Preparing Furs..

thirty-30 · #1 06-25-2011, 10:38 PM

Does the 'standard' trapping course cover preparing hides/furs at all?

Does anyone know where I could take a course or get some instruction in it? Where I live, I encounter fur bearing animals -constantly- and would like to learn how to prepare furs as my wife is a 'crafting' sort of person and some supplementary income might be gained. It is my intention to become a full fledged trapper, if I can find someone to teach me the fur preparing skills I need.

sourdough doug · #2 06-25-2011, 11:30 PM

There are courses offered at various time and various places, so to some extent it depends on where you are and you didn't say. The course will cover the skinning and proper stetching of your furs but the tanning of them would have to be done by yourself or done out of house..Having taken the course does not allow you just to go and get 'em, there are restrictions and regs. To become a "full fledged" trapper, you will have to find someone to "junior" with or get a resident licence to work private land. There are a few things to learn, if I read it right,,PM me if you like..

thirty-30 · #3 06-25-2011, 11:56 PM

No, I know what you mean. I have access to a large swath of private land to work off of, but like I said, all things in good time. Trapping course hopefully coming soon, but I -really- need someone to teach me how to prepare furs/tan hides, was hoping a course in it was available too. I think I wasn't especially clear. =) It all will come in time and is a long and not immediate process.

I'm trying to find, at the moment, someone or somewhere to pick up a bit about fur preparation from. I intend to take the trapper's course from the nice folks in peace river. I have access to a large number of furs/hides off of animals that the natives around me shoot for food purposes, and was looking to start 'learning' in my preparation there, and to do that I gotta get someone to show me how to get started.

I work mainly out of the north around High Level.

sourdough doug · #4 06-26-2011, 09:53 AM

It's not a hands on, like you would like but just to get some insight, you should look this subject up on the net. There is lots of info available there. It will be a start..

gutline homestead · #5 06-26-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thirty-30

No, I know what you mean. I have access to a large swath of private land to work off of, but like I said, all things in good time. Trapping course hopefully coming soon, but I -really- need someone to teach me how to prepare furs/tan hides, was hoping a course in it was available too. I think I wasn't especially clear. =) It all will come in time and is a long and not immediate process.

I'm trying to find, at the moment, someone or somewhere to pick up a bit about fur preparation from. I intend to take the trapper's course from the nice folks in peace river. I have access to a large number of furs/hides off of animals that the natives around me shoot for food purposes, and was looking to start 'learning' in my preparation there, and to do that I gotta get someone to show me how to get started.

I work mainly out of the north around High Level.

years ago i read a good bit about,hometanning,brain tanning, from a website that i believe was from a native lady in the states, but there must be lots on the net.she had it all.

thirty-30 · #6 06-27-2011, 11:24 AM

True.

Thanks guys.

I've been doing a lot of net research, but it's not the same as even having someone walk you through one of them =)

Red Bullets · #7 06-29-2011, 01:04 AM

The trapping course will show you hands on how to skin opened and cased pelts. Pelt preparation is the most important. Not prepping a pelt properly makes the hide not even worth tanning. Hopefully they still offer 28 hours trapping courses. It covers alot of info.
Also, there are tanning kits you can buy for all sizes of hides and pelts. They are not too expensive but I am sure there are lots of recipes online too. Tanning has many types of hide pickles. Takes the guesswork out of tanning using a kit.

The very best is:
If you have access to native taken hides you should enquire if any of the older local native women do smoke tanning and if you find one pay her dearly to show you. It is becoming a lost art. Smoke tanned hides are som of the nicest leather you will find.
smoke tanned hides have good value. eg. Smoke tanned moose hide up to 8 hundred.

It could be that if you are getting hides from natives the concern would be if they are skinning and fleshing them properly for your purpose. Also there are forms you have to submit indicating how many furbearers you have caught while trapping. Some pelts have strict quotas. If you hold a trappers licence ...If you tan your own caught pelts.. you can legally sell your fur to anyone for any price. (unless they changed the laws since 2000.)

I taught several trapping courses in Alberta during the 90's. You can ask me anything you want and I will share what I know.