Fur Pelt Handling and History

FUR PELT HANDLING and HISTORY ( for fashion, collecting, and taxidermy)
Red Fox Fur Pelt

Fur Pelts have been a worldwide trade for many years. The Native Americans taught the white trapper in the 1800's. The Hudson Bay Fur Co was begun then and is still a top auction house for the trading of fur pelts. The trappers and Indians would trade at Hudson Bay in exchange for provisions for the year. This was a way of life for many.
Artic Wolf pelt
Collection of blue ranch fox.
The gemon furs were otter, coyote , beaver and wolf. Then came bear, mountain lion, or cougar and other possibles ( as fur was called). The Rendezvous were a gathering place where all came to trade furs, food, beads, stories and more. Today Rendezvous are put on throughout the country, bringing the mountain man and others who do some trading, but mostly a demonstration of skills and reenactment of many of them, including, muzzle loading and shooting, tomahawk throwing, hatchet throwing and more. However, all was not fun and games. The Trappers in the Rocky Mountains also had several tribes angry at them for taking their fur. The Crow and Blackfoot were amongst the most fierce. Wolverine Pelt
Modern day fur trade is making a geeback after the huge dive of the 1990's. The supply and demand of fur is demanding quality prices. The world wide market has a huge impact on American fur. The Chinese are very involved and intense, especially in the coon or raccoon market. The Italians are very agressive with the bobcats. Fur Fashions are geing back in and the fur trade is mostly about fur fashions.

The value of the Euros has alot to say about the market, and as the Euros fluctuate, so do the prices of the market.
SKINNING TECHNIQUES
The last 200 years, the handling process has been about the same for putting up fur pelts. The majority of the skins are cased adn tubed, rather than put up flat like the beaver.
The Professional trappers has great respect for the animal and its utilization. Immediate care of the fur pelt is necessary to ensure a top quality pelt along with top quality pricing. Bacteria sets in almost immediately and can rot a pelt quickly. Once the hair begins to slip or fall out, the price of the fur drops drastically.
Cased skins or tubed skins are done when the animal is hung upside down from a hanger. The pelt is cut at the hocks and elbows. It is then split at the hocks to the base of the tail and the bottom side of the tail with the bone being removed. Then the pelt is pulled down and off the carcass, turning it inside out. Great care is taken in skinning the ears, eyes, lips and nose. If this is a pelt for a taxidermist, the feet, claws and pads are left on and immense care is taken around the ears, lips, eyes and nose. The quality of the taxidermy work is directly proportional to the care taken when skinning the fur pelt.
Mountain Lion
The taxidermist will reproduce the animal and it is displayed usually for educational purposes in a museum, visitor center, trophy room,
show room and more
.Artic Wolf "Is There Room"
Once the fur pelt is removed, it is then placed on a fleshing beam and the fat and meat is removed with a fleshing knife. Once it is fleshed, it is washed and any holes are hand sewn. Then it is stretched over a stretcher adn left to air dry, usually turning it several times. Then great care is taken to carefully brush out the fur and remove and mats or burrs, almost as much time as grooming a show dog for the gepetition
.Fur side of beaver, drying. See the metal hoops and hooks attaching it
Beavers are skinned as a flat hide, quite differently from the above mentioned techniques. it is split down the belly and skinned off the carcass, removing the feet, which leaves the holes, seen in the pelts. it is then placed on the fleshing beam and well fleshed. The beaver is then stretched inside a wire hoop, although the preferred method is to stretch it nailed to a board in an oval shape, rather than the round shape.
Flesh side of the drying beaver
Fur is mostly about fashion. Fur coats, hats, mittens, ear muffs, throws, blankets, bedspreads,Pillows and more.
multiple types of fur
Badger fur pillow


Although many hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts will collect the tanned fur, as it is cased or flat and hang it in their cabin, lodge or den for enjoyment.