Selling Stretched and Dried

• All pelts must be scraped free of excess fat. (Raccoon, otter & beaver must be scraped perfectly clean).

• Stretch on proper wire or wood stretchers (beaver should be stretched in an oval pattern).

• Raccoon, grey fox, otter, muskrat, mink, opossum, and squirrel are stretched fur-side IN.

• Red fox, coyote and fisher are stretched fur-side OUT.

Selling Green (skinned)

• The tail bone should always be removed from all skinned raccoon.

• Always dry animals in the carcass completely before skinning.

• When skinning, cut from back foot to back foot. Then case out like a rabbit. (Except beaver, which is skinned up the belly).

• Skinned fur must be sold immediately or quick-frozen.

• Always freeze the fur FLAT, fur-side OUT, with no exposed flesh.  This is especially true when you are selling frozen skins.

• NEVER roll furs. NEVER freeze or thaw furs in plastic.

• Thaw larger animals with heavy flesh (coyote, raccoon, beaver, badger) 5-6 hours in a cool room or until partially thawed before selling,except in MI, NE, MO, MN, OH, IN, PA, MD, NC, SC, TN, AL, VA, GA & Southern IL where you should sell them frozen.

• NEVER thaw so long that grease melts or skins become slimy. Keep them cold. Keep them away from sunlight and direct heat.

• Muskrats should be frozen FLAT and NOT thawed before seeing the buyer.  (Note:  We will only buy Green Muskrat in Northern Illinois, Iowa and Southern Wisconsin.  All other areas should have their Muskrats stretched and dried).

• ALWAYS error on the side of selling something too frozen rather than too thawed.

Selling in the CARCASS (Carcass fur is discounted)​

• Refer to the table below to see if we accept CARCASS fur in your area.

• Clean the dirt, blood and burrs from the fur.

• Always hang carcass by rear feet in a cool, dark area, away from livestock. Livestock generate heat and bacteria.

• If the weather is warm, freezing may be required. If frozen, thaw ONLY the feet. Please do NOT completely thaw.

Deer Hide Care

• Skins may be sold fresh, frozen or salted, with NO heads or legs. By law, we can not buy deer hides with head or legs.

• FRESH means within a day or two of skinning the deer. Do NOT let the leather side dry out. Keep folded with skin side in.

• Salted hides must have large chunks of fat removed and must be heavily salted with FINE salt. Shake hides of excess salt BEFORE arriving at the truck.

• Frozen hides should be folded skin side in and rolled tightly. Allow to thaw only slightly before coming to the truck.

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