the belly in order to remove it from the carcass, then the
pelt is stretched flat to dry. There are slight differences in the way
pelts are removed, but beaver and badger (Taxidea taxus) pelts
Checking Traps/Removing Animals used for garments, and bear (Ursus spp.) and mountain lion (Felis
All traps should be checked frequently in accordance with concolor) pelts used for taxidermy are generally prepared in this
provincial and state regulations. Live animals in leghold traps can manner. Gray wolf (Canis lupus) pelts used for taxidermy can be
damage their fur while in the trap. Animals taken in killing sets prepared as open pelts, but because they tear easily it is
soon begin to deteriorate whether in air or water, and commonly recommended that all wolf pelts be prepared cased (see below).
become tainted. This is a serious problem, as patches of fur may Cased Pelt (Leather-Out).—Muskrat, nutria (Myocastor coypus),
be lost from tainted areas of the pelt during pelt preparation or red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), wild mink, weasel (Mustela
pelt dressing. The rate of decay will vary according to air or water spp.), river otter, Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), raccoon,
temperatures; thus, trappers should check traps more frequently skunk (Mephitis spp. and Spilogale spp.), and some fisher pelts are
during warmer spells in fall or spring when the ground or water prepared in this manner. In general the pelt is cut from one heel
may be warm. Small mammals (possibly mice or squirrels) can to the other then pulled off the animal from the tail to the head,
damage the pelts of such furbearers as martens (Martes americana) turning it inside-out. The pelt is fleshed, placed on a wire
and fishers (M. pennanti) by chewing the fur of animals left too stretcher or wooden board, dried, and marketed without turning
long in a trap fur graders call such damage “mouse clips”). or splitting the pelt open. To remove the pelt of raccoons, skunks,
Furbearers taken in underwater sets after freeze-up should be river otters, mink, weasels, red squirrels, and opossums, make the
removed from the trap or snare immediately, as wet traps freeze initial cuts directly from one heel to the other passing below the
quickly to wet fur. Leghold traps usually do little damage to pelts, anus. The initial cuts to remove fisher pelts should run from one
but snares and unwaxed Conibears tend to pull out guard hairs heel to the anus and to the other heel. For muskrats and nutrias
and underfur if they freeze to the fur. the initial cut should be made from the heel to the base of the tail
When removing furbearers from traps and snares, the trapper and to the other heel. Buyers want these pelts prepared leather-
should take care to ensure that guard hairs and underfur are out either because they are susceptible to singeing or because their
not broken. A trapper who pulls a heavy animal such as a beaver fur needs to be protected from grease, but these furs are also
from the water onto the ice or snow by a Conibear’s jaws likely will handled this way because of tradition. Leather-out pelts are also
damage the guard hairs because the animal may slip, even though much easier to handle at the sorting and grading stages and are
the trap grips the animal tightly. To avoid this, a careful trapper easier to store.
will pull the animal onto the ice by a leg. A much more common Cased pelt (Fur-Out).—Coyote, gray wolf, red fox (Vulpes vulpes),
problem occurs at low air temperatures when a trapper lets a kit fox (V. macrotis), swift fox (V. velox), arctic fox (Alopex lagopus),
Conibear freeze to the fur, resulting in damage to the guard hairs, gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), lynx (Felis lynx), bobcat (F. rufus),
and possibly to the underfur, when the trap is removed. To avoid wolverine (Gulo gulo), marten, most fisher, and some badger pelts
this, trappers should remove Conibear traps as soon as the animal are prepared in this manner. Pelts are removed in the same
is removed from the water. general way as leather-out cased pelts. Initial cuts should be made
from one heel to the anus and from the anus to the other heel.
During the initial stage of drying, the pelt is placed on a drying
board leather-out. However, the pelt is only left to dry for a short
GENERAL PELT HANDLING TECHNIQUES time before it is removed from the board, turned fur-out, and put
Preparing for Skinning back on the board to finish drying. Pelts of these long-haired
Once the animal has been taken from the trap, the pelt should be species are marketed fur-out by tradition because they are not as
removed as soon as possible to avoid problems caused by deterio- susceptible to singeing and because buyers wish to examine the
ration of the carcass. If delay proceeds too far before the pelt is fur’s general flow, color, and clarity, and look for any defects.
removed, hairslip (i.e., loss of individual hairs) may result during Clean-skinning and rough-skinning are two methods that are
pelt preparation and especially during dressing. This is a currently used by trappers. The method used depends on the
particular problem for canids, martens, and fishers, which tend to trapper’s preference and experience with the species being
deteriorate quickly in the abdominal region. Hanging the animal by pelted, and on the location and time of the skinning procedure.
its hindlegs so that the intestines fall away from the abdominal wall In both methods, pelts should be folded leather-to-leather to keep
towards the chest cavity may temporarily delay this process. the fur as clean as possible and to prevent the leather from drying
However, it must be emphasized that this alleviates the problem before the pelt is boarded. It is recommended that animals
only briefly; animals should be skinned as soon as possible. (particularly river otters) be placed in a burlap bag or a pack during
Sand, silt, clay, and blood give a pelt a dirty, flat, unfinished transport to protect them from freezing to metal objects such as
look and should be washed off. If badly soiled, the fur of aquatic ax heads, ice chisels, or metal sleds. This prevents guard hairs
furbearers such as beavers, muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), river from becoming singed or broken.
otters (Lutra canadensis), and mink (Mustela vison) can be washed Unless pelts are to be prepared as a rug or mounted by a
in a nearby stream or lake at the trap site and dried in snow if taxidermist, all claws must be removed (i.e., left attached to the
844 Chapter 55 • Pelt Preparation • G.E. Hall & M.E. Obbard
carcass). Pelts can be torn during drumming if claws are left on commercial hair cream rinse, although this is not common. Pelts
the pelt. should be rinsed well after this treatment. After washing, the pelt
should be turned fur-out, shaken vigorously to separate the guard
hairs, and hung by the nose to dry.
Preparing the Pelt for Fleshing
Any burrs, dried blood, caked dirt, or mats left in the fur must be
removed carefully at this time to avoid pulling out guard hairs or Repairing Damage
underfur. This prevents further matting of the hairs during It is extremely important for a trapper to sew any cuts or holes in
drumming and dressing, especially in long-haired furs, and a pelt to prevent further tearing. When placing a presale value on
avoids accidental cuts that may occur as the fleshing tool passes a pelt, the buyer will take into account the additional labor costs
over the areas that are matted or where burrs are attached. Burrs that must be borne by the garment manufacturer to repair damages
can be removed when they are dry or wet, but either way, burrs before the cutting process. Even neat repairs will be redone by
should never be extracted by pulling upward with a comb, as this the garment maker; however, a sewing job that gives a better
will pull out or break guard hairs and can cause a pelt to be down- overall appearance and stops any further tearing in the leather
graded. Rather, each burr should be picked apart carefully so that will ensure that the trapper receives the best price possible for a
neither guard hairs nor underfur are damaged. Then the fur pelt despite the cuts. On the other hand, a poor sewing job may
should be carefully combed to untangle any remaining matted downgrade a pelt’s value. If pins or nails are used to close holes,
areas. care must be taken to make the repair job neat.
Mats in the fur of martens and fishers caused by spruce (Picea When assessing damage, graders consider the number, size,
spp.) and pine (Pinus spp.) gums are a serious problem if both the and location of holes. Damage to the back and flank is
underfur and guard hairs are involved. Resin mats should never considered more serious than damage to the belly, as bellies are
be cut out or picked apart. Small mats that only involve the guard less often used in making garments (except for coyotes, bobcats, and
hairs should always be left to be removed at the dressing stage, as lynx). Depreciation in value is about the same for minor damage
there is a high probability that the trapper will damage the guard caused by bite marks, bullet holes, and small tears. Large tears
hairs, causing the pelt to be placed in the slightly damaged grade. caused by careless scraping are more serious because the sur-
Large resin mats that involve the underfur may be removed using rounding leather may be weakened, and this may lead to greater
a solvent; however, it is strongly recommended that even large damage during processing. Damage caused by snares may be so
resin mats be left for the dresser to remove because of the danger severe that the weakened leather falls apart during dressing; less
of causing further damage to the fur. severe damage caused by snares may still require careful repair
by the dresser or cutter to avoid a break in the flow of the fur.
Severe snare damage at the hips is a major problem because it
Fleshing disrupts the flow of the fur and forces a manufacturer to use only
Excess muscle and fat should be carefully scraped or cut off the part of the pelt. Snare damage at the neck is less significant
skin so that the leather can dry quickly and hairslip is avoided. because the cutter makes the initial cut there. However, it may
Improperly fleshed pelts are usually placed in low grades. Care present a problem for the flesher to remove the necessary
should be taken not to overscrape the thin-leathered pelts of such amount of flesh and leather to make the pelt soft and pliable
furbearers as the opossum, nutria, muskrat, red squirrel, weasel, without enlarging the damaged area.
mink, and red fox because this will produce a papery skin that
may lose guard hairs during dressing as a result of the hair roots
being exposed. Stretching and Drying
Pelts with all the fat and muscle removed keep longer and in There are many regional differences in accepted stretching and
better condition. Fat prevents the leather from drying properly, drying practices. Recommended methods will be discussed in the
increasing the chance of taint, and may cause greaseburn in the individual species accounts.
leather. Tainted pelts may lose large areas of hair in the dressing If pelts were left to dry without being stretched, they would
process. Leather that is greaseburnt will not dress properly and become wrinkled and misshapen and, finally, would be
becomes hard and brittle, which means it must be cut from the unacceptable to the buyer or broker. Such pelts if purchased will
pelt. Localized greaseburn and hairslip may occur if fat is left on have extremely low value. To counter this, pelts are placed on a
small areas, even though the rest of the skin may be intact. Some wooden drying board (either solid or split) or wire drying frame
trappers sprinkle resinless sawdust or corncob grit on the skin to of appropriate shape and size. If solid boards are used, “belly
absorb fat prior to and during scraping. Proper scraping is wedges” are placed between the board and the pelt when pelts
important, as a greasy pelt may sit in a hot, humid warehouse for are boarded cased (except for mink, weasels, and red squirrels).
several months, during which time it may deteriorate or else taint This ensures that the pelt can be removed from the board after
adjacent pelts. To avoid this, greasy pelts are grouped separately shrinking during drying. Pelts should not be stretched by placing
to be sold to a buyer willing to take a chance that they will dress them on a stretcher of improper size or shape or by pulling down
properly. too much on a correct-size board in an attempt to reach a larger
A proper fleshing beam and fleshing tools are important for a size category, as this results in a less desirable pelt with lower fur
professional fleshing job. Details on basic techniques and tools density. Overstretching is easily detected by the grader, and it will
may be found in introductory trapper education manuals. lower the value of the pelt because the fur density has been
Salt should never be used to dry the pelts of furbearers. Salt is lessened. Trappers can avoid overstretching by using the correct
a hydroscopic substance that acts to attract moisture out of the air. size of stretcher (neither too long nor too wide) and by pulling
Thus pelts treated with salt will tend to stay moist and may rot, down on a pelt only enough to make it snug.
especially in regions with high relative humidity, such as the “Frost drying”—drying a pelt in the open at subfreezing
southern United States. If a preservative is necessary on the large temperatures—is a commonly used technique in many areas of
animals such as bears or on the legs, feet, claws, lips, and the bases northern Canada and Alaska. Done properly, frost drying results
of the ears of any furbearer, borax (sodium borate) is in a pelt with soft and pliable leather of an appealing white color.
recommended. However, pelts that are not sufficiently dried will thaw in transit
After scraping is finished, the pelt may be washed again to and arrive at the fur buyer’s or the auction house in a soggy mess.
remove any grease, although this is usually not necessary. Hot Goods received in this condition are usually returned to the trapper.
water and strong detergents should never be used to wash pelts, as In addition, many graders and buyers are wary of frost-dried
these will damage the leather by removing natural oils and pelts because the technique can be used in combination with soap
hairslip may result. Rather, pelts should be washed gently in luke- and water in an attempt to pass off an unprime skin as fully
warm water with mild soap. Because washing can remove natural prime. The process may also hide blemishes, scars, and taints on
oils and dull a pelt’s luster, some trappers rinse them with the leather, creating a pelt that is undeserving of its apparent
grade. Buyers are often unwilling to take a chance on a skin that either the castor glands, which lie on either side of this line in
may be slightly damaged or may become damaged during front of the cloacal opening (vent), or the oil glands behind the
processing; thus, frost drying is not recommended for the average vent (Fig. 1). Keep the skin stretched taut when removing it from
trapper in North America. the carcass. Supporting the pelt from underneath with one or two
The preferred method of drying pelts for the average trapper fingers will help to prevent accidental cuts when freeing the skin
is air drying for a period of 3–4 days. In this method, pelts are from the carcass. When the pelt has been freed partway down the
placed on drying boards or wire frames, then hung in a sheltered, sides, the animal should be turned onto its belly and the rest of
dry, cool (18–20 C [64–68 F]) place out of direct sunlight and away the pelt removed; avoid getting grease on the fur. When clean-
from direct sources of heat. Sometimes pelts are inadvertently skinning take care not to nick the leather, as this may loosen
dried too quickly because they were placed too close to a direct guard hairs and cause the pelt to be downgraded. Many trappers
source of heat. Occasionally, this is done intentionally (e.g., so uncomfortable with clean-skinning prefer to rough-skin and flesh
that a trapper or fur dealer can meet a shipping deadline for an the pelt clean later. The skin in the leg area is easily cut, so
upcoming sale). Either way, such “burnt” pelts will usually have this part of the process must be done with care. The head must
dried, cracked leather that is stiff and unpliable and which will also be skinned carefully around the eyes, nose, and ears. The ears
not dress properly. are cut off close to the skull, and some trappers cut off the nose-
Some trappers use fans to blow air over stretched pelts as they pad at this time.
are hanging. This will speed the drying process without burning The castor sacs and anal (oil) glands are large structures in the
the leather. In the southern United States, where high relative vicinity of the cloaca (Svendsen 1978); they may be removed from
humidity causes problems when drying pelts, many trappers use the body after skinning is completed. Make a horizontal cut just
heaters to raise the air temperature in the fur shed and many also ahead of the castors (Fig. 2a). Then, using your thumb and
use fans to blow the warmed air on the stretched pelts (Hill 1974). forefinger, pull and separate the castors and oil glands from the
A recent development on fur farms is the use of forced air and surrounding tissue (Monk 1985). Once removed from the body the
stretching boards that are grooved down the edges and flat two are easily separated (Fig. 2b). Remove any excess fat and other
surfaces (Olsen 1985). After fleshing, mink and fox pelts are tissue from the castors, twist them to help seal the duct, then hang
placed fur-out on these boards, the boards are hung from hooks, them on a string or cord to dry; check periodically that they are
a 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 inches) diameter plastic hose connected to drying properly. Placing the castors in a windy area or in front of
an air compressor is inserted into the mouth opening of the pelt, a fan will hasten the formation of a dried outer layer, which
and the forced air flows along the grooves, drying the leather side minimizes further loss of liquid from the glands. This will result
of the pelt. By using this technique fur ranchers avoid having to in a heavier castor for marketing. After a few days, separate the
turn pelts fur-out after an initial period of drying leather-out. castors and rotate them so that the previous area of contact has a
Recommended conditions in drying rooms are a temperature of chance to dry.
18–20 C and relative humidity of 60–65% (Olsen l985). Fleshing.—In preparation for fleshing, the pelt should be
hung or laid leather-up in a dry place until the grease stiffens.
Some trappers scrape beaver pelts on a fleshing beam, whereas
HANDLING OPEN PELTS: others attach the pelts to a hoop frame or tack them onto a board;
SPECIFIC COMMENTS trappers should use the method that they prefer. The important
point is to remove all fat and grease without nicking the leather.
Beaver When the pelt has been scraped free of all flesh and grease, the
Handling the Pelt in the Field.—Beavers should be removed from fur and leather may be washed with warm water and mild soap
traps carefully so that the pelt is not damaged. When trapping in to remove any remaining soil and blood. Hot water and strong
ice-covered bodies of water, particularly in shallow areas, the detergents should never be used.
trapper should check that the fur is not frozen to the ice. Holes If there is insufficient time to scrape and stretch pelts soon
chopped in the ice for removing animals should be large enough after skinning, they may be stored for a few weeks in a freezer.
that the fur does not rub on the ice and that the cutting implement However, it is important to protect the leather from the possibility
does not cut the beaver. To reduce the chance of damaging
the fur, animals caught in body-gripping traps should be pulled
from the water by a forelimb rather than by the trap. In cold
weather the beaver should be immediately removed from the
Conibear trap to avoid having its fur freeze to the trap, but if this
occurs the fur must be left to thaw before being removed.
Otherwise the guard hairs will probably be damaged.
If the fur is dirty, the beaver should be washed in water to
prepare the animal for skinning. During winter it should be slid
back and forth in clean snow to remove excess moisture. Beavers
should never be dragged behind a snowmobile or all-terrain
vehicle, as this may wear the guard hairs and underfur and lower
the pelt’s value. Wet animals should never be placed directly on a
metal sled, but should be placed in a burlap bag or other
container. This prevents the guard hairs from freezing to the
metal and breaking or being pulled out.
Skinning.—If necessary the fur should be washed and dried
before starting to skin. If beaver pelts are rough-skinned on the
trapline, individual pelts should be folded leather-to-leather for
transport and kept from contact with metal when air
temperatures are below 0 C (32 F).
Beavers are skinned open, starting with a central cut on the
belly that runs from the chin to the tail. The animal should be
placed belly-up on a clean surface (Fig. 1). Some trappers use a
simple wooden trough to keep the beaver from rolling. The fore-
and hindfeet are removed first and some trappers also remove the
tail, although most prefer to leave on the tail for ease in handling.
Next, make the first cut in the skin along the chin-to-tail
line, taking care not to enter the abdominal cavity nor to damage Fig. 1. Beaver, showing location of the initial cuts to be made in the pelt.
shake it gently, and let it hang naturally. Never overstretch a pelt.

Once the pelt is stretched any remaining flesh or grease should be
removed and any cuts sewn up.
Drying Board.—The drying board should be appropriately
marked using oval patterns available from trapping supply outlets.
Choose the outline suitable to the length of the pelt and nail
the pelt to the board leather up. To begin, nails should be placed
at the nose and tail and at the midpoint of each side. Then four
additional nails should be placed midway between the nails
on either side. Another eight nails should be placed midway
between the nails on all sides. The pelt is now held in place by 16
equally spaced nails. Continue to nail the pelt to the board, spacing
the nails approximately 2–2.5 cm (3/4–l inch) apart so that the
entire pelt has an even shape that follows the pattern on the
board.
The skin of the legs should be cut off flush with the rest of the
pelt to avoid taint. The leg holes may be closed to give the pelt a
neater, complete appearance, although whether the leg holes are
closed has no effect on the grade. The leg holes can be sewn with
heavy thread or cord, or the edges can be folded under and nailed
together. Nailing is much faster than sewing, but there is the
danger that the skin will become tainted. This can be avoided by
spreading a little borax on the areas to be nailed. After the pelt is
stretched the leather may be washed thoroughly with warm water
and mild soap. Then the pelt must be raised off the board by
sliding it up on the nails so that air can circulate underneath for
efficient drying.
(a) (b) Hoop Frame.—Choose a hoop frame of an appropriate size so
that the pelt will not be overstretched. Most trappers sew pelts to
Fig. 2. (a) Carcass of a beaver, showing the location of the cut to be made to the frame, but others use hog rings to attach the pelt and some
remove castor sacs and anal glands. (b) Castor sacs and anal glands exposed,
showing where the cut should be made to separate the sets of glands. even staple the pelt directly onto a wooden hoop. In northern
Canada, hoops are often made of two saplings, but plywood
hoops are common in the south and adjustable metal hoops are
of “freezer burn.” To do this, fold the pelt leather-to-leather so common in the United States. Metal hoops tend to be round; to
that the tail area touches the head, fold the flanks to the center counteract this some trappers attach a wire across the diameter of
(now fur-to-fur), fold the head and tail area with exposed leather the hoop, then twist the wire to draw the hoop into an oval. Start
back to the midline, fold the remaining pelt on top, then roll the to attach the pelt at the nose, tail, and sides; finish attaching the
pelt from the sides. Rolled pelts should be stored individually in pelt in a symmetrical fashion as described for attaching pelts to
plastic bags and immediately placed in the freezer. If scraped drying boards. Next, the leg holes should be trimmed and can be
pelts are to be kept for some months before stretching and drying, closed if preferred. The leather may be washed if necessary.
they should be immersed in water and frozen into a block of ice Drying.—As for other types of fur, beaver pelts should be
to avoid freezer burn. dried slowly in a cool place (18–20 C). It is important that beaver
Stretching and Drying.—Beaver pelts are stretched for drying pelts not be dried near direct heat nor in direct sunlight, as this
on either drying boards or hoop frames of the appropriate size. probably will result in areas of burnt leather. Pelts should be
In either case the pelt should be stretched in an oval shape to hung head-up to enable water to drip out of the fur. As the pelt
retain the natural contours (Fig. 3). Round or rectangular shapes dries, the leather should be wiped from time to time with a clean
are not recommended because the pelt may lose a size category, dry cloth or paper towel to remove any grease. When several pelts
or it may be overstretched in the middle of the back, producing are prepared at once, they should be stored to dry so that the fur
an area of low fur density. To determine which outline on the drying of one does not touch the leather of another. Pelts should be
board or size of hoop frame to use, grasp the pelt by the nose, removed from the board or frame only after they are completely
Fig. 3. Stretched beaver pelts, showing the preferred (oval) and not recommended shapes.
dry. Pelts should be stored fur-to-fur and leather-to-leather and help to prevent the pelt from tearing when it is placed on a
should be shipped flat and not rolled. Beaver pelts should not be stretcher. Start to separate the skin from the carcass at the base of
folded for shipping. the tail. Pull down the skin by hand and work it free from the
hindlegs. When the pelt has been loosened around the rump and
Badger hindlegs, pull the skin off the rest of the way to the neck. The fore-
feet may be cut off before skinning; if not, they should be pulled
Most badgers are prepared as open pelts, although some trappers carefully through the pelt, as the claws can cut the pelt at the leg
prepare badgers as fur-out cased pelts. If unsure which method is holes. Pull out each foreleg separately by holding the pelt in one
preferred, trappers should check with the auction house or fur hand and pulling steadily on the leg with the other hand. The pelt
buyer before trapping. Graders and buyers do not want badgers will break free at the wrist. The pelt should then be worked free
prepared as cased leather-out pelts because defects in the fur of over the head. The ears should be cut close to the skull and the
such pelts are difficult to detect. pelt carefully cut free around the eyes and mouth.
Skinning.—To begin preparing an open pelt, make a cut along A second method can be used to skin muskrats. By this
the midline of the belly from the lower lip to the tip of the tail. method, the back of the pelt is freed from the tail after the initial
The forelegs should be split open by cutting along the inside of cut. The pelt is separated by hand from the back by reaching in
the leg from the center-cut to its extremity. The hindlegs are between the carcass and the pelt, grabbing the carcass at the
opened by cutting along the color line from the heel of each shoulders and back, and partially pulling the carcass out of the
footpad to the vent. The feet can be cut off or a cut can simply be skin. The pelt is loosened around the hindlegs and belly. Then the
made around the wrist or ankle to free the pelt. The tail should be forefeet are carefully pulled through the pelt and the pelt is
skinned out by cutting it open on the underside. worked free over the head; then it is carefully cut free at the ears,
To begin preparing a cased skin, cut off the forefeet or ring eyes, and mouth.
around the wrists and split the hindlegs as if preparing an open Fleshing, Stretching, and Drying.—Once the pelt is free of the
skin. Cut around the anus and extend a cut on the underside of carcass it should be turned fur-out and left to dry. Then, in
the tail. Then make a cut around the hindleg just above the foot- preparation for fleshing, it should be cooled until the fat stiffens.
pad and claws, and skin the legs up to the body and pull out the Pelts to be stored for some time before fleshing should be frozen fur-
tail. Next, hang the carcass by the hindfeet and peel the pelt down out in plastic bags (leather-out pelts will suffer freezer burn and
over the body, pulling the forelegs through the pelt. Skinning become too dry for scraping). Pelts can be stretched on either a
should then be extended to the ears, which should be cut off close galvanized wire frame or a drying board. Wire frames are recom-
to the body. The pelt should be carefully cut away from around mended because they are less likely to cause the fur to become
the eyes and mouth, and the nose should be cut off. matted, but they must be made of galvanized metal. On both
Fleshing.—Open skins should be fleshed flat as for the beaver. types of stretcher the pelt should be mounted leather-out and
Cased skins should be fleshed on a beam as for other cased skins. pulled down snugly but not overstretched. To gain maximum
Stretching and Drying.—Open skins should be nailed flat onto length and a neater appearance when using a wire frame, insert a
a drying board. The legs should be stretched out from the body, 7.5-cm nail through the nose, run the nail up over the frame, then
and the legs and tail should be nailed open and flat. Open pelts hook it in place by inserting the tip into an eye hole; then gently
must be raised off the board to enable air to circulate underneath. work the pelt down the sides of the stretcher and fix the tail in
Cased skins should be placed leather-out on an appropriate-size place. When using wire frames, make a small slit in the tail and
stretching board. When partially dry, the pelt should be turned hook it over the frame’s metal prongs (Fig. 5). If wooden boards
fur-out to complete drying. are used, the tail piece should be nailed in place to give the pelt a
V shape at the butt end. Each hindleg-area at the side of the board
HANDLING CASED PELTS (LEATHER-OUT): should be pinned, and a small belly wedge may be inserted for
SPECIFIC COMMENTS drying (Fig. 6).
Fleshing can be done readily once the pelt is stretched. Pelts
Muskrat fleshed on a board or wire frame will loosen and must be pulled
Handling the Pelt in the Field.—Damaged guard hairs reduce the down snugly again after fleshing. Only excess fat and muscle
value of a muskrat pelt, so the jaws of Conibear traps should be should be removed, and the saddle (the layer of subcutaneous
opened wide when removing the animal to prevent the fur from muscle between the shoulder blades and the hips) need not be
catching and breaking. If the fur is dirty, it should be rinsed in completely removed. A dull knife or spoon should be used to pick
clean water at the trap site. Excess water can then be removed by off pieces of fat and muscle. Grease should be wiped off with
squeezing the animal gently from head to tail. a clean cloth or paper towel, taking care to keep grease off the fur.
During winter, extra care must be taken to ensure that the In areas of the southern United States where large numbers of
animal is not frozen to the ice before attempting to remove it from muskrats are handled, some trappers use the wringer from an old
the trap. Frozen animals or traps must be carefully chopped free,
then should be soaked in cool water or left at room temperature
until the ice melts and the animal can be safely removed. Never
thaw ice from a trap by placing it close to direct heat and never
break or pull ice from the fur. Animals can be partly dried by
rolling them in the snow at the trap site.
Skinning.—Prior to skinning, muskrats should be hung for a
few hours until dry, especially when using wire stretchers.
Muskrats should not be hung for too long before skinning, however,
as these pelts have a tendency to develop abdominal taint.
If skinning is done on the trapline, pelts should be turned fur-
out and rolled for transportation. At home or camp, pelts should
be hung until dry and cool. To skin a muskrat, lay the animal on
its back with its tail towards you (you should notice a line where
the longer fur of the back meets the shorter fur of the belly).
Then, holding the animal’s hindfoot, make a straight cut from the
base of the heel to the tail and continue the cut alongside the tail
for about 2.5 cm (1 inch). Turn the animal around and make a
similar cut on the animal’s other side (Fig. 4). Next, cut and pull
the skin around the legs above the heel and near the tail, leaving
about 2.5 cm of the tail attached to the pelt; this tail portion will Fig. 4. Muskrat, showing location of the initial cuts to be made in the pelt.
Fig. 5. A muskrat pelt on a galvanized wire frame, showing the pelt attached to Fig. 6. A muskrat pelt stretched on a wooden board.
metal hooks near the base.
washing machine to flesh muskrat pelts (Fig. 7). Leather-out pelts maximum length of the mink pelt and in forming an inspection
are fed headfirst into the wringer and, as the pelt is drawn area or “window” where the fur can be examined. An inspection area
through, the pressure of the rollers removes any attached fat. makes it possible for graders and buyers to examine the fur of a
A properly stretched pelt will have the belly flat on one side of leather-out pelt. Also, a properly placed cut takes advantage of
the frame or board and the back flat on the other. Centering of the the long guard hairs behind the hindlegs by including this part of
pelt is important; the edges of the frame or board should be the fur in the inspection area. The initial cuts should be made as
touching the flanks of the pelt, never the midback or midbelly shown in Fig. 8. Care should be taken to avoid the scent glands
(Figs. 5,6). Stretched pelts should be hung in a cool, sheltered, dry located at the base of the tail. The first cut extends from the pad
place, out of bright sunlight and away from direct heat. As the of the free hindfoot along the back of the leg and passes about
pelts dry, any grease should be wiped off with a clean cloth or 2–2.5 cm below the vent out along the restrained leg to its footpad
paper towel. (Fig. 8). Next, the mink should be turned so that the back is
towards you by switching the hindleg held in the restraining
device. Hold the tail towards you and make two cuts around the
Wild Mink vent (Fig. 8) to avoid nicking the anal glands. Sawdust or corncob
Handling the Pelt in the Field.—As for other furbearers, mink grit placed around the cuts as an absorbent will help to prevent
should be removed carefully from the trap to avoid damaging the blood or grease from getting on the fur; it is extremely important
fur or leather. The fur should be rinsed in clean water at the trap to keep the fur free of grease, as greasy fur has a flat appearance.
site to remove any dirt. Mink pelts must be handled with care; this The hindlegs and tail can be freed from the pelt by inserting your
is very important, as the guard hairs of mink are susceptible to thumb and forefingers between the carcass and pelt near the
becoming singed. Singe is the curling of the tips of the guard
hairs—similar in appearance to the curling of the hairs on your
forearm if your arm gets too close to a flame. This is especially
important for dark mink pelts because singed hairs reflect light
differently than straight hairs; as a result singed dark pelts have an
easily detected undesirable appearance.
Animals may be placed in a protective bag for transport. To
remove excess water the animal should be hung to dry (overnight
if necessary) away from a direct source of heat; however, skinning
should be done as soon as possible to avoid tainting.
Skinning.—Once the fur has dried sufficiently the pelt may be
removed. To ensure that the recommended cuts are accurately
placed, the mink should be firmly held in some sort of restraining
device. In one method a hindleg is secured by a small leghold trap
attached to a solid support such as a table. In this manner the
animal is held firmly but can be moved as necessary. Other
methods to secure the animal include nailing the footpad to a table
or bench, or using automobile booster-cable clamps instead of a
leghold trap. Fig. 7. A hand-operated wringer being used to flesh muskrat pelts in Louisiana.
The initial cuts are extremely important in getting the (Photo: G. Linscombe.)
15 cm 15 cm
(6”) (6”)
6.5 cm 5.5 cm
(2 1/2”) (2 1/8”)
91 cm
(36”)
108 cm
(42 1/2”)
Fig . 8. Location of the initial cuts to be made when skinning a mink pelt.
base of the tail and working the pelt off the upper hindlegs, pelvic
area, and base of the tail. The tailbone must be completely
removed from the pelt either by pulling it out or by using a tail
stripper. The pelt should be pulled over the hindlegs to the feet,
and the claws should be left on the carcass. Place both hindlegs of
the carcass in the restraining device and pull the pelt gently but 8.5 cm (3 1/2”)
firmly down the body. Pull the forelegs through and leave the
claws attached to the carcass. Skin carefully around the head to
avoid cutting the pelt, then cut the ears off close to the skull,
leaving them on the pelt. The pelt should now be completely free
of the carcass. Once again, it is important that no grease gets on 11.5 cm (4 1/2”)
the fur. (b)
Fleshing, Stretching, and Drying.—Leave the pelt to cool for (a)
about 10 min, then place it leather-out on a fleshing beam or Fig. 9. Patterns for drying boards to be used for (a) male and (b) female wild
drying board. Split the tail open along the underside and carefully mink pelts.
scrape off any fat. Then scrape the first 5–10 cm (2–4 inches) of
the pelt, working from the rump towards the head to keep grease snugly towards the head, then pull the tail back down in the
off the fur. Care must be taken around the tail and rump to ensure opposite direction and lay it on the board. Pin or nail the pelt to
that no grease gets on the fur, as this ultimately will be the the board at the center of the base of the tail. Place the hindlegs
inspection area examined by graders and buyers. Again, it is leather-out on the same side of the board as the tail and tack the
recommended that fine hardwood sawdust (i.e., sawdust that feet close to the base of the tail (Fig. 10). This procedure
does not contain resin) or corncob grit be applied liberally to the maximizes the size of the inspection window on the belly side (Can.
leather as an absorbent (Olsen 1985). The rest of the pelt may Mink Breeders Assoc. 1970). Now, starting at the base of the tail,
then be scraped either from rump to head or head to rump. push the tail gently towards the rump. Continue this to the tip of
Using sawdust or corncob grit will produce a pelt that is largely the tail, then work back to the base of the tail, pushing towards the
free of grease. rump at all times. These procedures produce shorter legs and tail,
Many trappers in northern and western Canada prefer to thus giving these areas denser fur. The best way to secure the tail
completely flesh their mink by entirely removing the saddle, is to cover it with a piece of galvanized or fiberglass screening and
whereas southern trappers prefer to leave the saddle on. It is tack the screening in place on the board, but pinning or nailing
recommended that the saddle be left on all southern mink that do the tail is acceptable. A thin edge of fur may be cut away from the
not have much fat under the saddle, as this is what most buyers border of the inspection area to remove any fur that might be
currently prefer. However, the trapper should carefully remove greasy. This boarding procedure will naturally produce an
all fat lying between the saddle and the leather by squeezing the adequate inspection area for grading and coloring without any
fat out using a blunt object such as a spoon, rounded stick, or dull additional cuts in the pelt (Fig. 11). If the inspection area is too
knife. If the fat is not removed properly the pelt will probably small, either because the hindlegs were pulled down too far or as a
become tainted; if the fat cannot be removed completely the result of the hindlegs being left on the belly side, the leather may
saddle must be removed. Western and northern trappers generally tear when the fur is graded or the pelt is inspected by buyers
find that their mink are too fatty and that the saddle must be (Fig. 12). The forelegs should be cut off about 1.5 cm (0.5 inches)
removed. long or tucked back inside the pelt without cutting them short.
Wild mink must be boarded leather-out to avoid singe. The The pelt should hang nose-down in a dry place, away from
pelt is placed leather-out on a drying board of the appropriate direct heat or sunlight. Slow drying at cool temperatures of 18–20 C
size; different sizes are used for each sex (Figs. 9a, b). Slightly is preferred. Any grease on the leather should be wiped off with
narrower patterns (especially at the neck) are used for boarding a clean cloth or paper towel. If the pelt is hung nose-down,
fur-out ranch mink. Boards of these dimensions may be used for excess grease will drip to the nose and the fur will remain clean.
leather-out wild mink, although the boards would not be After 3–4 days, remove the pelt from the board, hang it by the
grooved. Center the mouth on the belly side and the eyes, ears, nose to let the head and forelegs finish drying, and store the pelt
and tail on the back side of the board, then work the pelt firmly so as to avoid getting grease on the fur.
down on the board without letting it twist. After this, hold the tail Dried pelts should be stored in a cool place with constant
firmly with one hand and with the other stroke the leather from temperature. In Europe, auction houses maintain cool temperatures
the head towards the tail to gain additional length to the pelt. To (10–12 C [50–53 F]) and high relative humidity (70–80%) in their
increase the density of fur in the inspection area pull the tail storage areas in an attempt to prevent guard hairs from singeing.
(a) (b) (c)
Fig. 12. An improperly boarded wild mink pelt with an inspection window that
is too small (a, b). As a result the leather has torn during grading (c).
This is especially necessary where ranch mink pelts are stored

because these are currently prepared fur-out (Olsen 1985). In
North American auction houses, pelts are stored in areas
maintained at 5 C (40 F) and 50% relative humidity. If pelts are to
be held for a few weeks or months before being stretched and dried,
Fig. 10. A wild mink pelt on a drying board, showing the recommended
positioning of the hindfeet on same side of the board as the tail. the best way to preserve their quality after fleshing is to fully
submerge them in a container of water and store them in a freezer.
The pelt must be totally encased in ice to prevent freezer burn. It
should be thawed slowly and completely before it is stretched and
dried.
River Otter
River otter pelts must be handled with extreme care at all times
because the guard hairs can easily become singed in the raw state
(Fig. 13). Exposure during pelt preparation to excess heat, low
relative humidity, direct sunlight, or a strong artificial light source
will cause a pelt to singe; singe also occurs naturally late in the
season as the guard hairs become worn. Singed guard hairs
reflect light differently than straight hairs, giving the pelt an
undesirable appearance. Some singe can be removed during the
dressing process but most cannot; the guard hairs of a singed pelt
must be sheared before it can be used in a garment. Singe can
occur naturally; many late-caught otters are singed. However,
much singeing of guard hairs results from improper handling.
Because otter pelts are used mostly for coats, any singed pelts
must be plucked and sheared to remove the unsightly guard
hairs. As a result, trappers may lose as much as 50% of the value
of an otherwise top-quality pelt if it is graded as being slightly
singed, and as much as 75% of its value if the pelt is graded as
singed. For example, at the winter 1985 sales of the Ontario Trappers
Association at North Bay and the Hudson’s Bay Company at
Toronto, top-grade otter skins (XL size, Dark color) averaged
about $115 (CDN). Equivalent skins (XL, Dark) described as
Fig. 11. Detail of a correctly boarded wild mink pelt, showing the inspection partly singed averaged $70, and singed skins averaged $35.
window that forms naturally as a consequence of proper boarding. Although the exact causes of singe are unknown, trappers
30 cm 30 cm
(12”) (12”)
(a) (b)
15 cm 14 cm
Fig. 13. Cross-section of a river otter pelt, showing (a) unsinged and (b) singed (6”) (5 1/2”)
guard hairs.
should handle river otter pelts as carefully as possible—it has

been suggested that even stroking the fur while admiring a fine
pelt can singe the guard hairs, particularly if the pelt is dry or
there is low relative humidity in the room. Storage conditions
apparently are also important. Skins kept overnight or even for
just a few hours in a hot cabin or shed with low relative humidity,
or skins exposed to a strong artificial light source or even to
bright sunlight through a window, may become singed. It is
recommended that otters be placed in a protective burlap or canvas
bag for transport so that the fur does not come into contact with
cold metal.
The river otter is one of the most difficult furbearers to skin
because the pelt adheres so strongly to the carcass. To make this 183 cm 183 cm
(72”) (72”)
task easier many trappers rough-skin their otters, then flesh the
pelts cleanly on a fleshing beam or solid wooden stretcher. Some
trappers place otter pelts on a drying board, then place them
outside at subfreezing temperatures until the pelt is nearly frozen.
Then the fat and flesh can be easily scraped off the pelt. If otters
are clean-skinned initially, there is a high probability that the
leather will be nicked or cut.
Pelts with dirty fur should be rinsed in clean water prior to
skinning. The otter pelt is removed from the carcass by the same
general method used for mink. However, the tail must be cut to its
tip on the underside first and the tailbone skinned out; it cannot
be removed using a tail stripper. Once the tail and hindlegs are
completely skinned out the carcass can be hung by the hips to
complete skinning.
One method that helps to prevent singe is to mount the pelt
on a prewetted fleshing beam. Keeping the beam moist during
fleshing will reduce singe caused by friction as the pelt moves on
the beam; however, water should be added carefully because too
much water will cause the fur to become matted, thereby increasing
the chances of cutting the leather during scraping. Another
method that helps to prevent singe is to wrap the fleshing beam
in newspaper beforehand (G. Karasek, pers. commun.). The
fleshing beam should be kept as free of grease as possible, as
there is the danger that grease will penetrate the underfur, causing
it to appear flat when the pelt is graded.
When the leather is completely fleshed, place the pelt leather-
out on a standard-size drying board (Fig. 14); two sizes of boards 20 cm (8”) 18 cm (7”)
are used for river otters. Either a solid board with belly wedges or
a split board may be used. Care should be taken not to overstretch (a) (b)
otter pelts, as this produces weaker looking pelts with thinner
hair density. Pull the pelt snugly over the board and nail the nose Fig. 14. Patterns for drying boards to be used for river otter pelts, (a) XL–L and
(b) L–M.
to the board to prevent the head portion from slipping. Spread
the tail, push it forwards into the inspection area, and nail it in should be stored in a cool moist place out of direct light to prevent
the open position in a V shape, placing nails about 2 cm apart. It singeing. Never use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt or a hair
is recommended that the hindfeet be nailed on the same side of dryer to dry the pelt, as both may singe the guard hairs.
the board as the tail, as for wild mink (Fig. 15a). This will produce
a large inspection window and dense fur in the inspection area
(Fig. 15b). Do not pull hard on the hindlegs or tail before nailing
them in place (Fig. 15c), as this will reduce the density of hair in Raccoon
the inspection area. The forelegs should not be tucked in but Raccoon pelts are especially prone to hairslip because of the fat
should be cut off at about 1–2 cm (0.5–1 inches) long. The holes layer underlying the skin. This problem is more prevalent when
may be sewn closed or left open. Some trappers simply tuck in raccoons are captured in killing traps early in the trapping season
the forelegs of otter pelts, but because of the danger of these areas when air temperatures are still high. It is extremely important
becoming tainted it is recommended that the legs be cut off close that killing traps be checked frequently at that time of year so
to the pelt. that captured animals can be skinned as soon as possible. The
Once the pelt has been removed from the drying board it pelt of a freshly killed animal is more easily removed than that of
Leave freshly skinned pelts to thoroughly cool before

beginning to scrape the leather; this will make it easier to remove
the fat. Place the pelt on a fleshing beam and thoroughly scrape off
all fat and flesh. This is especially important in the head and
shoulder area. It is easy to overscrape unprime raccoon pelts, so
such pelts must be handled carefully. Extra care must be taken
with raccoons to keep grease off the fur. Fine dry sawdust (with-
out resin) or corncob grit can be used to soak up grease during
fleshing. This absorbent must be completely removed from the
leather before drying the pelt.
Solid boards with belly wedges, split boards, and galvanized
wire stretchers are all used for raccoons. It is important to use a
stretcher of an appropriate size (Fig. 17). Wooden stretchers must
conform to the shape of wire stretchers especially at the head and
neck. A major problem in the handling of raccoon pelts is the use
of wooden stretchers that are too wide, resulting in pelts with low
density or thin fur. Wooden stretchers should be no more than
24 cm (9.5 inches) at their widest point (Fig. 17); wire stretchers
are about 23 cm (9 inches) at the base. The pelt should be pulled
down snugly on the stretcher and the tail pulled firmly, first
towards the head then back down in the opposite direction to get
the maximum length. Then the tail should be spread, pushed
towards the rump to get denser fur in the inspection area, and
nailed in an open position. If wooden stretchers are used, the
rump should be gathered, pleated, and nailed in the direction of
the base of the tail. The rump should not be spread so wide that
the density of fur in the inspection area is reduced. Galvanized
wire stretchers are commonly used for raccoon pelts; these are
(b) (c)
highly recommended as they provide a quick, simple, and satis-
factory stretching procedure. Any enlargement of the inspection
(a)
Fig. 15. Stretched river otter pelts, showing (a) hindlegs on same side of the
board as the tail; (b) a proper inspection window; and (c) hindlegs pulled down
too far on the board, resulting in an undesirable presentation of the pelt
(improper inspection window).
an animal that has been left to cool for some time, and there is less
danger of the pelt becoming tainted. If a number of animals are
captured on the same day, the carcasses should not be piled on
each other but should be stored so that all can cool quickly; this
will reduce the chance of the pelts becoming tainted.
The fur of raccoons should be carefully combed to remove all
burrs and hair mats before skinning. The pelt of raccoons is
removed in much the same way as for other cased pelts. Because
raccoons are generally fat animals, it is advisable to skin them in
some place that is easy to clean or where grease spots will not matter.
It is probably best to hang the animal by one or both hindlegs
from a rafter or tree branch. The initial cut should be made, as for
mink, from one hindfoot to the other on the underside of the leg
at the break between the long hairs of the back and the shorter
hairs of the ventral side. The cut should pass 4–5 cm (1.5–2
inches) below the anus; in this way the maximum pelt length will
be attained and an inspection window will be left on the belly
side. If a skinning gambrel is used (Fig. 16), the hook should be
placed between the tendon and the leg bone.
Because of the amount of fat, it is easier to first skin raccoons
roughly and flesh the pelt clean later. Skin out the rump and
hindlegs, then cut the pelt loose at the paws. Strip the tail by
pulling downward using a tail stripper. Finish skinning the pelt,
leaving the lower lip on the carcass, cutting the nose cartilage close
to the nosepad and the ears close to the skull. If the pelt is bloody or
muddy, wash it in cool water and leave it to drip dry before
fleshing. Pelts to be stored for some time before fleshing should be
placed in a freezer. Fold the head and tail into the center of the
pelt and roll the pelt fur-out to prevent the leather from becoming
freezer burnt. Then place the rolled pelt in a plastic bag for Fig. 16. A raccoon hung by its hindlegs from a skinning gambrel for ease of
storage. handling .
this fashion and this practice was continued when a market

developed in Louisiana during the 1950s. Secondly, the length of
nutria pelts is traditionally measured on the belly side from the
lower point of the mouth to the shortest part of the bottom of the
28 cm
(11”) pelt, so preparing pelts without an inspection window yields
maximum length of the pelt. Lastly, color and clarity of nutria fur
are not important to buyers, so there is no need to create an
inspection window; a buyer can evaluate density, length, and
silkiness of the fur by running fingers through the fur at the
16.5 cm
rump.
(6 1/2”) If the weather is dry, warm, and sunny, southern trappers will
hang stretched pelts outside to dry. If weather conditions are not
favorable, then stretched pelts must be hung in fur sheds. Pelts
must be dried quickly so that they do not become tainted under
conditions of high relative humidity. To accomplish this many
trappers use gas, electric, or oil heaters to raise the temperature in
the drying shed and use fans to blow air across the drying pelts.
122 cm
(48”) Pelts removed from the stretchers must be stored under
conditions of low relative humidity. It is often difficult to do this in
the southern United States, so most trappers sell their pelts to buyers
soon after they are stretched and dried. On the day before the
pelts are inspected by buyers, most trappers use a brush to fluff
up the fur at the rump area where the buyer will check the fur’s
density. This technique is recommended so that the fur does not
appear flat.
Opossum
The opossum is harvested throughout the eastern United States
from the eastern seaboard to Wyoming, Colorado, and Texas. As
for the nutria, trappers in the Gulf Coast states have special problems
handling opossum pelts because of poor drying conditions.
Ensuring proper drying conditions is less of a problem in the
central and northeastern states; however, because opossums tend to
be fat animals, tainting is a major problem with opossum pelts
24 cm (9 1/2”) throughout the range.
Opossums are handled in much the same way as raccoons.
The initial cut should be made along the underside of the leg at
Fig. 17. Pattern for a wooden stretcher used for raccoon pelts.
window must be done before the pelt dries. The cuts should be
carefully made and should not extend to the flanks. Hang the pelt 25 cm
(10”)
in a cool dry place, occasionally wiping the grease film off the
leather as it dries.
Nutria
In North America most nutrias are trapped in the U.S. Gulf Coast 15 cm
states. As a result there are special problems associated with (6”)
preparing these pelts. This region has warm winter temperatures
and high relative humidity, so it is often difficult to properly dry
pelts and ensure that they do not become tainted. This problem
especially occurs when warm spells alternate with periods of cool 96.5 cm
(38”)
weather (G. Linscombe, pers. commun.).
Nutrias are skinned in the same general way as muskrats.
Once removed from the carcass, pelts are placed on a fleshing
beam for scraping. The leather must be well scraped to remove all
fat before being stretched to dry. Care must be taken not to
overscrape early pelts, as the exposed hair roots may be cut and
hairslip may result. After fleshing, nutria pelts should be turned
fur-out and the fur should be thoroughly washed to remove all
debris. The fur should be squeezed and the pelt flicked sharply to
remove excess water. Then the pelt should be hung fur-out,
perhaps outdoors, until the fur dries. Once the fur is dry the pelt
should be turned leather-out and placed on a wire stretcher. A
typical nutria stretcher has a wooden base and a sliding wooden
bar to which the rump of the pelt is pinned. The pelt should be
pulled down snugly then pinned evenly across the wooden bar
(Fig. 18). Nutria pelts are prepared in this manner (i.e., without an
inspection window) for a number of reasons (G. Linscombe, pers. 20 cm (8”)
commun.). Firstly, European buyers who purchased nutria pelts
in South America many years ago wanted the pelts prepared in Fig. 18. A wire stretcher used for nutria pelts.
the break between the guard hairs of the back and those of the Weasels (Ermine) and Red Squirrel
belly. The cut should pass far enough below the anus to gain max-
In cold weather, weasel and red squirrel pelts rarely become
imum length in the pelt and create an adequate inspection window
tainted because animals taken in killing traps or snares freeze
on the belly side so that fur quality and color can be assessed.
quickly as a result of their small size. Of course, if warm weather
The pelt should be placed on a fleshing beam and thoroughly
occurs early in the trapping season, traps should be checked
scraped to remove all fat and flesh. Care should be taken to keep
frequently and animals should be skinned as soon as possible to
grease off the fur because greasy fur will cause the pelt to be
prevent taint. If animals are frozen to the trap, both the entire trap
downgraded. It is recommended that dry sawdust or corncob grit
and the animal should be taken home and the animal left to thaw
be applied to the leather to absorb fat during fleshing. Early pelts
slowly so that the guard hairs will not be damaged. Traps or
must be carefully scraped because many of the guard hair roots
snares for squirrels should be located where animals will not get
are exposed and can be easily cut. Thorough scraping is
resin on the fur.
extremely important in preparing opossum pelts because the
These species are skinned in a manner similar to mink or
leather can readily become tainted.
raccoons by cutting from one footpad to the other. Make cuts on
Wire stretchers used for raccoons and skunks are commonly
either side of the anus of weasels (as for mink), avoiding the anal
used for opossum pelts, but wooden boards with belly wedges
glands. The pelt can be removed by hand using gentle pressure.
may also be used. If possible, pelts should be hung in a cool, dry
Once free of the carcass, the pelt should be placed immediately
place for drying. As mentioned above, trappers in the southern
on the appropriate-size drying board made of 0.6-cm (1/4 inch)
states commonly speed the drying process by heating the drying
stock (Fig. 20). A piece of cheesecloth or burlap may be all that is
sheds and using fans to blow air over the pelts.
necessary to rub the fat and flesh off the skin. The pelt should be
pulled down snugly, but the hindlegs should be pulled gently so
Skunks that the fur around the rump does not thin out. The leather can
be gently washed with clean water to remove bloodstains, and a
Trappers should always wear rubber gloves when handling
belly wedge may be inserted. Secure the pelt by tacking each
skunks because of the possibility that the animal might be rabid.
hindfoot in place. Squirrel tails should be split along their length,
Skunks are skinned in a similar manner to raccoons and mink,
but weasel tails should not be split because they are used for trim
but caution is needed when skinning around the scent glands
on ceremonial robes. Tails of both species can be held in place by
near the anus. It is advisable to cut a 2.5-cm circle around the
tacking a piece of fiberglass screening over the base of the tail (as
anus, leaving it and the surrounding fur on the carcass. Be careful
described for mink), or tails may simply be tacked in place.
not to squeeze the abdominal area of the carcass during skinning,
Inspection windows are not necessary in weasel or red squirrel
as this may force musk from the scent glands. The pelt should
be cooled before being scraped. Store pelts that must be kept
for some time before fleshing in a freezer, as described for
raccoons. Care must be taken not to overscrape skunk pelts, 7.5 cm 7.5 cm
(3”) (3”)
especially those taken early in the season, because the hair roots may
be cut. After fleshing, place the pelt leather-out on a drying board
and nail it around the rump and the opened tail (as for the 3 cm 30 cm 3 cm
raccoon). Both wooden boards and galvanized wire stretchers are (1 1/4”) (12”) (1 1/4”)
used to dry skunk pelts. As for other species, care should be taken
46 cm
to use an appropriate-size stretcher (Fig. 19) and to hang the pelts (18”)
in a cool place until dry. Stretchers meant for skunks can also be
used for small raccoon pelts.
4.5 cm (1 3/4”)
20 cm 4.5 cm (1 3/4”)
(8”)
(a) (b)
14 cm
(5 1/2”)
7.5 cm
(3”)
7.5 cm
(3”)
91 cm
(36”) 4 cm
(1 1/2”)
5 cm
(2”)
51 cm
(20”) 46 cm
(18”)
6.5 cm (2 1/2”) 6.5 cm (2 1/2”)
19 cm (7 1/2”) (c) (d)
Fig. 20. Patterns for drying boards used for (a) eastern ermine, (b) western
Fig. 19. Pattern for a wooden stretcher used for skunk pelts ermine, (c) western longtails, and (d) red squirrels.
pelts because graders use characteristics of the leather to evaluate tailbone from the pelt and then remove the rest of the tailbone
pelt quality. using a tail stripper. Pull down the pelt over the rest of the body.
Pelts should be left on the board in a cool dry place away from Some difficulty may be encountered in freeing the pelt from the
direct heat until completely dry. This prevents the unsightly chest and throat; you will have to carefully cut the pelt free in
wrinkles in the thin leather that can occur when the pelt is these areas. It may also be difficult to pull the pelt over the neck
removed before it is dry. The forelegs can be cut off short and and back of the skull, but steady pressure will free the pelt. At this
tucked into the pelt, or they can be left long and tied together time the ears should be cut off close to the skull, and the eyes, lips,
loosely, provided that care is taken to ensure that the pelt does and nose skinned. The skin of the lower jaw may be cut off the
not become tainted. Dried pelts should be stored in a cool dry carcass if desired.
place and should be either laid flat or hung by strings through the In areas such as Kansas, where large numbers of coyotes are
eyeholes. Weasel and red squirrel pelts should not be folded harvested annually, a fence stretcher is often used to speed the
when stored, as this causes cracks in the leather that can decrease job of skinning large numbers of animals. The hindlegs and tail
the pelt’s value. are skinned as described above, then a small rock or a baseball is
placed on the fur side of the pelt just above the tail. The pelt is
turned so that it is leather-out and a chain or rope is tied around
HANDLING CASED PELTS (FUR-OUT): the pelt, then attached to a fence stretcher; the rock or ball keeps
SPECIFIC COMMENTS the chain or rope from slipping off the pelt. The carcass is
Coyote attached by the hindlegs to a solid object such as a fence pole or a
vehicle. Then the fence stretcher is cranked and the pelt is pulled
Handling the Pelt in the Field.—Traps or snares should be set off the carcass. In this way large numbers of coyotes can be
in areas that are free of burrs, which might become tangled in a skinned quickly and efficiently, provided that there are no large
captured animal’s fur. Snares should be checked frequently, cuts in the pelts (Henderson 1975).
especially at warmer times of the year, to reduce the chance of the Fleshing.—After the pelt is removed from the carcass, it should
pelt becoming tainted. Animals captured in a leghold trap should be be hung leather-out by the nose until it is cool and the fat has
killed by a gunshot to the brain so that the animal is killed quickly stiffened. Make sure no burrs or mats remain in the fur. Pelts caked
and humanely. If the animal appears to be infested with fleas, with mud or blood should be rinsed in clean water then hung by
place it inside a large plastic bag, spray it with a general insecti- the nose fur-out to drip dry. Place the cooled and cleaned pelt
cide or dust it with flea powder, and seal the bag. This practice leather-out on a fleshing beam or a solid drying board. Finish
should always be done outdoors and the trapper should avoid splitting the tail on the underside and flesh it completely using a
inhaling the insecticide. Snared animals frozen to the ground dull knife or a spoon. Next, flesh a strip around the rump so that
must be moved carefully to avoid damaging the guard hairs. any fat in this area does not get onto the fur, then scrape the rest
Snared animals are often found tangled in bushes and must be of the pelt, starting at the head. Fine dry resinless sawdust or
disentangled with care to avoid further damage to the fur. Any corncob grit can be used to absorb excess fat or blood during
burrs in the fur should be picked apart and carefully combed out. fleshing, or the leather may be rubbed with a clean dry rag. The
Skinning.—Coyotes should be skinned as soon as possible; cartilage should be removed from the ears at this time. If
the pelt is more easily removed when the animal is fresh, and all necessary the fur can be rinsed with clean lukewarm water after
canids quickly become tainted in the abdominal region. It is easier fleshing to remove any remaining blood or fat and then left to drip
to skin a coyote if the forelegs are skinned first and then the animal dry. Any cuts or tears in the leather should be sewn up.
is hung by the hindlegs from a solid support. To skin the forelegs, Coyote pelts may be stored for a few weeks before fleshing by
make a cut on the back of each leg from the footpad to the elbow, folding the head, legs, and tail into the center of the fur-out pelt,
cut around the wrist to leave the claws on the carcass (unless the then rolling or folding the entire pelt and placing it in a plastic
pelt is to be used for taxidermy purposes), and loosen the pelt. bag in a freezer. Coyote pelts should never be placed leather-out
Now make a straight-line cut from footpad to footpad along the in the freezer because the leather can easily become burnt.
back of the hindlegs passing just below the anus (Fig. 21). Make Stretching and Drying.—Pelts that will be offered for sale fur-out
a cut along the midline of the underside of the tail for about one- must first be dried for some time by placing them leather-out on a
third of its length, then extend this cut on either side of the anus stretcher. Once the leather has dried for 12–24 hours the pelt may
to meet the first cut and form a triangular cut around the anus be turned fur-out. Pelts must never be placed fur-out on a
(Fig. 21). Next, cut the pelt from the hindlegs around the base of stretcher initially and left to dry completely in that manner
the feet so that the claws remain on the carcass (again, unless the because the leather will probably become tainted where it
pelt is to be used for taxidermy purposes) and then begin to pull contacts the stretcher and will not dress properly.
or cut the pelt off the hindlegs. Next, hang the carcass by the Initially, coyote pelts should be mounted leather-out on a solid
hindlegs to finish skinning. One preferred technique is to hang the stretcher, split stretcher, or galvanized wire frame; wooden
carcass from a gambrel attached to a support such as a rafter so stretchers at least 2 cm thick are preferred (Fig. 22), as they result
that the carcass is hooked between the tendon and the leg bone in flanks with a fuller appearance. Wire frames produce a pelt
(as for raccoons). The carcass may also simply be tied to a rafter or with flat flanks. The pelt should be pulled snugly over the board
other support. Using your fingers, free 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) of the and centered. Then, in order to gain length but at the same time
minimize thinning out the fur, grab the base of the tail, pull
gently upward on the pelt until it is tight, pull forward towards the
head, then pull back down the other way and tack down the base
of the tail. Then spread the tail and pin it in place. Turn over the
board and spread and pin the hindlegs after pulling them down
gently. Next, if the forelegs have not been cut off close to the body,
insert foot paddles in the forelegs, tack them in place (Fig. 23),
and pin the lower lip if it is to be left on. It is important that the
forelegs stick out from the rest of the pelt so that all the leather
dries properly. When using a solid board, insert a belly wedge
and hang the stretcher in a cool area away from direct heat. Leave
the pelt to dry for 12–24 hours until the leather has a dry shiny
look, then turn the pelt fur-out and place it back on the stretcher
to finish drying. Begin to turn the pelt fur-out by pushing the
nose through the mouth and pushing the head towards the tail.
Then grasp the nose from inside the pelt and finish turning the
Fig. 21. Coyote, showing location of the initial cuts to be made for skinning. pelt inside-out. The head must not be too dry in order to do this;
36 cm
(14”)
16.5 cm
(6 1/2”)
183 cm
(72”)
Fig. 23. A stretched coyote pelt, showing foot paddles in forelegs.
remove it from the board, brush or comb the fur carefully, and
hang the pelt by the nose until the head is completely dry. Fully
dried pelts should be stored hung-up if possible, but if stored flat
they should not be folded and should be protected from rodents.
Foxes
Red fox (including cross fox and silver fox), gray fox, swift fox, kit
fox, and arctic fox pelts are all prepared in the same general
manner as coyote pelts. In areas where rabies is common, trappers
should wear strong rubber gloves when handling fox carcasses.
24 cm (9 1/2”) This is especially important when handling the head because the
rabies virus can remain viable in saliva for a few days at room
Fig. 22. Pattern for a wooden stretcher used for coyote pelts.
temperature ( Johnson 1959). Because the leather of foxes is thin,
the trapper must take care when skinning to make sure the leather
is not cut.
if it is too dry the head may have to be moistened to soften the Fox pelts may be stored fur-out in the freezer for a few weeks
leather. Some trappers turn coyote pelts by starting at the rump, before fleshing as described for coyotes. Gray foxes tend to be fat
but there is a greater chance of tearing the pelts by this method. animals, so the leather is less prone to become freezerburnt than
The skinned-out ears of a leather-out pelt will dry much faster with other pelts. When fleshing, care must be taken to remove
than the rest of the pelt, and if left too long they will become excess flesh and fat from the shoulder and belly areas, and the tail
difficult to turn and prone to tearing. If watched carefully, the ears must be split along the underside, scraped clean, and opened to
may be pushed flat against the board when just dry; when the rest dry. Resinless sawdust or corncob grit can be applied to the
of the pelt is turned fur-out, a slight push will pop out the ears. leather to absorb fat or blood. This is especially useful when
Alternatively, the ears may be pushed inwards when the pelt is fleshing gray foxes.
first boarded leather-out. When the pelt is turned fur-out the ears Wooden boards (both solid and split) and galvanized wire
will still be wet and can be completely pulled out at this time. frames are used to stretch fox pelts. Boards used to stretch foxes
Insert a belly board in the fur-out pelt and repin the hindlegs and should be 1.5–2 cm thick to give a full appearance to the flanks
rump. The forelegs may be left inside the pelt if they are completely (Fig. 24). Wooden stretchers are recommended for foxes because
dry. This is advantageous because the legs cannot be torn during wire stretchers do not give a full appearance to the flanks. The
drumming. Leave the pelt to dry for a few more days, then Canada Fox Breeders Association (CFBA) recommends a
narrower, longer board for stretching ranched fox pelts. The be used for taxidermy purposes. As a rule, it is recommended that
CFBA fox board is 152 cm (60 inches) long and 14.3 cm the claws be left on all wolf pelts.
(5 5/8 inches) wide at the base; at a length of 15 cm (6 inches) the The ear cartilage must be removed and the ears properly
board is 10 cm (4 inches) wide, at 76 cm (30 inches) the board is dried. The eyes and nose must be skinned out carefully so that
12 cm (4 3/4 inches) wide. This board produces pelts that are well- they do not become cut. The nose cartilage should be removed as
proportioned and attractive to buyers. The CFBA board should close as possible to the nosepad without damaging it. The lips
be considered by trappers as an alternative to the more common and gums must be skinned out completely and stretched and
board for wild foxes shown in Fig. 24. dried. The feet must be skinned out completely down to the
When placing foxes on a stretcher the head should be pulled claws. Then all bones in the feet must be removed, leaving only
snugly onto the board, but the neck should not be pulled down as the claws attached to the pelt. The pelt should be mounted on an
firmly. The shoulder area of foxes tends to be flat, so a pelt that is appropriate-size board (Fig. 25); the forelegs should be attached
pulled too tightly in that area will appear unprime. In order to to foot paddles and the hindlegs stretched open and tacked or
get maximum length from a pelt without affecting the density of pinned to the board. When wolf pelts are turned fur-out the
the fur, the rump should be lifted off the board, pulled towards forelegs should be pulled through so that the legs and claws can
the head, then pulled back towards the tail. If the forelegs have be examined by graders and buyers.
not been cut off close to the body, the forefeet can be placed on
foot paddles when the pelt is leather-out. A belly wedge is
necessary with solid boards. When the pelt is turned fur-out to Marten
complete drying, the forelegs can be left inside the pelt to reduce Traps for martens should be set so that (1) captured animals do
the chance of them tearing during drumming. not come into contact with resin from coniferous trees and (2) the
chance of small mammals chewing on the fur is reduced (Baker
and Dwyer l987). If animals are frozen to traps, it is recom-
Gray (Timber) Wolf mended that the trap and animal be taken away and left to slowly
Wolf pelts are prepared in the same manner described above for thaw to avoid damaging the guard hairs. Martens are susceptible
coyotes. Wolf pelts used for garments should have the claws to taint and should be skinned as soon as possible. Traps should
removed. However, if the trapper cannot be sure of the pelt’s be checked daily if daytime temperatures are above freezing.
ultimate use, then the pelt should be left complete so that it may Marten pelts are always prepared fur-out, in the same manner
as coyotes. The fur should be dried and combed before skinning.
However, do not attempt to remove spruce or pine resin from
marten pelts if it does not come off easily during combing. Small
resin mats in the guard hairs are ignored during grading, and
large mats that involve the guard hairs and underfur cannot be
removed by combing without damaging the fur. The dresser can
28 cm usually safely remove the resin with techniques that do not damage
(11”)
the fur. The feet and claws should be removed from the pelt
by cutting the fur at the ankle joints, and the tail should be split
open. Fleshed pelts are placed leather-out on solid boards of
appropriate size for each sex (Fig. 26). Care should be taken to
ensure that boards are not too wide because this lowers the
11.5 cm density of fur, especially that of early-caught animals.
(4 1/2”)
When turning the pelt fur-out to complete drying, the forelegs
may be left inside the pelt (if fully dry) to reduce the chance
of them tearing during drumming. Once fully dry the fur may be
carefully combed or brushed to make it more presentable to the
buyer. The use of blowdryers is not recommended, however, as
too much heat can damage the delicate fur. If the fur has any
areas with mouse clips, these should be left alone by trappers; any
such damaged areas must never be cut out and sewn up again.
140 cm
(55”) Fisher
Most fishers are captured in killing traps that cause little damage
to the fur if they are the correct size, but the fur of fishers
captured incidentally in snares is often badly rubbed. Trappers
should avoid setting snares where they may capture fishers and
should set snares properly for the target species (e.g., foxes). Damage
caused by mice chewing on the fur can be reduced by setting
traps so that the chance of mice encountering captured animals
is less likely (Baker and Dwyer 1987), and by visiting traps
frequently. Animals frozen to traps should be thawed slowly at
home, then carefully removed from the trap to avoid damage to
their guard hairs. Fishers should be skinned as soon as possible so
that they do not become tainted.
Most auction houses request that fisher pelts be prepared fur-
out, but some auction houses or fur dealers may prefer fishers to
be prepared leather-out. Trappers should first check with their
auction house or dealer before preparing fisher pelts for market.
Fishers are skinned in the same manner as coyotes. The fur may
be combed to remove mats or debris, but this must be done
carefully because fisher fur can become singed or guard hairs can
18 cm (7”)
be removed as a result of rough handling. Claws must be cut off the
pelt, the tailbone must be removed, and the tail split open. Resin-
Fig. 24. Pattern for a wooden stretcher used for fox pelts. less sawdust or corncob grit should be used to absorb fat during
6.5 cm
(2 1/2”) 13 cm
(5”)
5 cm 20 cm
(2”) 20 cm
(8”) (8”)
10 cm 43 cm
(4”) (17”)
7.5 cm 6.5 cm
(3”) (2 1/2”)
19 cm
(7 1/2”)
91 cm
102 cm (36”)
(40”)
7.5 cm (3”)
10 cm (4”)
259–274 cm (a) (b)

(66–72”)
Fig. 26. Patterns for wooden stretchers used for pelts of (a) male and (b) female
martens.
fleshing to ensure that fat does not get on the fur. Because fisher
pelts easily become greaseburnt, it is important that the pelts be
thoroughly scraped. Trappers should carefully remove any
porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) quills found embedded in the pelt.
Fisher pelts are placed leather-out for initial drying. Three
sizes of boards are recommended, one for small females, one for
large females and small males, and one for large males (Fig. 27).
However, because of the low quotas for fishers in most juris-
dictions, few trappers bother to make three different-size boards.
Instead, many trappers simply use a red fox board or a small river
otter board for fisher pelts. Although this is not the preferred
technique, it is acceptable to the fur industry. Pelts should be
pulled down snugly but not overstretched. In fact, fisher pelts are
seldom overstretched by trappers because smaller sizes are generally
more valuable. In particular the hindlegs should be pulled
down snugly, but not enough to thin the fur around the hip area.
After 12–24 hours the pelt is turned fur-out to complete drying
(unless it is being prepared leather-out); the forelegs may be left
inside the pelt at this time if fully dry. Fisher pelts, especially
males, will become stiff and unpliable if dried too quickly; slow
drying is strongly recommended. Once the fur is completely dry
it may be carefully combed or brushed to make it more
presentable to the buyer. Blowdryers must never be used because
the heat may singe the fur.
Lynx and Bobcat

The current high value of cats, especially lynx, makes it imperative
that trappers check their sets frequently and handle the pelt
with care. When removing frozen animals from body-gripping
38–46cm (15–18”) traps or snares, care should be taken to avoid damaging the guard
hairs. Trap sets should be checked frequently to minimize taint
and drainage to the fur by rodents.
Lynx and bobcat pelts are prepared in the same general manner
as those of coyotes, except that the initial cut should run to the
Fig. 25. Pattern for a wooden stretcher used for wolf pelts. anus following the color line where the darker dorsal fur meets
28 cm 28 cm 28 cm
(11”) (11”) (11”)
15 cm 14 cm 13 cm
(6”) (5 1/2”) (5”)
127 cm 127 cm 127 cm

(50”) (50”) (50”)
20 cm (8”) 18 cm (7”) 16.5 cm (6 1/2”)
(a) (b) (c)
Fig. 27. Patterns for wooden stretchers used for pelts of (a) large male, (b) large female and small male, and (c) small female fishers.
the lighter belly fur, which will give the dried pelt an even back pelt. Borax may be applied where the legs join the body to ensure
and belly. Lynx and bobcat pelts must never be skinned open that the area dries properly. When the pelt is completely dry, the
because the bellies are used for garments. The claws must be fur may be gently combed or brushed so that its full flow is
removed from the pelt and left attached to the carcass, as lynx and apparent to the grader or buyer.
bobcat claws are very sharp and can cause considerable damage
during drumming. Legs can be cut off either at the ankles and
wrists or at the base of the toes. Any mats or debris should be Wolverine
gently combed out of the fur prior to fleshing. The chest, shoulders, Most wolverines are prepared cased fur-out in the same manner
and abdomen should be carefully scraped to remove all fat and as coyotes, but open pelts are also acceptable. Nevertheless, many
muscle. trappers feel that it is easier to flesh cased wolverine pelts.
Wooden boards 1.3 cm (0.5 inches) thick, either solid or split, Because few wolverine pelts are available each year and there is a
are preferred over wire stretchers for drying lynx and bobcat strong demand for top-quality pelts, the claws, lips, and skin of the
pelts because they give the dried pelt fuller flanks (Fig. 28). How- lower jaw must be left on wolverine pelts so that they may be used
ever, some trappers use galvanized wire stretchers for bobcats. for taxidermy. The feet should be skinned out completely, and all
The pelt should be pulled down sufficiently to make it snug. The bones of the feet removed. The ears, eyes, and nose should be
hindlegs should be pulled down snugly without overstretching skinned out carefully and completely. The ear cartilage must be
the rump and belly areas, which will lower the density of the fur. removed and the nose cartilage cut off at the nosepad. Resin mats
During the initial drying period, foot paddles should be placed in should be removed only if this can be done without damaging the
the forelegs to ensure even drying. Then, when turning the fur. Forelegs should be dried on foot paddles, and the tail split and
pelt for final drying, the forelegs may be left inside (if dry) to tacked open as for coyotes.
reduce the possibility of damage during drumming. Hindlegs
can be fastened around the outer edge of the board, with half the
leg on each side of the board, but it is recommended that the HANDLING PELTS FOR TAXIDERMY
hindlegs be placed on the belly side of the board as for coyotes Black bears (Ursus americanus), brown bears (U. arctos), polar bears
(Fig. 23). When a lynx or bobcat pelt is stretched in this manner, (U. maritimus), mountain lions, wolverines, gray wolves, and large
the pattern on the belly runs unbroken to the hindlegs when the coyotes are often prepared as rugs or mounts by taxidermists.
pelt is turned fur-out, resulting in a desirable presentation of the Occasionally, other species such as raccoons, arctic foxes, red
25 cm
(10”)
15 cm
(6”)
183 cm Fig. 29. Black bear, showing location of the initial cuts to be made when
(72”) skinning.
23 cm (9”)
Fig. 28. Pattern for a wooden stretcher used for drying lynx or bobcat pelts.
foxes, or wild mink are also mounted. Any pelt prepared for this Fig. 30. Forefoot of a black bear, showing the location of the cut to be made
purpose must be complete (i.e., must have all claws intact and the around the footpad.
eyelids, nostrils, lips, and gums whole and free of cuts). Otherwise
the value will drop sharply. Gums should be left attached to the
pelt so that the taxidermist has something with which to work To remove the pelt of a bear or mountain lion, place the
when mounting the head onto the head mold. The greatest problem animal on its back and make initial cuts as shown in Fig. 29. When
with pelts prepared for taxidermy is improper skinning and cutting under the lower jaw extend the cut only as far as the lower
cleaning of the ears, feet, and claws (D. Fagg, pers. commun.). To lip, not through it. The cut from foot to foot should extend to the
ensure top quality of a pelt for taxidermy purposes, extra care is midpoint of the large footpad.
required when skinning out the feet and head. The cartilage If it is impossible to remove the pelt of bears immediately, the
must be removed from the ears and the ears must be dried chest and abdominal cavities should be opened and the bodily
completely so that they do not become tainted. Bears and mountain organs removed. Then the ribs should be propped apart and the
lions should be handled as open pelts, but all other furbearers carcass hung to cool.
should be prepared as fur-out cased pelts. Feet should be skinned by cutting around one side of the large
footpad (Fig. 30), leaving it attached to the carcass. The small HENDERSON, F. R. 1975. How to skin a coyote. Kansas State Univ., Coop.
toepads should be left attached to the pelt. The trapper should Ext. Serv., Manhattan. 10pp.
carefully avoid nicking or cutting the toepads, as this damage is HILL, E. P. 1974. Trapping beaver and processing their fur. Auburn Univ.,
difficult to repair and hide. Feet should be fleshed completely and Agric. Exp. Stn., Alabama Coop. Wildl. Res. Publ. 1. 10pp.
all bones removed, leaving only the claws attached to the pelt. JOHNSON, H. N. 1959. Rabies. Pages 405–426 in P. M. Rivers and F. L.
Horsfall, eds. Viral and rickettsial infections in man. J. B. Lippincott,
The head must also be skinned with care—the ears should be cut Philadelphia, Pa.
off close to the skull and the eyelids, lips, and nose should be MONK, C. 1985. Removal and care of castoreum. Can. Trapper 13(2):36.
skinned completely. Remove the cartilage from the ears and turn
OBBARD, M. E. 1987. Fur grading and pelt identification. In M. Novak, J.
the ears inside-out for drying so that they do not become tainted. A. Baker, M. E. Obbard, and B. Malloch, eds. Wild furbearer manage-
A blunt stick can be used to invert the ears. ment and conservation in North America. Ontario Trappers Assoc.,
Pelts should be scraped free of all fat and muscle. Any cuts in North Bay.
the leather should be sewn before drying. Bears and mountain OLSEN, H. 1985. Pelting, skin treatment and storage. Pages 341–362 in G.
lions may be sewn or laced onto a large hoop frame or nailed fur- Joergensen, ed. Mink production. Scientifur, Hilleroed, Denmark.
out to a shaded wall to dry. The pelt should be attached first by the SVENDSEN, G. E. 1978. Castor and anal glands of the beaver (Castor
nose, then by the tail and sides in the same manner described canadensis). J. Mammal. 59:618–620.
previously for stretching open pelts. For these large species it may be
necessary to punch or cut holes in the pelt for the laces. The feet
should be spread properly to ensure that they dry completely. As
the pelt dries, check daily for flies laying eggs on the pelt and
spray with insecticide if necessary (this should not be a problem
if the leather is properly scraped and washed). Never apply salt to
a pelt, as this will keep the leather moist. Adequate and careful
scraping is usually all that is needed to ensure that a pelt dries
properly without tainting; however, borax may be applied to the
ears and feet.
Pelts of other furbearers should be prepared as described
above for the coyote in the section on cased fur-out pelts. The
important difference is that all claws, the skin of the lower jaw,
and the lips, gums, and eyelids must be left on the pelt for
taxidermy.
The authors thank the many external reviewers from all regions of North
America, whose useful comments helped to improve the quality of the
manuscript. Roger Blowes, Ontario Trappers Association, North Bay, Ont.,
and Ron Lancour and Alcide Giroux, Trappers International Marketing
Service, North Bay, supplied information on sizes of boards currently in use
to stretch pelts. Greg Linscombe, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries, supplied information on the special problems of preparing pelts
in the southern United States. The illustrations for the chapter were (Photo: S. Liburski.)
prepared by Lisette Mallet.
G. EDWARD (PADDY) HALL (left) is a fur grader with the Hudson’s Bay
Company in Toronto. He received a Dip. For. (1972) from Sir Sandford
Fleming College in Lindsay, Ont., and received a B.Sc.F. (1976) from the
University of Toronto. Before joining the Hudson’s Bay Company, Hall
LITERATURE CITED worked in fur manufacturing and retail for Creeds Ltd. in Toronto. He is a
BAKER, J. A., AND P. M. DWYER. 1987. Techniques for commercially licensed trapper and has served as a trapper instructor in Ontario.
harvesting furbearers. In M. Novak, J. A. Baker, M. E. Obbard, and B. – at time of first publication (1987)
Malloch, eds. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North
America. Ontario Trappers Assoc., North Bay. MARTYN E. OBBARD received a B.A. in zoology and a Dip. Ed. from the
CANADA MINK BREEDERS ASSOCIATION. 1970. Pelt preparation. University of Western Ontario. After several years as a high school biology
Can. Mink Breeders Assoc., Educ. Bull. 35:3–5. teacher he entered graduate school at the University of Guelph, where he
completed an M.Sc. (1977) and Ph.D. (1983) in wildlife ecology. Since
DE ALMEIDA, M. H., AND L. COOK. 1987. Trapper education in North
1984, Obbard has been a biologist with the Fur Management Section,
America. In M. Novak, J. A. Baker, M. E. Obbard, and B. Malloch, eds.
Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. Wildlife Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
Ontario Trappers Assoc., North Bay. – at time of first publication (1987)
View publication stats

Chapter55 - Pelt Preparation

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter55 - Pelt Preparation

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

Chapter · January 1987

Martyn Ernest Obbard

Factors affecting human-bear conflict View project

Status of Southern Hudson Bay polar bears View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

shake it gently, and let it hang naturally. Never overstretch a pelt.

(a) (b) (c)

This is especially necessary where ranch mink pelts are stored

should handle river otter pelts as carefully as possible—it has

Leave freshly skinned pelts to thoroughly cool before

this fashion and this practice was continued when a market

6.5 cm (2 1/2”) 6.5 cm (2 1/2”)

19 cm (7 1/2”) (c) (d)

Fig. 23. A stretched coyote pelt, showing foot paddles in forelegs.

259–274 cm (a) (b)

Lynx and Bobcat

127 cm 127 cm 127 cm

20 cm (8”) 18 cm (7”) 16.5 cm (6 1/2”)

(a) (b) (c)

View publication stats

You might also like