Curing Skins
Categories: THE TRAPPER'S MISCELLANY.This department of the trapper's art is one of the most important
and necessary, as affecting pecuniary profits. The value of a skin
in the fur market depends entirely upon the care with which it
is taken from the animal and afterward prepared, and without a
knowledge on this subject the young trapper will in vain seek for
high prices for his furs. Large quantities of valuable skins are
sent to our markets annually by
and in many cases rare and beautiful furs have been almost spoiled
by want of care in skinning and curing. The rules are simple and
easily followed, a little care being all that is necessary to insure
most perfect success. In every case the skin should be removed
shortly after death, or at least before it has become tainted with
decay. Great pains should be taken in skinning. Avoid the adherence
of flesh or fat to the skin, and guard against cutting through the
hide, as a pierced skin is much injured in value. The parts about
the eyes, legs and ears should be carefully removed. The various
methods of skinning are described in our section on trapping, and
in all cases the furs should be allowed to dry in a cool, airy
place, free from the rays of the sun or the heat of a fire, and
protected from rain.
Astringent preparations of various kinds are used by many trappers,
but they are by no means necessary. The most common dressing consists
of equal parts of rock salt and alum dissolved in water. Into this
a sufficient amount of coarse flour or wheat bran is stirred to give
the mixture the consistency of batter, after which it is spread
thickly over the skin and allowed to dry.
It is afterwards scraped off, and in some cases a second application
is made. This preparation is much used in dressing beaver, otter,
mink and muskrat skins, but as many of our most successful and
experienced trappers do without it, we fail to see the advantage of
using it, as it is only an extra trouble. The simplest and surest
way is to stretch the skin and to submit it to a gradual process
of natural drying without any artificial heat or application of
astringents to hasten the result.
A very common mode of stretching skins consists in tacking them to
a board, with the fur inwards, and allowing them to dry as already
described.
This method does very well for small skins, but for general purposes
the stretchers are the only means by which a pelt may be properly
cured and prepared.
More
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A Fish Trap
Our list of traps would be incomplete without a Fish Trap, and although we have mentioned some contrivances in this line under our article on Fishing we here present one which is both new and novel. Its mode of construction is exactly similar ... A Light Home-made Boat
The following gives an easy method of making a light and serviceable bateau, which any boy, with moderate ingenuity or skill, could easily construct:-- Select two boards, about three-quarters of an inch in thickness, eighteen or twenty inches in ... A Simpler Net Trap
Much ingenuity has been displayed in the construction of bird traps of various kinds, but often the ingenuity has been misplaced, and the result has been so complicated as to mar its usefulness for practical purposes. The examples of net traps pr... American Fur Skins--their Uses At Home And Abroad
In the early history of fur apparel, its use was determined by climate; to-day, and especially in this country, it is regulated by the caprice of fashion. The mink for many years took the lead in the list of fashionable furs, but has of late been su... Another Box Trap
This works after the manner of the ordinary wire rat-trap; our illustration explains itself. The box should be of the shape there shown, with one of its end pieces arranged on hinges so as to fall freely. An elastic should be fastened from the... Assafoetida
This foul smelling production seems to have a specially attractive fragrance to many animals, and for general use is much esteemed by trappers. It is a vegetable drug from Persia and the East Indies, and is imported in the form of concrete juice, of... Bark Shanty
This is made by first driving into the ground two forked poles seven or eight feet in height and stout enough to sustain a ridge pole of moderate size. Against this ridge pole other poles should be rested at intervals of two feet, and sloping to the... Beds And Bedding
Many a trapper does away with these commodities, merely rolling himself in a blanket and using his arm for a pillow; but we do not propose to encourage or recommend any such half-way comfort as this, when by a very little labor a portable bed can... Bird Lime
This substance so called to which we have above alluded, and which is sold in our bird marts under that name, is a viscid, sticky preparation, closely resembling a very thick and gummy varnish. It is astonishingly sticky, and the slightest quantity ... Boat Building
Where trapping is carried on along the banks of the lakes and rivers, a boat of some kind becomes almost a positive necessity. The following examples represent those in most general use. Perhaps the most common form of the rough and ready order... Bowl Traps
Very effective extempore traps may be set up in a few minutes by the use of a few bowls. There are two methods commonly employed. One consists of the bowl and a knife-blade. An ordinary tableknife is used and a piece of cheese is firmly forced on to... Cage Trap
The common cage trap is well known to most of our readers, and for the capture of rats and mice, it is one of the most efficacious devices in existence. The construction of one of these traps is quite a difficult operation, and we would hesitate ... Castoreum
This substance, commonly known as Barkstone, by trappers and fur dealers, is obtained from the beaver, and is a remarkable aid in the capture of that animal. It is an acrid secretion of a powerful musky odor, found in two glands beneath the root of ... Castoreum Composition
The Barkstone is used both pure and in combination with other substances, the following prescription being much used: Into the contents of about ten of the castor bags, mix two ground nutmegs, thirty or forty cloves, also powdered, one drop essence ... Compound
For ordinary use, a mixture of Assafoetida, Musk, Oil of Anise, and Fish Oil, together with a few drops of the Oil of Rhodium, is especially recommended by our most skilled trappers. This preparation contains the various substances which are known t... Cummin
This is another plant, somewhat resembling the former, and, like it, cultivated for its seeds. It has an aromatic taste, and its strong pungent odor renders it of great value to the trapper. The seeds may be powdered and thus used, or the oil of the... Curing Skins
This department of the trapper's art is one of the most important and necessary, as affecting pecuniary profits. The value of a skin in the fur market depends entirely upon the care with which it is taken from the animal and afterward prepared, and ... Dug-out Or Log Canoe
It's general appearance is well indicated by the accompanying illustration. With the proper tools, one of these canoes is easily made. A sharp axe, an adze, a shaving knife, a round edged adze, and a small auger, are principally necessary; and a cro... Fenugreek
Like the two foregoing this plant is valuable for its seeds, which are used for medicinal purposes. The oil or bruised seeds may be used. ... Fish Oil
This is especially useful in the capture of the majority of the fur tribe, and particularly the water animals. The oil may be bought ready for use, or prepared with little trouble. The common method consists in cutting up fish of any kind, especia... Fly Paper
A sheet of common paper, smeared with a mixture composed of molasses one part, and bird-lime six parts (see page 97), will be found to attract large numbers of flies and hold them prisoners upon its surface. Spruce gum, warmed on the fire, and mi... Fly Trap
Take a tumbler, and half-fill it with strong soap suds. Cut a circle of stiff paper which will exactly fit into the top of the glass. In the centre of the paper cut a hole half an inch in diameter, or, better still, a slice of bread may be placed on... Food And Cooking Utensils
The professional trapper on a campaign depends much upon his traps for his food, and often entirely contents himself with the subsistence thus gained. We encourage and believe in roughing it to a certain extent, but not to that limit to which it is ... Hints On Baiting The Steel Trap
There is a very common and erroneous idea current among amateur sportsmen and others in regard to the baiting of the steel trap; viz., that the pan of the trap is intended for the bait. This was the old custom in the traps of bygone times, but no... Hoop Nooses
This is a variation from the above, the noose being attached to a barrel hoop and the latter being fastened to two stout posts, which are firmly driven into the ground. By their scattering the bait inside the hoop, and adjusting the loops, the contr... How To Tan The Skins Of Beaver Otter Raccoon And Marten
These should be stretched on a board and smeared with a mixture composed of three ounces each, of salt and alum; three gills of water, and one drachm of sulphuric acid. This should be thickened with wheat bran or flour, and should be allowed to dry ... How To Trap
In the following pages will be found full and ample directions for the trapping of all our leading game, together with detailed descriptions of peculiar habits of each species. The various articles contain careful descriptions, whereby the species m... Insect Ointments
These insects seem to have a special aversion for the scent of pennyroyal--an herb growing commonly in sandy localities--and a single plant rubbed upon the face and hands will often greatly check their attacks. The oil of pennyroyal is better, ho... Lavender
This is another aromatic plant, the oil of which, either pure or diluted with alcohol, is much used in the trapper's art. ... Market Value Of Fur Skins
Below will be found an authentic table of the comparative values of the various American furs at the present date of publication. The quotations are those of one of our largest fur dealers, as published in THE HAT, CAP AND FUR TRADE REVIEW, the lead... Medicines Or Scent Baits
These form one of the most important requisites of the trapper's art. A trap baited simply with the food of the required animal, may and often will be successful, but with the addition of the trapper's medicine judicially applied, success is almos... Musk
This substance is a secretion obtained from several different animals, notably the otter and muskrat. The glands which contain it are located similarly to the castor glands of the beaver, and the musk should be discharged into a vial, as previously ... Observations On The History Of Furs And The Fur Trade
In all cold climates, man has availed himself liberally of the warm covering with which nature has clothed the animals around him; but the wealth of the most favored nations has drawn to them the most beautiful furs, in whatever part of the world th... Oil Of Amber
This substance is frequently referred to in the following pages, and is a vegetable product of the amber gum of commerce. The Oil of Ambergris is also sometimes used by trappers, and is likewise known as Amber Oil. The two are thus often confounded,... Oil Of Anise
This is strongly recommended by many trappers as a most excellent universal medicine. It is a vegetable product, and is obtainable at any drug store. ... Oil Of Rhodium
This is a vegetable oil obtained from a species of rose, and is quite costly. Its power of attracting animals is surprising, and it is in very common use among trappers. ... Oil Of Skunk
This, the ne plus ultra, or quintessence of diabolical stench, yields the tempting savor which irresistibly attracts many animals to their final doom. It is contained in a pouch beneath the insertion of the tail of the animal, and is spread abroad b... Plan Of Campaign
The first thing to be considered in reference to a campaign is the selection of a trapping ground, and it is always desirable to choose a locality where travel by water can be resorted to as much as possible. Otter, mink, beaver and muskrat are amon... Quail Snare
which forms the subject of our first illustration. This consists of a series of nooses fastened to a strong twine or wire. They may be of any number, and should either consist of fine wire, horse-hair, or fine fish-line. If of wire, common brass su... Requisites Of A Good Steel Trap
1. The jaws should not be too thin nor sharp cornered. In the cheaper class of steel traps the jaws approach to the thinness of sheet-iron, and the result is that the thin edges often sever the leg of their would-be captive in a single stroke. At ot... Rocky Mountain Sheep
These creatures are natives of the entire range of the Rocky Mountains, and are especially prized on account of the superior quality of their flesh as food. They are much larger and more powerful than the domestic sheep, and the ram is provided with... Shooting And Poisoning
Until the introduction of the steel-trap, shooting was a common method of taking fur bearing animals, and even to the present day it is quite prevalent in some localities. Anyone who has had any experience with the fur trade must have learned that f... Snares Or Moose Traps
These devices, although properly coming under the head of traps, differ from them in the sense in which they are generally understood. A snare naturally implies an entanglement; and for this reason the term is applied to those contrivances which ... Snow-shoes
These commodities are almost indispensable to the trapper where he pursues his vocation in the winter time, during the prevalence of deep snows. When properly made they permit the wearer to walk over the surface of the snow with perfect ease; where,... Squirrels
There are many species of squirrels found in the United States, but their fur is of little value, and of trifling importance in the fur trade; the squirrel fur of our markets being that of a small grey European variety. Squirrels, as a class, posses... Stretchers
The board stretcher is the simplest form and is in most common use among trappers for the smaller animals. These stretchers are of two kinds, the plain and the wedged. The plain stretcher consists of a piece of board a quarter of an inch in thicknes... Sweet Fennel
This plant is commonly cultivated all over the United States, and the seeds are often powdered and used as a scent bait. The Oil of Fennel is preferable, however, and may be had at almost any drug store. ... Tanning Skins
In case some of our readers might desire to tan fur skins for their own domestic purposes, the subjoined directions will be found to be reliable, and for all ordinary requirements, sufficiently adequate. For tanning with the hair on, the skin shou... Tent Carpeting
We have described a most excellent contrivance for a bedstead and recommend its use whenever possible; but when the bed is desired to be made on the ground the following method is usually employed, by which the whole interior of the tent, hut or sha... Tents
Shanties like the foregoing are in general use among the old veteran trappers of all countries, and even to the amateur there is a charm in a shelter constructed from the rude materials of the woods which the portable tents do not possess. Tents,... The Art Of Trapping
From time immemorial, and in every nation of the world, the art of trapping has been more or less practised. By some as a means of supplying their wants in the shape of daily food, and by others for the purpose of merchandise or profit. To be a c...