Does washing bobcat pelts as opposed to not washing them make a difference in the sale price?

I wash all my cats and have had numerous sell for over a thousand. I think washing them takes all the blood and dirt out.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket with water and dunk/stir/slosh a pelt around in it. Then look at the water that will tell you. We washed 3 coyotes that way today took 2 changes of water for each one. First bucket of water was brown after each one.

In my opinion, washing bobcat pelts is not a good idea. It takes some of the natural lanolin out of the fur. Like removing some of the natural oils.

Having said that, a lot of western trappers wash their bobcats and think it helps improve the price. Unlike coyotes, I've never seen bobcats that get that dirty in the field.

If bloody or muddy yes wash them but be careful stretching them. Make sure the stretcher wood does not get saturated. There are shampoo's available that put the essential oils and sparkle back in the fur.

I've heard the argument about the natural lanolin and/ oils whatever and I say Nay Nay.

So these natural oils they make it through the tanning process? A fur coat has natural oils? I would be surprised if they did.

Washing with soap and water or just a dry wash with Borax can have a dramatic effect on the finished product.

Although, Eric, the guy who buys for Pappas says to do nothing more than take a damp paper towel and wipe once or twice the belly from chin to crotch.

ML

Imo either they were shiny to begin with or they were not .
I have done them both ways I really do not see the difference myself

I don't buy the idea that water washes the oil away.

The soap could though correct ?

Yes
Dawn dish soap I would stay away from imo

And what about when they tumble your fur before presenting it at the big auction houses?

I would think that would remove any natural oils? Or are the oils part of the hair?

Seriously I don't know. Have never heard someone explain the natural oils thing clearly.

ML

I know for a fact washing cats increases the percentage of slipping during dressing. Certain geographic areas are worse than others. Must be the natural bacteria those cats carry?

Honestly I don’t see any reason for washing unless they are a mess when caught. Even then, they clean up nicely with a borax bath and a brush. You can spot clean blood with a spray bottle of water and rag. As Mercer stated if you do wash avoid soaking the board. I recommend swapping the cat to a fresh dry board if turning, or after a day if skipping the flip.

Guy here washes his in dry borax. They look good for Ky cats

Unless that kitty was a mud ball, or there was blood on the pelt I let my final borax brushing on the finished pelt do the trick.

Soap of any kind is alkali,and will affect the keratin that roots the hair.A quick wash with a LITTLE soap and an immediate thorough rinse on a fresh skin is OK.The problems arise on skins that are left in the soap for any length of time.Avoid washing any skins with even a little green belly.
I would say there is no need to wash 90% of skins.Brushing and blowing dry skins with a shop vac or air compressor will remove all the dirt.
If you do wash skins,it is important to dry the fur to a damp stage by rolling the skin fur out in a dry towel and wringing out the excess moisture.Do this a couple times and the fur will be just lightly damp and can be boarded fur in without problems.
I agree with what Kreg Koelling posted.

I only have lynx here but agree with "beaverpeeler". As well as removing blood stains the borax also cleans and brightens the fur.

If I new how to quote a post and paste it here I would with Koelings. He is on the money esp. with the switching to dry boards.

In high humidity areas soaking the skin seems like it could cause some issues if the drying time was long but there is always a "but" Petska high pressure water fleshes thousands of hides a year correct? So they must have a system that works for them? My stuff in this arid desert drys so fast I can't imagine my hides have any issues in tanning.

Dry washing sure cleans/brightens them up and you will have a hard time convincing a lot of trappers it's not worth it. Some guy made a video saying it was the way to go....

When I first built my tumbler and started washing the great Reid Aiton taught me how to wash. Boraxing 40.70.100plus cats the week before Fallon got old so I turned to washing. Reid had me using a multi step process with agents from Bollmans Taxidermy supply in CA. Step one was rinsing thoroughly and washing with a soap and degreaser. Rinse and then another rinse with a bactericide and then a rinsing in a fur brightener. Tumble wet until fur was dry and then board. Swap the board out when you pull the pins and then a day or two later your done. Like done done. No borax.
Now I just use a one step washing process. I think it really makes the fur pop.

ML

Don't wash em if you don't have to, but what do I know.