[Tim B]

Hey,
I read in one of your posts that you wait 3 days to skin beaver. What is the temp range that you will wait that long. And do you hang the beaver or just lay it down?
I have always hung beaver by front teeth by a fan till dry and then did the skinning....but then like you said I have to deal with the blood around the head and the tail and hine legs.
Thanks
Tim B

 

[Bogmaster]

Tim,when I bring beaver in from the line,I lay them on the garage floor.Newspaper or cardboard is placed beneath them,this will absorb most moisture from a wet beaver.The beaver is put on its back--never its belly.
If temps in my garage are above 60 degrees,the beaver is pelted the next day.If temps are 50 to 60 degrees I may go 2 days before pelting.Below 50 and 3 days are not a problem.
Now these temps are guestimates,after you have done it this way for a while you get to know the limits on when they should be pelted.
I should have stated that above 60 degrees you have to look at how long those temps will hold.If I come in ,from the line in late afternoon ,and the garage temp is 65--I dont worry because the garage will cool quickly after sundown.But if I come in and it is 65 and there are still several hours of sunlight left,and I know my garage is going to heat up.I pelt that night.I have to pelt very few beaver the day I catch them.
Hope I did'nt muddle things to much. Tom

 

[Rick Hatton]

OK, Now I'm confused again. I thought Tim B was our sponsor as I posted earlier. Now I think it's Bogmaster (sorry agian). Does Roger Ruginus still post on this forum??? He is Michigan's largest beaver fur buyer. and I've video tapped him skinning and fleshing a 35 lb beaver in 12 minutes!!! I'll give Roger a call and ask if he can respond to this question as Bogmasters response is more than than I can help as he obviously knows more than me on this particular topic.