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otter singe #6718202
01/06/20 07:05 AM
01/06/20 07:05 AM
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Indiana
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Hunter23 Offline OP
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Hunter23  Offline OP
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Indiana
Do otter singe while alive?

Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6718206
01/06/20 07:13 AM
01/06/20 07:13 AM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
rick olson Offline
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Yes,snow and sunny days I've seen it many times in Dec and Jan.Our season use to go till about the 6th of Jan now it's the end of Jan 26th I think i'd see it again if I was targeting otters.Dont know if it's on all of them,but I have seen those split end a number of times.

Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6718261
01/06/20 08:44 AM
01/06/20 08:44 AM
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Indiana
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Hunter23 Offline OP
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thanks, i was wondering about set where you couldn't drown them.

Re: otter singe [Re: rick olson] #6718319
01/06/20 10:25 AM
01/06/20 10:25 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline

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Minnesota
Originally Posted by rick olson
Yes,snow and sunny days I've seen it many times in Dec and Jan.Our season use to go till about the 6th of Jan now it's the end of Jan 26th I think i'd see it again if I was targeting otters.Dont know if it's on all of them,but I have seen those split end a number of times.

Dead on


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Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719250
01/07/20 09:59 AM
01/07/20 09:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
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Port Republic South Jersey
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Newt Offline
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Port Republic South Jersey
Originally Posted by Hunter23
Do otter singe while alive?


Yes


But not when dead


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Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719256
01/07/20 10:06 AM
01/07/20 10:06 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,263
NWT
Ryan McLeod Offline
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Ryan McLeod  Offline
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NWT
HUH??
What’s kind of songes do otter singe? JK


If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
Re: otter singe [Re: Newt] #6719286
01/07/20 10:40 AM
01/07/20 10:40 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153
Alaska and Washington State
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waggler Offline
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Originally Posted by Newt
Originally Posted by Hunter23
Do otter singe while alive?


Yes

But not when dead

I will have to disagree with the "not dead" part of what you said. If otters are mishandled during the skinning fleshing and drying process it is easy to send them. Well skinning and fleshing the first should be kept slightly damp and not subjected to dry friction. And when drying and stored they should not be subjected to direct heat.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719301
01/07/20 11:05 AM
01/07/20 11:05 AM
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Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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I think that's an old wife's tale. Has anyone actually had a unsigned otter then caused it to become singed when fleshing It?
I could see where there could be a problem with direct heat If the critter was being dried fur out but fur In not so sure.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719340
01/07/20 11:43 AM
01/07/20 11:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,997
Oregon
beaverpeeler Offline
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Oregon
I agree with Beav. I've handled a lot of otter and I pay no attention to that wetting the fur thing. However I've had otter tangle up on a dike, die and then take full sun for a day, and the half exposed to the March sun looks like I took a blowtorch to the fur.

Last edited by beaverpeeler; 01/07/20 11:51 AM.

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Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719353
01/07/20 11:51 AM
01/07/20 11:51 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
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Armpit, ak
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Dirt Offline
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Armpit, ak
Why would people lie about the wet the fur thing down? Sure would be easy to prove or not. I swear that I have sent non singed otter to Moyles and got back the same otter singed. My guess, heat somewhere in the mail system or something Moyles did?

P.S. Not the blowtorch singe, just the curl of the tips that reflect light different than straight hair.

Last edited by Dirt; 01/07/20 11:57 AM.

Who is John Galt?
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719365
01/07/20 12:02 PM
01/07/20 12:02 PM
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Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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Wisconsin
So Dirt did you skin and flesh and dry that otter? did you wet It down during the fleshing process?
I could see something happening during the mailing or tanning process.


I just don't see that much friction being applied to a otter hide during the fleshing process. And there surely isn't any heat build up during the fleshing process.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719376
01/07/20 12:16 PM
01/07/20 12:16 PM
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Armpit, ak
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Dirt Offline
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Armpit, ak
Most of the otter handling instructions seem to start with a wet thawed otter. That ain't how mine start. They start dry and frozen. Since they are supposed to be wet or damp I usually thaw them in the tub and spray them with cold water to make them damp. Don't know if this helps or hurts? I keep them damp through the fleshing process. Beav this happens to more than one, maybe 40% come back with slight singe. Maybe I just don't recognize it before I ship, but they sure don't look singed.

Remember when otter were bringing good money, they pretty much paid the same for singed( probably slight) as straight hairs. Maybe singeing in the tanning process is fairly common and they just fix them by shearing of those curled tips?


Who is John Galt?
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719394
01/07/20 12:35 PM
01/07/20 12:35 PM
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Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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I sold otter In the boom years that were caught In August and they still brought big bucks. Had buddy who did beaver control work and he kept all the otter for me.

I think If you look real close most otter have some form of singe.


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Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719403
01/07/20 12:50 PM
01/07/20 12:50 PM
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Alaska and Washington State
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waggler Offline
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Alaska and Washington State
One thing I have noticed is that for some reason, some people are not able to detect a slightly singed otter; of course the "blow torch" ones are obvious to everyone.

I have most definitely seen otter singe after the skin was pulled off the carcass, I really have no idea what causes it to happen, but I take all precautions possible when handling them.

When natural otter are in demand anything that is not straight hair will be discounted to some degree.


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719419
01/07/20 01:07 PM
01/07/20 01:07 PM
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james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Online content
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When Otter fur starts to singe naturally to sun exposure in late winter,it starts on the tail and works its way up the body of the otter.
You will never see natural singe on an otters belly.You will see the entire pelt including the belly singe from poor pelt handling/storage.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719457
01/07/20 01:36 PM
01/07/20 01:36 PM
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Indiana
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Hunter23 Offline OP
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I tanned 2 otters i caught last dec, and jan, both were under water and in body grips. i skinned, tanned, and froze them till last week when i shaved the fat and meat off them. i cant see anything that looks like singe but ill see in years to come i guess.

Re: otter singe [Re: Boco] #6719469
01/07/20 01:49 PM
01/07/20 01:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,211
Co.-Wy. part time AK.
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wy.wolfer Offline
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Originally Posted by Boco
When Otter fur starts to singe naturally to sun exposure in late winter,it starts on the tail and works its way up the body of the otter.
You will never see natural singe on an otters belly.You will see the entire pelt including the belly singe from poor pelt handling/storage.

^^^ Agree with this completely. Otter can singe at almost any stage of the game, alive, dead, being handled, don't know about while being shipped, and certainly infrequently in the tan. At least that's my experience.

Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719575
01/07/20 04:18 PM
01/07/20 04:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
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Armpit, ak
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Dirt Offline
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Dressed otter fur is strong and wears extremely well. However, the fur of otter while in the raw or undressed state presents a real concern to trappers, graders, buyers, dressers and manufacturers. Raw otter fur is very delicate and the guard hair is susceptible to singe. Most of the singe experienced in otter pelts is avoidable with understanding and care by the trapper or pelt handler.

Source: NAFA pelt handling manual.

What I take from this is pelt handlers after me can cause singe?


Who is John Galt?
Re: otter singe [Re: Hunter23] #6719579
01/07/20 04:22 PM
01/07/20 04:22 PM
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james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Online content
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I was offered some otter pelts that had been stored in an attic over a couple summers.
Worst singed otters I have ever seen.
They may have been good when caught.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: otter singe [Re: Dirt] #6719591
01/07/20 04:43 PM
01/07/20 04:43 PM
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Co.-Wy. part time AK.
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wy.wolfer Offline
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Originally Posted by Dirt
Dressed otter fur is strong and wears extremely well. However, the fur of otter while in the raw or undressed state presents a real concern to trappers, graders, buyers, dressers and manufacturers. Raw otter fur is very delicate and the guard hair is susceptible to singe. Most of the singe experienced in otter pelts is avoidable with understanding and care by the trapper or pelt handler.

Source: NAFA pelt handling manual.

What I take from this is pelt handlers after me can cause singe?

YEP, it's possible, all depends on heat, humidity, any atmospheric conditions. I once had a dealer (long ago) bring me a big pile of otters that he defrosted that morning, in a microwave, they looked like 30+ Shirley Temples, old guys will understand this.

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