Home tanned my first kills

41 Colt

41 Colt

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I got my trapping licence and have started practicing on Eastern Grey Squirrels with cages in my backyard. I found I had to twist-tie peanuts to the bottom of the cage as I has squirrels steeling peanuts without setting off the trap.

I got three so far. I cased the skins, kept the meat (which tastes a lot like chicken) and tried my hand a tanning them. I used Rittel's EZ-100 and tanned them together. The last one I got last Monday on the holiday and here it is a week later. The first one I got I did a bad job on the skinning so probably wont post a photo, the second was a real pretty grey colored one I still need to break, photo later.

I put them right into the pickle without salting or drying. The body fur seems fine with no slip bit I think drying would have help set the tails as they are fragile. I heard squirrels have an extra skin on their tails the hair is rooted to, it can break away and the tail slips out if a predator grabs it. You can see a bald spot near the bottom underside of the tail where it tore while combing, I also pulled a chunk of fur out while trying to strip the tail during skinning. The face turned out pretty good, the grey one should be the best but that's something I need to work on. I blew the face on the first one, I'm kind of just making cuts hoping they come out okay.

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Well, practice makes perfect....
Try peanut butter instead of the whole peanut game.
I know of someone locally who has 32 tree rats this fall alone he teaches them swimming lessons and they dont do so well.
Thanks for sharing,
Rob
 
Good start, now get going after coyotes :)

I have spend a heck of a lot of time late last year driving around and looking for a Canada Goose jacket with an acceptable coyote fur hood for the dear one. They have started making them narrower and of course they vary but all in all most are downright sad in comparison to the ones you see on older jackets.

Well the truth is her coyote fur on the Canada Goose is bad looking and she laments this for such an expensive jacket, however, I say to her it is the best one we could find and that it looks great.

Perhaps I could get a coyote, have the fur well/professionally done and replace the fur on her hood?
 
Right on, looking good.
Maybe try open skinning one and practice tanning it. It would display nicer.
As you can see in this photo you can skin right down to their wrists and snip off the feet to leave them attached. Tails as you noticed can be delicate, use an exacto knife to slit it as far down as you can before trying to strip the bone out. Make a tail stripper to help.

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Make sure you split the tails right down to the end. The salt solution doesn't penetrate well it you don't do that & you will get hair slip. You can buy a little tool called a tail zipper which does the job real well or you can use a shingle blade in a utility knife.
 
Thanks guys, I love the rug! I will try skinning the other way next time, it would display nicer, you are right. I read you don't need to split squirrel tails, though I do have the tools to do it so will also try that.

ETA: Norton, did you make that? Did you leave the feet off and tan them with the bones and everything?
 
One trick I learned when I was younger for doing coon tails is to use those promotional letter openers that businesses hand out. You just tuck the pointy end into the underside base of the tail and zip it open to the tip. Nice and easy.
 
That is some great stuff there OP. I think many people here would appreciate a more detailed write up on the tanning process if you're inclined to tell the story. I'd also like to hear what your plans are for the fur and recipes for the meat.

I never thought of squirrels as food until I saw a cooking show in Quebec where a top Montreal chef was touring First Nations reserves for traditional recipes. Now I can't wait to get away for a weekend for some small game hunting. I'm eager to try some squirrel recipes and I'd love to find a good use for the fur. (Though my heart is set on a bear fur hat)
 
If you're looking for an even cheaper way, strong tea works well on thin hides. It's basically bark tanning, and if you drink a lot of black tea you can just save the old tea bags and tea that is left over (no sugar or milk :p ) and boil down a vat of concentrated stuff. Like I said, works great on thin hides and stuff that isn't greasy. Quebracho extract is a powdered tree bark that does the same thing. It's tougher to get a super soft hide, but working it until dry still gets you a nice soft fur. If you have issues with fur loss, get some slip-stop - it works great. I've done greasier animals this way (IE raccoons etc) and it works as well, but degreasing is a must or else you'll be replacing your tanning solution daily, which is a royal waste. Even done deer hides, though they take time.
 
41 Colt said:
ETA: Norton, did you make that? Did you leave the feet off and tan them with the bones and everything?
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No it's not mine, it's just a photo from the net I found searching for a picture of an open skinned squirrel.
There's very little tissue in a squirrels foot, all sinew and bone, I'd try tanning them, bone, claws, and all, they'll dry out.

I've never tried home tanning, just salting furs to hang and display and the normal fur handling from running traps in a bygone day.
I lost a decent black bear hide in my basement freezer last fall that I was going to try and home tan and make into a driver's side truck seat cover, I figured it would look awesome.
Damn freezer shorted out and I didn't notice. Lost the bear hide and half a deer. Had two bear and three coyote heads in there for making skulls that were serious rotten, but I refroze them in the new freezer. Have done one bear and coyote since, dropped them in the simmer pot still frozen and the reek wasn't too bad. The dog thought it was fabulous :d
 
Norton said:
Right on, looking good.
Maybe try open skinning one and practice tanning it. It would display nicer.
As you can see in this photo you can skin right down to their wrists and snip off the feet to leave them attached. Tails as you noticed can be delicate, use an exacto knife to slit it as far down as you can before trying to strip the bone out. Make a tail stripper to help.

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WOW, Check This One Out !!!
Dam, didnt read post 12 till now(edit)
The colors are cool too.
Thanks for searching and posting the results.
Personally I do not have the patience to detail to do this and it amazes me those that not only have that virtue but skill set as well.
Rob
 
Here is the grey colored one, I love the color of the fur and fuller tail. I think the "ring" around the neck is from turning it fur side out. The head area is difficult to do. I use a wood dowel to push it through.

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curseyou said:
That is some great stuff there OP. I think many people here would appreciate a more detailed write up on the tanning process if you're inclined to tell the story. I'd also like to hear what your plans are for the fur and recipes for the meat.
Click to expand...

Thankyou. I broke down the Rittel's instructions to simple points, though these measurements are for a raccoon hide. I hate following instructions and this made it easier. I recommend anyone who tries Rittel's to still fully read their instructions so you understand what you are doing.

PICKLE

  • 2 Gallons Luke Warm Water
  • 2 Tbsp Saftee Acid
  • 2Lbs Salt

PH should read 2.0, closer to 1.1. Soak for 3 days+ in solution (up to 2 weeks+ total).

DEGREASE (Raccoon, Black Bear, Beaver etc.)

  • 2 Gallons Luke Warm Water
  • 8 Tbsp Super Solvent

Wash 10-15 minutes. Soak in solution for 30 minutes. Rinse well. Return to Pickle solution for 24+ hours.

NEUTRALIZE

  • 2 Gallons Luke Warm Water
  • 3.5 Tbsp Baking Soda

Drain for 1 hour. Soak for 20 minutes while stirring, no longer. Rinse well. Drain for 1 hour.

TAN

  • 2 Gallons Luke Warm Water (1 Gallon = 2lbs of Hide)
  • 16 Tbsp EZ-100
  • 1Lb Salt

Add Salt after EZ-100 is fully disolved. PH should read 4.0, adjust up or down with Baking Soda or White Vinegar. Keep at room temperature. Check 30 minutes after hide added. Soak for 16-24 hours max.

OIL

  • 1 Part Oil
  • 2 Parts HOT Tap Water

Drain for 20 minutes, no longer. Apply with brush while hot. Let "sweat" skin on skin 4-6 hours. Dry open 1-2 days. When 95% dry "stake" hide.
 
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