washing coon

[trappnman]

reading the cat thread, made me wonder how many wash coon?

I don't wash dryland coon, except for the blood, and don't wash early water coon, but late season coon I do wash, and see great results.

late season coon are just "dingy"- dull

esp if on a slide for a few days, getting all that thaw silt worked into the fur.

since I sell coon green, I've found that a good wash makes a dramactic effect on the looks. A little baby oil when dry gives the shine back as well.

you won't make yellow fur black, but you do give greyish dull fur a darker, glossier look. and complete drying makes the bellies wooly and full vs matted down and slity.

I think it makes a difference in looks therefore price- doesn't change what the pelt is, but gives whats thare a fair chance to ......well, shine.

any others do or not do this?

[michaelweese]

I wash my coon after skinning, let them drip dry, then flesh them and board them. Just use water in a tub.

[claytoncarr]

I did when you could get $40 green. Pert shampoo as a matter of fact. Now no. Unless it was super bloody. 160 on the head ended the blood. I put mine up though and don't see how washing a coon can be an advantage from only the window and the look of the leather.

[thebeav2]

I caught 35 coon the other day and I'm going to wash them?
The fur buyer knows how much he's going to pay you for your fur before he even sees it. Washing Is not going to help you much.

Come on guys you have a perfectly dry dead coon and your going to skin It then wash It, then hang It to dry for 2 or more days.

[trappnman]

beav- reread my post- I specifically stated I don't wash dryland coon, or most water coon. I was talking late season coon, mainly water- but wash a quarry coon and tell me if the color doesn't change.

I don't agree that a local buyer knows just what he is going to give you. I agree he knows what trapline average run should be from an area, and knows what he wants top pay on average- but the grade of coon certainly (or whatever fur) can and does change that on both ends.

and I also think that when it comes right down to it, selling fur is based more on eye appeal that many might think.

I washed coon this past sale- from washing to DRY was about 4 hours- that was squeezing, shaking coon, comb fur up and hang in front of fans in a heated shed. every hour or so I'd go out to fluff- visted with the kids in between times.

look at the difference on bellies, matted fur, appearance as is, vs washed and dried- discounting carcass, I know my average is higher doing so- selliing local IS in many wayus eye appeal, and whats pleasing to the eye, gets the benefit of the doubt. At least i nmy experience.

I do not advocate washing off more than blood, for fall, early winter coon- you don't need to, I agree unless sevr mud, etc-

but a lot of wear and tear on those pelts over winter- and dirt. For tose that have house dogs- note the difference in your dog after a bath- dull, dingy, stff coarse hair before- silky and soft , bright after.

[gcs]

I washed blood out after skinning, just hosed down the bloody spots, and hung to dry. May not have helped much, but it didn't hurt and I liked them better.

[Nick C]

Will be building a tumbler this summer. Don't like the mossy swampy look coons get on drowners on some of the silty bottom creeks I trap.

[trappnman]

that look you describe is exactly what I am talking about- a tumber would indeed be the way to go.

[michaelweese]

how do you make a tumbler?

[possumpincher]

I washed my late season coons this year And I can see and feel a difference. Plus it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling will do it again next year.ditto on yotes. I used a washing machine and even on coons caught dryland on grass the water still turned very dark brown fwiw.

[RiverRat]

A drum is the best thing a coon trapper could buy/make

[robertw]

I wash every coon not drowned on a slide cable or caught in a conibear. To speed up the washing process I have went to using a pressure washer, all coon are hung on a rack by the bottom jaw to wash and then drip dry / drain. (I generally wash 30-40 coon daily).

My coon are consumed for food so, washing them makes sense, kind of foolish trying to keep a carcass clean then bagging it ia clear plastic bag with muddy feet loosing dirt in the bag and on the coon.


Definitely need to look at building a tumbler this summer.

[garbage collector]

Practically all late season had to be washed, a little dawn in the water, washed, rinsed and hung to dry till next day then brushed and into the freezer they go. Had the fans blowing and woodstove heating to 50-60* if not frozen skins the next day. Ditto on early season unless we had rain then washed just to remove the mud balls. Tried the 220 over the head thing, what a fiasco that turned into, finally had enough and got the pistol, cause I ain't gettin bit by agitated coons. I've seen coons run through drums and wasn't exactly impressed with out come, would be faster drying though. Tman ya got a better buyer than most, mine sizes throws on piles. He knows exactly what his avg is before he even sizes. If your trying to get the most why not flesh and board, cause the dealers are subtracting the time they have to put in.

[trappnman]

rusty, I want the most out of all my pelts combined- selling in the country green coon, badger carcasses, and rest put up- year in and year out seems to be as good as the auctions.

selling local sells 100% of my fur on the day I choose, good market or bad. for example when coon crashed- I still was able to sell ALL my coon, at decent prices for the situation.


when I can sell green, and the auction average of green + put up + commission is about the same- it doesn't pay FOR ME to put coon up. whether I pay the dealer to put up skun coon, or pay myself in time/labor involved, its a wash to me.

My buyer prefers green coon- and his prices reflect that-

I prefer local over auctions- so its a no brainer for me not to do more than skin and present coon.

thisi s not to open the disucssion on whats better selling local over auctions- I only commented on such because I was directly asked, so explained MY situation.

[thebeav2]

Dose Webkie or groney wash the fur they buy? No they don't and that's good enough for me.

I would rather be spending the time It takes to wash and dry fur to be actuly trapping and putting up my fur.

And back to my statement that your fur buyer knows what he's going to pay you before he sees your fur Is 100% correct.

Going In to the season each fur buyer knows what he Is going to pay for carcass coon He also knows what he Is going to pay on lets say 3X or 2X coon. Damaged goods will be down graded.

A dry brushed out un washed coon Is going to get you the same amount of money with a lot less hassel.

[trappnman]

does groeny and webkie then sell their coon muddy, bloody and matted?

all i know is what hold true for me- I'll get MORE for clean fur, deburred fur, etc than not.

good enough for me.

[garman]

built a tumbler here, for about $50-$75 you can build a good one, but you will need to buy a motor. Personally I would save the hastle and get a gear reducer box off ebay or junk yard. Personally I will probably be washing alot of my water coon (if I trap many) and then tumbling to clean and expediate the drying.

[trappnman]

I don't see anyway of not washing silty coon, esp if there is a thaw (meaning dirtier water than normal)- you can swish them in the creek all you want, and you cannot get that silt off out of the underfur. And some of those quarry coon are about Orange with quarry dirt worked into their fur- wash them, and they are a different coon.

if you think that presentation doesn't matter when selling fur to get top dollar, no matter where you sell, we will just have to agree to disagree.

and keep in mind, I started out by saying, and have stated again, that I'm not talking all coon that way- but even in fall coon, those that have blood on them, i spot wash and dry.

I should have taken a pic of the bellies as is up close of the ones in that pic- that wool was completely matted down, and filled with fine silt. those belies looked TERRIBLE. skinning and tossing in freezer, would have left them looking like that when sold. and weak bellies, in coon as in coyotes, downgrade quick around here at least.

now look at the bellies in that second pic- they look like Nov bellies now- no slit, all wool brushed out, soft and fluffy. they could not look any better, than they are-

its an intangible.

I believe it does matter when selling as I do.

know what Lee once told me? "I love buying your coon" I asked him why- he said cause they don't stink!

an intangible.................

[thorsmightyhammer]

Dose Webkie or groney wash the fur they buy? No they don't and that's good enough for me.

I think they tumble them gary.

[trappnman]

look at the "as is" pic-

at the coon:

front row, far left- this belly is typical-

then front row 3rd from left
& back row far left

now in after pic, those coon are, from left #s 2, 5, 8

day and night-