Putting Up Coyote Fur

The following tutorial is how I put up my coyote pelts for auction.  I do this same routine even if I'm sending in to the tannery, for both practice and just because I prefer to see my fur from start to end no matter what.  The more time and effort and work you put into your furs, the more money you will get at auction.  Here are a few tricks to possibly fool the fur graders and get your pelt to be placed into a better auction.  I average $88 at the late auction with several going $125+.

First I wash in laundry soap to get all the blood, burrs, and dirt out.  Rinse.  Then I soak in hydrogen peroxide. Rinse.

Then I soak in fabric softener for 30 minutes. Rinse.

Hang to dry in front of several fans.  The leather on your pelts will immediately begin to dry and shrink, so don't let pelts hang for more than an overnight or you'll never get it on the board.

If you need to sew up holes made by gun shots or skinning, this is the time to do it.  I use a waxed thread that doesn't react to any conditions such as tanning or tumbling, but you can also use dental floss.

Once flipped, you can't even notice the damage.

After boarding, I apply Borax to the entire hide and remove the ear cartilage.

Once the leather out has a stiff feel to it, I flip my pelt to fur out (generally 8 hours).  Then pin in the same spots as the leather out side.

Pinning the ears has a nice, well-kept appearance and shows the grader that you put extra time and effort into your furs.