Looking for Tips on Freezing Beaver Pelts

[HunterDave]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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?

Originally Posted by The Spruce

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.

[bill9044]

Originally Posted by The Spruce

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

[6.5swedeforelk]

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]

Originally Posted by 6.5swedeforelk

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]

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]

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]

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?