How to Hunt and Trap; Containing Full Instructions for Hunting the Buffalo, Elk, Moose, Deer, Antelope, Bear, Fox, Grouse, Quail, Geese ...

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER LI. PREPARING PELTS. Many industrious trappers lose much hard-earned money in carelessly prepared peltries. All pelts should be removed from animals when first captured, except in severe weather in the North, where animals may be kept frozen for weeks without injuring the fur. Skins should be well stretched and cleaned of all loose flesh when green; they should not be scraped too severely, however, as in so doing the fibre is often injured. They must be dried away from the camp fire, in the shade or open air. Pelts dried under a hot sun soon become very hard and dry, and are liable to tear, particularly those from thin-skinned animals, such as the fox, lynx, wild-cat, muskrat, etc. Fatty skins, like those of the bear, raccoon, seal and skunk, can be exposed to the sun without injury; the heat draws the fat to the surface, and it is then easily removed. Alum, salt and saltpetre are often applied to green pelts by amateurs, but it causes shrinkage, and also prevents quick, soft soaking and easy currying when first handled by the tanner. Furred animals are trapped in cold weather, and no preservatives are necessary in drying the skins. The blood should never be washed from the flesh side of a pelt, as water injures the skin and causes decomposition. The skins of most animals should be drawn over stretchers, with flesh side out, and edges tacked in position. Of the class treated thus, mention might be made of the otter, fox, fisher, martin, mink and muskrat. The skin of the muskrat should be stretched over a shingle, with sides slanted on thin end, and corners rounded. The animals mentioned should be skinned as follows: cut the skin through around the ankles; then place a small, sharp knife in the incisions, and open the skins down...