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Old 02-05-2018, 10:27 PM
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Camdec Camdec is offline
 
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Default green belly

I skinned a coyote on the weekend that had quite a bit of green belly. Not sure why. Snared it when it was -20. It was a good catch and looks like it was lights out very quickly.
My question is what exactly causes this? How bad is too bad? I haven't fleshed and boarded it yet, but the fur doesn't slip from the green belly area.
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Old 02-05-2018, 11:16 PM
MooseRiverTrapper MooseRiverTrapper is offline
 
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If it lays belly down in the snow it will be well insulated and turn green slowly. Seems to be worse with full stomachs off a bait pile.
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Old 02-05-2018, 11:19 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Did you have to hang it to thaw and maybe it happened in the shed? Maybe hung too long or too hot.

I get some with minor amounts or green belly and don’t worry about it. Fleshing and washing gets rid of most of it. If it’s really, really bad I might wipe the hide with hydrogen peroxide to kill the bacteria.

I don’t recall any green belly ones slipping as a result of it. Once it turns black they do though.
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Old 02-05-2018, 11:23 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper View Post
If it lays belly down in the snow it will be well insulated and turn green slowly. Seems to be worse with full stomachs off a bait pile.
I was wondering about that. I caught one coming off the bait pile and he blew up like a balloon. My Wife freaked and thought that it was pregnant. Temperature in the -5 range and caught the night before. That one did slip on the belly.
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Old 02-05-2018, 11:30 PM
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Camdec Camdec is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper View Post
If it lays belly down in the snow it will be well insulated and turn green slowly. Seems to be worse with full stomachs off a bait pile.
Yes it was belly down in the snow. I noticed that the stomach was ballooned when I first picked it up. We did have a good dump of snow, so perhaps better insulated than I thought. Just surprised me as its been very cold. Daytime highs of -20 with overnight of -30.
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Old 02-05-2018, 11:33 PM
nube nube is offline
 
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Belly against the ground and after a big fight and heated up. Snare tight enough to not allow gases to escape as well.... few things I have learned in the past.
It amazes me what snow can do to insulate. I have creeks that stay open year long on my line even after a week or 2 of minus 25.
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Old 02-06-2018, 08:26 AM
wolfcrazy wolfcrazy is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Camdec View Post
My question is what exactly causes this? How bad is too bad? I haven't fleshed and boarded it yet, but the fur doesn't slip from the green belly area.
It’s the bacteria in the stomach that causes it. I’ve skinned a few that were bad before and the same as you they were bloated with full bellies from the bait pile. Most of the green will come off once you flesh it. Then just wipe it with a antibacterial product like Dettol (which I use) or maybe even try Lysol spray. If the bellie fur hasn’t slipped yet you should be good just need kill the smell and any additional growth.
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Old 02-06-2018, 10:08 AM
Big Grey Wolf Big Grey Wolf is offline
 
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Camdec, I assume you hung the coyote upside down as soon as you got to your shed. If still not frozen the enzymes will migrate towards stomach area, hanging will keep them in chest cavity. If most green belly happened when still in field then nothing you can to but take advice others have offered to minimize it.
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Old 02-06-2018, 01:59 PM
parfleche parfleche is offline
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X2 on the last supper these monsters ate , Timer wolves IMO all stink real bad and turn green very fast .
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Old 02-06-2018, 06:49 PM
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Camdec Camdec is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Grey Wolf View Post
Camdec, I assume you hung the coyote upside down as soon as you got to your shed. If still not frozen the enzymes will migrate towards stomach area, hanging will keep them in chest cavity. If most green belly happened when still in field then nothing you can to but take advice others have offered to minimize it.
I actually had it hung by a front leg, but this sounds like good advice along with what others have provided. Thank you all.
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