When it comes to disease this is one trapper that mmay be a pansy, but I sure ain't stupid!

I used to never wear gloves for anything. Im a paramedic and remember when getting blood all over you was a badge of honor( like has already been mentioned) before that I was a carpenter and never wore gloves ever, for anything. If I had to put gloves on it was to cold to be outside. With the exception of riding the 4 wheeler or running a boat motor when its COLD. I did become accustom to wearing latex gloves at work. Then when we switched from latex to nitrile . Grabbed a few boxes of the latex and threw in the shed. I started using them to skin my trapping catches. Id hate to get rabies or something like that, and its easier to pull them off and run in hte house, answer the phone, take a leak ect .

They don't help with skunk essence your still going to stink if you spill some it will burn through the glove! LOL

I buy the larger size, and wear them when I skin. They don't last long though.

I've had a few infections from scraping deer hides without gloves. Now I buy nitrile gloves in bulk and use them for skinning during trapping season too. An infection can really mess up your day, your week and possibly kill you. The gloves are easy to use once you get used to them.

I haven’t noticed any neoprene gloves specifically. But gloves in general are just part of the trend of growing safety culture. Look back over the decades in the trades. We could say the same things about hardhats, safety glasses, chainsaw chaps, fall harnesses, safety toes, heating protection, etc. Insurance liability (and the evolution of available equipment) has changed a lot of things. Yes I make fun of guys going overkill on gear sometimes, but I also appreciate having the stuff available.

When an old timer once teased me about my glasses and ear plugs, I said “Yeah, but I’d rather be able to see and hear when I’m your age, than be tough, blind and deaf.”

He said “EHH??”

I work on HVAC equipment and try to not smell like it when making sets for canines and others.......as well as when I eat. Just makes sense.

Mnsota, ask your wife or boss what they want in terms of clean hands. I’ll bet they’ll say they like clean hands. My wife does. And when you work with people in clean environments, they’ll want clean hands too.

Expect the handshake to go away in the future with all the new flesh eating viruses that keep coming out, now we trapper put out hands where many folks would not when collecting glands and essence so gloves are not a bad idea. LOL

The handshake is already going away in the urban areas around me. Replaced by the rediculously stupid "fist bump". Only a few of us still actually shake hands at work (and get strange looks from the younger guys when we do) while most are just holding up a fist to hit.... Drives me nuts.

Don't get me wrong here. I can understand using gloves for skinning or for medical work. I'll use gloves for skinning. What I'm talking about are the people that use them for things like working on cars or wood working or just about anything else you can spot on you tube. Protecting yourself from rabies is one thing. Worrying about dirt under your fingernails is something different.

After a few critters my nitrile gloves are poked full of holes. I get the black heavy duty ones our marine technicians wear.

Not sure where the holes come from because I never cut or Nick myself.

With all the anti-biotic resistant bacteria, wildlife diseases, solvents, pesticides etc. in use and around us today it boils down to the old "an ounce of prevention" statement. Simple lawn chemicals in use everyday are very safe when the manufacturers guidelines are followed. It would be like handling fiberglass insulation with out a mask to not wear gloves when working around certain substances. I have had friends who contracted tularemia from muskrat skinning. Bob Noonan had an article about a disease he got when he cut himself while handling a wild critter. Ask any butcher about cutting poultry and their diseases. The light weight stretch blue Nitrile gloves fill the bill for protecting from a host of pathogens, and dermal absorbants and do not pose an allergic risk like latex. The mechanics/leather gloves protect from abrasion and so on. Most of the tasks requiring some type of protection are due to repeated daily use. Changing the oil in your car every 3-5000 miles and getting oil on your hands that you wipe off is probably not an issue. Changing oil daily for 6-7 hours when your hands are repeatedly doused with oil,,,, probably a good idea to wear gloves and change them every so often daily. Some guys do better with gloves on when working around abrasive material (wood, concrete blocks etc) and some guys don't. Just like trapping methods; it works for me and may not for you.

Keep in mind that China has sent us toxic products in the past and will do it again if they can get away with it! That last batch of flooring was full of caustic chemicals I'd hate to mess with that not knowing what was in it.

At some point in history I imagine it was the same about washing frequently. "Ruins my musk" or the like I can envision the old timers saying.
But I can answer the original question. I am not worried about a non-existent manicure. If wearing gloves is the mark of a pansy, then pansy I shall be.

I am a plasterer and wear gloves whenever I am using my tools. I can't stand work gloves when doing 99 percent of the things I do, however, I can't pick up my hawk and trowel without my brown jersey gloves on. The tools just don't feel right without the gloves and when you work them barehanded the sand and cement that gets between your hand and your tool will eat the skin right off.

I wear them for skinning, don't want e. granulosis forming cysts on my brain! Not sure it's hitting on all 8 cylinders as it is,,,

Too many diseases out there, and seems like new ones are popping up all the time.

What's with the neoprene gloves?

Just plain common sense to protect your hands when using steel, rough lumber etc.
Just plain common sense to protect yourself when dealing with critters.
Mac