Really Dirty Canine Pelts

[seldom]

I quit washing my canines some years ago because with NAFA using their own cleaning process, I found that I was wasting my time unless for some out-of-normal dirtiness that worried me if it would be cleaned to a degree that I'd pull a fair grade.

For years I've trapped a field that is in the woods and the ground is what we here call "black sand". It's almost black peat but it's a very fine sand that when dry is very lght gray and when it's wet it's as black as midnight. Because of it being so fine it'll actually stain your hands, clothes, AND coyote fur!!!!

I've been catching everyday in that field this week and the dingyness of the fur had finally pissed me off. I went to some old Internet notes and found a note about using Borax to clean fur after they've been dried(Truman). I bought a few boxes and tried using it on some particularly dirty ones today.

HUGE IMPROVEMENT!!!!! The dingy, dirtyness was gone and what I had after about 10 minutes of work was a bright, fluffy, pretty pelt!! Now I know NAFA is going to tumble/clean them and I expect that but at least now I'm giving my "excessively" dirty pelts a better chance of grading higher!

If I was one who sold to county buyers I'd Borax-wash every frigin canine I had, I guarantee!!!!

[Possum]

Are you just dusting the pelts with Borax or dissolving Borax in water aka detergent? Personally, I use Woolite in water to wash almost all the coyotes I catch. I put a few shots of Woolite in about 3 gallons of water. Add the pelts, let 'em soak for about 5 minutes, slop 'em around by hand a couple times. It's amazing how dirty the water gets even on a "clean" looking coyote. I'm not sure the drumming at NAFA does much to "clean" the fur as much as it fluffs it up and softens the leather.

[trappnman]

I'm replying to this only because it was mentioned "if selling to a country buyer, I'd wash everything in borax"

and since I sell all to a country buyer, thought I'd chime in with what does work best for me- giving a soft, fluffy, clean pelt

I shoot my coyotes, and have zero plans to stop doing so. and I wash my coyotes. Its not a chore, its not time consuming ( I have a washer exclusively for it if I wanted to use it, but find hand washing to be quicker and easier) and its just part of the process.

hang up, brush out when dry, board

home tumble with baby oil day before selling-

I tried borax, didn't like the mess, and you do not get the softness you do with the baby oil

if I didn't want to turn, I'd use borax as a drying agent, but turning doesn;t bother me and again, its all part of the process

[seldom]

Dec 13, 2012 6:52:29 GMT -6 Possum said:

Are you just dusting the pelts with Borax or dissolving Borax in water aka detergent? Personally, I use Woolite in water to wash almost all the coyotes I catch. I put a few shots of Woolite in about 3 gallons of water. Add the pelts, let 'em soak for about 5 minutes, slop 'em around by hand a couple times. It's amazing how dirty the water gets even on a "clean" looking coyote. I'm not sure the drumming at NAFA does much to "clean" the fur as much as it fluffs it up and softens the leather.

No, I used it dry and rubbed it in, snapped it out and then vacuumed.

When I did wash I used what my wife, who is a big-time wool sweater knitter found to be the very best soap for washing the sweaters. Orvus is the name and you can get it at Tractor Supply.

I do not know what NAFA uses to tumble the canines but I'll say this, I saw abolutely no difference that I could distinguish in grades whether I washed or didn't wash so I quit! Last year one of my "unwashed" coyote brought an Eastern Top Lot as did a red fox and grey fox.

I wouldn't even have tried the Borax except as I said, this one area has a staining-type soil and I have no plans to use Borax on anything other than the "unusually" or "excessively" dirty canines.

[kellogg]

Orvus is what we used to wash the show cattle with at shows. It is a good product. A little will go a long way if I remember right.

[seldom]

Dec 13, 2012 17:10:27 GMT -6 kellogg said:

Orvus is what we used to wash the show cattle with at shows. It is a good product. A little will go a long way if I remember right.

Yes, it's the only thing the wife has used when washing wool sweaters for years! When I used to shoot my coyotes and would have to then wash the pelt, Orvus's chemistry instantly pulled the blood off and out regardlass of how deep the blood was into the fur. A swish or two of the pelt and the suds would turn pink/red right now!!

[Possum]

They are putting up a Tractor Supply store in the next town over so I'll try the Orvus when it opens. If it putting dry borax on a dirty pelt works, great. I don't really understand how it would work that way. I put the borax on the leather side to dry/preserve it so I don't have to turn the pelts.

[trappnman]

I have no doubt it would work- as would any dry horse type shampoo as well-

seldom- you don't wash them, and I understand you are shipping- but you HAVE to get some blood on the pelt when skinning, don't you?

[aaroncurtis]

I think he flips them once he gets into the blood zone so it runs away from the pelt rather than towards it. Or he used too. I think I remember a new system he uses but either way the blood is running downhill while he is headed up hill.

[seldom]

Dec 14, 2012 8:23:29 GMT -6 trappnman said:

I have no doubt it would work- as would any dry horse type shampoo as well-

seldom- you don't wash them, and I understand you are shipping- but you HAVE to get some blood on the pelt when skinning, don't you?

If I were to get any blood on the fur it would only happen when I grasp(with my hand) each hindleg and clamp on the vicegrips.

If my "knock'em-down tap" causes a nose bleed I chinch the nostrils closed with a little cable tye and wipe the nose.

UPDATE......b

ut you HAVE to get some blood on the pelt when skinning, don't you?

Since I'm color-blind I just inspected every coyote I have on the boards now. None of my coyotes have any blood stains! None, nada, zero, nowhere! After all that's my goal and intent is not to have to clean blood from my pelts!!!!

[seldom]

Dec 14, 2012 10:59:20 GMT -6 aaroncurtis said:

I think he flips them once he gets into the blood zone so it runs away from the pelt rather than towards it. Or he used too. I think I remember a new system he uses but either way the blood is running downhill while he is headed up hill.

Yup!!
Once I pull the pelt down to the base of the sternum(coyote hanging on gambrel) I clamp on the vice grip spreader. The gambrel is taken off the jib and is hooked to the ground anchor. The vice grip spreader is hooked to the winch and I just crank the pelt off! Pretty simple process!

[schweg2]

Borax helps with getting the blood of the fur also

[trappnman]

for dried blood- WD40 works....slick.

went back and studied your pics on "2012 model" thread. I still don't see how your aren't transferring at least a little blood from the ears, head. I assume you are skinning out the ears and making no cuts? In any case, I can see your method is givng you what you want, a blood free pelt

well, I'm always going to have blood. and dirt. I've tried various ways of dispatch, and for me, I shoot everything in the head- quick easy and I don't mind the blood. I'd wsah them anyways simply to remove the dust, dirt. I also get blood from lopping off the front legs, which is why I didn't do it in the shed

I also understand you are selling at auction where they are tumbled before being graded, but selling local, and having my buyer tell me how nice the furs look, its worth my time to wash and tumble.

Do you think, overall, you save any time? I'd think the time spent on the rig, would be about the same as washing them would be-

[seldom]

Dec 15, 2012 8:18:54 GMT -6 trappnman said:

went back and studied your pics on "2012 model" thread. I still don't see how your aren't transferring at least a little blood from the ears, head. I assume you are skinning out the ears and making no cuts? In any case, I can see your method is givng you what you want, a blood free pelt.

Do you think, overall, you save any time? I'd think the time spent on the rig, would be about the same as washing them would be-

I can see how far up the ear I've skinned which is about as far as it can be pulled, I than slice straight across the cartilage(perendiduar to the skull). All blood runs down the carcass and none into the ear.

I've had plenty of experience washing coyote and fox to the point I had an old washer for spinning out as much water as I could. Don't get caught-up in the fact I skin bloodless and forget the whole reason for skinning hot! It's easier to skin hot than cold. Easier is quicker for me. The bloodless pelt part is just another facet I saw as an additional advantage to capitalize on[u] since I also skin bloodless in my shed(horizontally) [/b]so[/u] the amount of time washing/drying would all be "added time" on top of my process regardless if I skinned in the field or in my shed.

[trappnman]

I have a wringer washer as well, and used it for a few years but its just as easy to lay on a board at a little angle, and use the jet spray on the hose. the whole process takes but a minute, 2 at the max- but then, you are dealing with wet fur.

you got any snow yet? we got 10-12 inches last sunday, half melted this week, rest is going quick in the rain last night and today

[seldom]

Dec 15, 2012 9:22:36 GMT -6 trappnman said:

I have a wringer washer as well, and used it for a few years but its just as easy to lay on a board at a little angle, and use the jet spray on the hose. the whole process takes but a minute, 2 at the max- but then, you are dealing with wet fur.

you got any snow yet? we got 10-12 inches last sunday, half melted this week, rest is going quick in the rain last night and today

2" in the woods is all and rain in the forecast. I'd sure like 10" of snow 1/2/13 so I can start the dance!!!!!!!

[freepop]

I'm on the same page as you with the blood Seldom. I'd rather take a couple minutes to make a completely bloodless dispatch. No cleaning the truck, myself, equipment, the skinning shed etc. and then have to wash furs on top of that. De-burr, comb, flesh, stretch and into the give-a-way piles they go. If I could get an extra $5 bucks for washing them, I might begin to consider it.

[trappnman]

freepop- if the coyotes never see the truck, then 90% of those concerns are gone

I'm 100% convinced that washing them to present the fur in the best possible, pays me dividends selling local

[jim]

Steve: Where do they go from Lee?

Jim

[trappnman]

some here, some there

I'm sure many get drummed later, but that doesn;t help me any