i have fleshed 4 coyote pelts this year, my first year preping fur. i do the standard fleshing and stretching like i have read about and seem to be getting good results, my pelts have that crackley paper sound to them once the are dry, but when i go to turn them fur side out, i still seem to have a greasy feel to them, looks like it is almost being sqeezed out of the hide. is this normal? and will it affect the price of my pelts?
Almost all dogs, wolves etc have a lanolin coat which helps them repell water but if you are feeling grease it has to come from the skin side not the fur side.
lanolin won't hurt your fur prices (I am sure most of mine is washed off when I soak them in cold soapy water) but grease from the skin side when you are fleshing will knock prices down substantially. Grease on fur wil actually burn the fur making it almost useless.
Lots of sawdust on the skin side when fleshing not only makes it easier to flesh but also absorbs a good amount of that grease. I use a lot of it near the base of the skin where the fur meets the skin and wherever there is an open mixture of fur and skin on the pelt near front legs etc.
not sure which is which... new to the pelt business, its a clear liquid, doesnt have much of a smell, and feels greasy to the touch... should i wash my pelts more? i just run them under cold water with lots of dawn dishsoap until i dont get anymore red water coming off them
If the fur feels like that before you skin I suspect you are feeling the natural lanoline many animals have. if this only shows up after you have skinned I suspect it is grease from the skin side getting on the fur somehow. I can't remember ever seeing a clear liquid on a coyote skin. The natural lanolin I am trying to describe is more of a waxy feeling to the fur. Grease is not coming through the skin unless you are leaving connnecting tissue and grease on the skin but if it has that papery feel it sounds like you are doing it right.
I soak skins in cold water to get blood out and usually repeat soaking with soap a couple times. If you are rinsing under running water are you transferring grease from the inside of the pelt to the fur side??
the fur is fine, it feels good, i dont think there is anything on the fur.it usually appears after the first 24hrs of drying then the skin itself feel greasy when i got to turn it it fur side out.
I think you are probably just finding some fat turning liquid. Use the sawdust on the inside to absorb the little bit that is being left and you are probably seeing that on the skin side. Are you drying indoors? I leave mine outside after I turn fur out with cold temps.
Yes, i have been drying them inside. i dont have a heated garage so i didnt want them to freeze. i will try some sawdust. should i store them in the cold after they have finished drying?
I usually don't wash my coyotes because with the prices its just not worth my time, what I do is brush them real good after they are stretched and dried and they turn out real nice.
If you are washing them I noticed you said you used lots of dawn detergent, I was told to use very little detergent in cool (not cold) water as lots of detergent will ruin the hide.
I dont use saw dust when I am fleshing (although there is nothing wrong with it). After it has dried a while (still skin side out) I have beads of grease on the hide. What I do is wipe it down with paper towel before I turn them fur side out.
Hopes this helps!
Flesh your pelt first and use very fine saw dust to soak up the grease. Get a apartment size washing machine and wash you hide with Sunlight soap. Then rinse with just water and then spin to dry them out some. You get great looking plets that brings top dollar.
This what I do and I think it is well worth it.
I wash my dogs with dawn or cheap shampoo. washing the pelts will bring top dollar and are far more presentable on the table I have always brought above average prices for my hides and don't see dawn ruining a hide.
greasy coyote pelts
a hunting we will go!!!!!!
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