Hey guys, hope you’re all having a good fall so far! I just had a quick question and figured some of you all may have an answer. Im planning on spending the month out here in the high desert catching coyotes and had my first check today. Caught 3 real nice looking coyotes, skinned them, and washed them up in the creek. I use a 22 short for dispatching so they get a fair amount of blood on them. Because I’m camping out here I can’t do what I normally do, which would be to wash the hides with shampoo and conditioner after fleshing. But since I don’t have the resources to do that out here, best I can do is get 80% of the blood out in the ice cold creek, and attempt to dry them and put them in a cooler until I get home in a couple days. When I get home I’d like to put my slightly damp, slightly bloody coyotes in the freezer until I have tome to wash them good and put them up. But I’m wondering if all that might be not so good for the hide? Maybe I’m overthinking it but it seems like getting them completely soaked twice and putting them in the freezer damp could be a problem? What do you guys think? I’m sure I could figure something else out if I had to but right now this is about all it seems like I can do. Any input would be appreciated and sorry for the long winded question.

I can't prove it makes a difference either way, but I would want them dry when placed in the freezer.

Dry them out best you can after washing in the creek, then freeze right away when you get home. When you’re ready to flesh, take em out and flesh them. Board skin side out as usual, then after the flip is powdered borax as a dry wash. Rub it in the furs and shake it out best you can. The borax does a good job soaking up and cleaning any leftover blood, fat, etc. and you don’t have to risk washing twice and getting slippage.

I wouldnt shoot them.Dispatch them with no blood,then no need to wash at all(unless they are coverd in mud).You will save yourself a lot of extra work.Washing them a second time after they have been laying around wet is asking for trouble.
If I had to shoot,I would heart shoot and plug the hole before skinning.Any small amount of blood should be spot washed,just enough to dilute the blood a bit so it can be brushed out easily when dry.
Shooting fur in head makes a mess and is not necessary.

Heart shots bleed plenty also. .22 through both lungs much better. Or other ways with no shooting.b

Just what a renowned wolf trapper told in a seminar......ladies tampon, right after the shot , so you don't blood the spot up.
I have left his name out, because he does have a wicked right hook...and a long memory in this stuff.