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-   -   Looking for Tips on Freezing Beaver Pelts (http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=322189)

HunterDave 05-24-2017 12:11 AM

Looking for Tips on Freezing Beaver Pelts
 
I have some beaver pelts that I couldn't get in for the last receiving date for the July auction. Can anyone offer any advice on the best way to freeze them for the summer? Thanks.

bill9044 05-24-2017 12:19 AM

Board them and once dry stack them fur to fur skin to skin. Keep in cool dry place (basement) and put a beaver board on the top and place some weight on it to keep them from turning into a taco shell. Couple paint cans will do... they will keep for a long time before going stale. Careful of exposure to bugs or mice cause they will cause havoc.

Bill

HunterDave 05-24-2017 12:40 AM

Thanks, Bill. They are stacked that way now (less the paint cans). You figure that they'll keep until September(?) that way? I'm not so worried about bugs and mice but it's probably 65 degrees down there in the summer.

bill9044 05-24-2017 08:26 AM

Ya they should be fine I've kept them over the summer til the next receiving date in Dec. If you can keep a bit of grease on the hide side that helps keep the hide from going stale I wouldn't keep them like that for 3to 5 years. But a year you'll be OK. I would send them into the auction of your choosing at the next chance you can but they'll keep pretty good.

I kept muskrats put up in a box in my basement for a year and none graded stale.
Bill

The Spruce 05-24-2017 08:53 AM

Storing Pelts
 
IMO,

Unfinished pets are rolled skin on skin and frozen in a garbage bag (I use the little white flexible ones for house garbage's, they seal, and are easy to rip open). Thaw with bag taken off on cardboard to absorb moisture.

Finished pelts are always put in the freezer. No issues for short term storage, just make sure they are in a fur bag so they don't get stuck in side wall frost.
Long tem storage requires a more sealed approach (greater than 6 months).

If you leave pets out in a shop, basement, etc. the little black brown beetles will find them. You may get lucky, but likely you will have a problem. If they get on them, especially beavers or any pelts with a saddle, they will be destroyed. I speak from experience.

I finish beavers all summer. I dry for a week to 10 days on the board, then they go into the freezer....112 to go :( :)

Spruce

HunterDave 05-24-2017 12:06 PM

Thanks fellas. I think that I'm going to err on the safe side and freeze them. I have to take advantage of this rain and do it today so here's my plan:

- Roll 2 pelts tightly hide on hide and place in a garbage bag;
- Suck as much air out as possible with a vacuum;
- Place bagged, rolled pelts in a NAFA bag; and
- Place in freezer.

I only have a dozen to do but 2 are XL and the rest are 2XXL.

Any last minute suggestions?

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Spruce (Post 3546645)
I finish beavers all summer. I dry for a week to 10 days on the board, then they go into the freezer....112 to go :( :)

How do you manage to get the nails out without ripping the pelt? Last year I had a problem with that with pelts that I left on the board for only 4 or 5 days.

kingrat 05-24-2017 12:26 PM

I would do single pelts and avoid stacking a bunch on top of each other because the fur in the middle can spoil before it freezes trust me.fur is a great insulator otherwise ya roll it up fur out garbage bags i double bag and get air out. Ive frozen beavers like that for two years with no freezer burn. Rats i put 20-30 in a bag and vacuum package them. Same thing couple years no problem.

HunterDave 05-24-2017 12:28 PM

If I roll single pelts the hide will be rolled against the fur. Wouldn't that be a concern?

kingrat 05-24-2017 01:11 PM

I lay beaver hide on table fur down then fold sides in meeting in the middle then take Head and roll it towards tail then it's fur on fur and fur out barely any leather exposed. Like rollling a sleeping bag.

HunterDave 05-24-2017 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingrat (Post 3546854)
I lay beaver hide on table fur down then fold sides in meeting in the middle then take Head and roll it towards tail then it's fur on fur and fur out barely any leather exposed. Like rollling a sleeping bag.

:happy0034:

I just tried two pelts fur on fur and I'm not really happy with it. One pelt slides and leaves about 5" or 6" of hide exposed on one side. I rolled a single pelt and it works great except it's fur on hide. I'll try your method.

My pelts are not greasy at all. Would rolling fur on hide cause any damage to the fur? I can get them good and tight that way with no hide showing at all.

The Spruce 05-24-2017 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingrat (Post 3546854)
I lay beaver hide on table fur down then fold sides in meeting in the middle then take Head and roll it towards tail then it's fur on fur and fur out barely any leather exposed. Like rollling a sleeping bag.

I believe Kingrat is talking about a green pelt (unfleshed). I wouldn't roll up fleshed pelts, they might break on you when you take them out frozen.

Spruce

The Spruce 05-24-2017 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterDave (Post 3546810)
How do you manage to get the nails out without ripping the pelt? Last year I had a problem with that with pelts that I left on the board for only 4 or 5 days.

All of the beaver I board are completely dry. I leave them flush with the board (don't lift). Keep in mind as well, in summer with little air flow and generally humid weather, they take at least 50% longer to dry. I could speed up the process with a fan, but I am not in hurry this time of year.

Spruce

HunterDave 05-24-2017 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Spruce (Post 3546920)
I believe Kingrat is talking about a green pelt (unfleshed). I wouldn't roll up fleshed pelts, they might break on you when you take them out frozen.

Spruce

Too late. :lol: I rolled them individually, bagged each one and sucked out as much air as possible. Then bagged them two per bag again, into a NAFA bag and into the freezer. I put cardboard along the sides so nothing was touching. When it comes time to take them out I'll give them time to thaw properly before unrolling them. I'm thinking that they'll unroll on their own as they thaw.....We'll see.

Thanks everyone for the tips on the thread and via PM. :happy0034:

HunterDave 05-24-2017 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Spruce (Post 3546921)
All of the beaver I board are completely dry. I leave them flush with the board (don't lift). Keep in mind as well, in summer with little air flow and generally humid weather, they take at least 50% longer to dry. I could speed up the process with a fan, but I am not in hurry this time of year.

Spruce

Yeah, mine are boarded dry as well. When I mentioned boarding them wet I was confused with how I do it when I tan them. Since ripping the hide when taking out the nails I started using a 2" x 4" under the head of the hammer and that, along with less time on the board, solved the problem.

pikeman06 05-24-2017 06:57 PM

I freeze mine. Bought a large freezer to accommodate. Stack my rats with a sheet of paper towel between each hide and put them in totes nice and neat and stacked tight. Then I tape the lids down and put the totes in a big orange garbage bag sometimes two bags. Stack the totes flat on bottom of freezer which makes a nice flat area for the beavers which are stacked leather to leather again with a layer of paper towel between. Then into big orange bags sealed up tight and layed flat on the totes they keep awesome. You will get bugs or mold if you don't freeze unless maybe you have a dehumidifier. Just my own findings I have hundreds in the freezer.

bill9044 05-25-2017 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Spruce (Post 3546645)
IMO,

If you leave pets out in a shop, basement, etc. the little black brown beetles will find them. You may get lucky, but likely you will have a problem. If they get on them, especially beavers or any pelts with a saddle, they will be destroyed. I speak from experience.

I finish beavers all summer. I dry for a week to 10 days on the board, then they go into the freezer....112 to go :( :)

Spruce

Hey spruce do you know what those beatles are called. I trust your experience. I have never seen them here I'm not sure if it's my climate or I've been lucky. The old fellow used to keep them stored in the shop like that many years ago.

Bill

The Spruce 05-25-2017 07:23 AM

dermestid beetles. If You live in North America, you have them around.

Spurce

6.5swedeforelk 05-25-2017 10:23 PM

Holdover of finished furs?
 
Carrying over finished furs... storing, stacking, protecting from
bugs & everything from mildew to mice, risking water spoilage...

Why?

Forward them to NAFA and simply stipulate what sale you want them to be included on.

HunterDave 05-26-2017 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6.5swedeforelk (Post 3548119)
Why?

Forward them to NAFA and simply stipulate what sale you want them to be included on.

That's not an option for me this year unless I ship them myself. There's no September auction and the ATA isn't shipping anything this summer. I never checked Halford's but I don't feel comfortable shipping with them after seeing how they handled some of my coyotes in January (maybe better in my garage.....lol).

I usually do what you suggest but I missed the last receiving date May 8. If I had have gotten them in maybe I could specify for the February 2018 auction like I've done in the past but, I don't know for sure and have to confirm.

More info here wrt next season auctions: http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=321026

JoshT 05-27-2017 08:05 AM

All the spring beavers we get are skinned, washed in the creek, folded in half lengthwise and then rolled head to tail. Not worrying about wringing out water. Helps to prevent freezer burn. Then put them in a grocery bag individually and push all the air out and the freeze like that.

TrapperMike 05-29-2017 11:17 PM

Nafa
 
Why not ship them to Nafa through their Wetaskiwan depot. I dropped mine off last week and was told I could drop off my beavers when they reopen in a couple of weeks. (Brian's going to be gone to Scotland for a couple of weeks). Hides will be stored for the February 2018 sale.

pikeslayer22 05-30-2017 11:28 AM

Thanks for the info Trapper Mike! I will be calling over to him...Why would the ATA tell me they can't ship until next year?

KegRiver 05-30-2017 04:53 PM

I used to freeze many of my spring pelts. It's only necessary with undried pelts.

It's better if you don't flesh them first. Just stuff them in a bag, I used large bread bags, and fill the bag with water Then squeeze out as much water as you can and seal and freeze, they will keep up to two years.

If you don't fill the bag with water the hide will freezer burn within 8 months.
Leaving the flesh on delays this by about six months. Adding water to displace any air extends that even further.

Cured pelts can be kept in a cool dry place. Freezing them isn't necessary.
Simply stack them flesh to flesh, fur to fur with paper towel or other absorbent material between the flesh sides.

You'll need something to absorb any oil that time will render from the hide and traces of fat that remain.

I think you could also stack them in sawdust the same way with the same results, but I've never tried it.


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