Fur Drying
The recommended condition for drying pelts is 50-60F with good air circulation, but not directly on the pelts.
When the bodies of fur out species are dry, usually within 24 hours, turn them fur out even if the head area lips and ear butts may be damp. They will generally dry with little if any serious warping as long as you have reasonable drying conditions of low humidity and temperature.
Leave fur out pelts on the board 3-4 days after turning pelt fur out. Taking a hide off the board too soon is worse than leaving it on too long. It will wrinkle and you get excessive shrinkage, thus losing money on size. Time to turn a fur out pelt depends upon the humidity, temperature and air circulation in your shop.
To facilitate drying split the front legs of wolf, coyote, fox, and lynx up to the elbow. Then use either a squirrel or marten board, which ever is appropriate, to tack them open to dry. For fisher and marten use a thick cardboard to tack them out on.
Rats are graded by feel and weight thus you want those rats hydrated so they don't get that nasty crinkly sound when they are graded. Take them off the board when the nose and lips are dry. Then, store rat pelts (squirrels & weasels also) in a cardboard box and keep them cool.
Last edited by bctomcat; 11/17/19 10:57 PM.