Fleshing pelts...
 

I' m fairly new to trapping (this is my 3rd year), and I' m wondering if I' m over- or under-fleshing my pelts. Do I need to remove all the muscle from around the head, or is okay to leave this? I' ve been fleshing the backs until the hair roots show. Is this too much, or is this just because the pelts are not yet prime?

-Spike Buck;)

RE: Fleshing pelts...
 

You don' t need to get all the meat off around the head, just get most of it and don' t leave any big pieces. If you are seeing the hair roots you are overfleshing and the pelts will be graded as damaged. There is a book, either by Ray Winkler, or Hal Sullivan, I can' t remember right now, about putting up fur. It is an excellent book and not cheap.