Washing Coyote Hides

[Willy 1]

When skinning a coyote that has excess blood on it does anyone wash the fur before stretching it? If so can anyone tell me the procedure for doing this.
Thanks

[ncmountainman]

Willy1, I just wash them in a sink with warm water and sometimes a little soap. I only wash the part that needs cleaning unless the whole pelt is dirty. Ear shot catches that get wet from washing tend to slip easy if you dont get them dry. I will use a hair dryer on low heat to dry the ears if I need to. I prefer wood heat to dry pelts. It does a good job and dries them before they can spoil. Im carefull not to get them too close to the heater. Excess heat can damage or singe fur.
David

[trappnman]

I wash every coyote I get- some more than others. If oyu wnt a nice fur, put some Downy in the rinse water, and sish it through a few times, then hang and dry.

more important- on all my canines- a little baby oil rubbed on both sides, pop in clothes dryer for 2-3 minutes- soft, fluffy, perfect!

dired blood can be taken off by a little WD-40 on a rag, softyl rub, changing rag surface when discolored. WD- 40 takes off a lot of stains.

[Willy 1]

Thanks for the replyes. I have a couple more questions . So what you are saying is wash them, dry as much as possible as soon as possible. This is all done before you stretch the hide. When you stretch them do you just do it the normal way then,fur to the inside. I think I will have to invest in a clothes dryer to dry them as I think the wife may strip a gear if I use hers.

[Newt]

Trapnman, How do you get them to dry.Before they start to spoil ?

[Bogmaster]

 Willy, never let your wife know,when you use any of her appliances---unless you tell her,you vacuumed the floor.
 Tom

[trappnman]

Newt- wring them out, hang in front of fan. We have low humidity this time of year, and it is very rare that the coyote isn't dry next day. Even if damp, I still put up- it only takes 24-48 max to dry the leather with fans.

I also wash every coon- and I sell those green. But no blood, no burrs, etc- with dry, good smelling bright fur- I get top dollar on green coon. 

[Macthediver]

I have not caught hugh numbers of coyotes I've handled more foxes. But like Trapnman I wash all of my K-9s unless they come out of the trap mint. I use either the Downy or Woolite and cold water. After I've washed them out I wring them out good. Then I boarded them wet leather out. With a fan on them it only take a little time and the leather side is dry to the touch. Not Sticky at all.  I then turn them fur out and put them back on the board. I comb the still wet fur from the tail toward the nose, which stand all the hairs up. I hang the boards from the garage rafters nose down, with a fan moving the air around them till they dry. I may comb them again during drying but again from tail to nose. Once you get the hang of it you will see that your coyotes look big and fluffy. Taxidermist often stand the hairs up on critters as they dry them to the forms. Figured there was no reason it shouldn't work on a hide to sell. So far this has worked ok for me, but like I said I haven't done large numbers.
The washing and boarding wet I learned from watching a nafa demo. Combing from tail to nose before drying I just decided to try after listening to a taxidermist talk about doing it.
JMTCW

Mac

[jim-NE]

I wash every coyote, fox, cat, and coon I catch. Hang them up with fan on them to dry. I hang mine by the nose as the natural direction of the fur is toward the tail end, keeps the moisture running away from the underfur by using gravity and the fan air circulation. I use a mild inexpensive dish soap when I wash them out. A bucket of clean water works OK but so does just laying them on the lawn or a table top and using the garden hose. Be sure to fully rinse out the soap if you use it. Comb them or brush them out as they are drying also to keep them fluffed up and allows for more air circulation to the underfur. Also, this is probably obvious on these furs but hang them fur side out while the fur is wet.

I used to use a hair dryer sometimes when I had a spot or two not fully dried and I needed to keep the cycle moving for the next batch.

[Newt]

Once in a while .I'll have to wash out a fox or coon. it's a real crap shoot weather they will dry or slip.I realy have to stay on top of them.Now when its cold enough to have the wood stove burn'n,that s a hole new deal.
 I have found that I wash them BEFORE I skin. Its much easer to get them dry.Then skin.Geographical  location propley means a lot about what you have to do,to dry and handle your fur.Here on the coast its damp,compared to other places.

[ken w.]

I used to have an old wringer washer that I used to wash the fox and coyote I shot calling or trapped.I would use a few drops of Dawn dish detergent.This would work good.I would put it thru the wringer a couple of times and brush them out really well.I send most of my fur out to be tanned so I streach them fur side in and let them dry well.I made up a flexable dryer tube that I would put in the hide to help dry it faster.The breeze from a fan is enough to keep air flow inside the pelt.I do this for the coyotes.They seem to take the longest to really dry.