How many guys wash their coyotes when you're putting them up? Do you feel there is value added by doing this, or is drumming, scraping, and stretching sufficient? If there are any fur buyers on here, I'd like to get your thoughts on washing...good idea or wasted labor?

I wash everything except beaver muskrat and otter.
tried it both ways and I do think it makes a difference.

have had buyers tell me it does make a difference

wash mine on rinse cycle. cold water and fabric softener,

I just drum them and comb them really well. Even really muddy yotes clean up really well doing this imo

I wash everything - let them hang dry - then flesh and board.
May not bring more $$ but to me it just looks better.
To each - his own.

I wash them. Had a buyer tell me last year not to wash my cats unless they were really dirty, that it removes some of the oils out of their hair and if they aren't bad you can clean them up and they'll look better. Since I got high cat on the auction where he was telling me that, with cats that had all been washed, I don't know how much truth there is to this.

Oh, I never wash anything with green belly.

I have had buyer tell me wash some and some tell me they wash everything ,,, it a toss up as far I can see .
I think they turn out ok

I wash mine. I think they look better.....

Washing fur, unless extremely dirty, I find to be a waste of time and effort. You can use borax to clean fur, especially with regard to dried blood stains. In this situation using borax I simply hand wash excessive blood clot areas, wiped the area as dry as possible with a rag then board the pelt as usual. Once the skin as dried and the fur turned out I work considerable dry borax powder into the stained areas, let set for 10-15 minutes and then comb, brush, and shake the borax out. Using this borax treatment method works extremely well as can be seen in the following before and after pictures. As well as removing blood stains the borax also cleans and brightens the fur.

I wash everything after fleshing and any repairs that need done. Hang dry over night and board them. Have tried different combinations and have come back to this sequence. I have never used a tumbler, but lots of people do and have good results.

I wash all my coyotes and most of my coons with water, and wash skunks in hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. On the coyotes, it really helps to get the blood out as well as the stink.On the coons, when they have mud or dirt, you can see it when they are finished and dry. The leather will have more of a brownish tint

I wash all my coyotes. I use a old wringer washer and use Mane and Tail that I buy at Bomgaars. The coyotes have a lot of dirt in their fur. Really cleans them up and brightens also. They also get a ride through the tumbler. Smell good and are nice and fluffy. Not a big numbers guy, so have the time to do.

A TA auction manager once told me washing coyote improved them 2 color grades. Maybe not necessary if sending to an auction house experienced in tumbling them. Washing cats in water dulls their appearance. Better to dry wash cats in borax.

I think washing coyotes is a good idea. Not sure if it improves them two color grades but it does lighten them up in many cases.

I’m not a fan of wet washing bobcats. In my opinion it seems to make them a bit duller. A slight borax bath after the pelt is stretched and dried seems to help a bit. Just make sure you shake or vacuum out the extra loose borax. Furbuyers hate get a nose full when they grade a cat.

I think an interesting experiment would be to take a stretched and dried coyote that has been “thoroughly cleaned” with brushing, combing and shaking, rehydrate/wash the pelt in water and see how dirty/clean the water is afterwards. Any one ever try that??

Interesting idea wissmiss. Maybe I’ll try that

Had an old fur buyer by me tell me to wash every coyote no matter what. He used wire as compared to everyone using wood. Still had a fair number of top lots every year. He always said it was a shame when people would do all that hard work then leave their coyotes a mess. I wash them all.

Keep them clean to begin with,no blood or grease in the fur from skinning.Then process as normal and blow the fur with an air compressor or shop vac after turning and brushing.
You will be surprised at the dust that comes out of pelts when blowing air on them.
Washing is time consuming and extra labour,(increase in cost of product) and every trapper knows time is money.Its not necessary for pelts unless they are muddy,bloody or greasy.And that is all the trappers doing in the first place.

I wash all my coyotes, I think they look much better after a wash and fluff with a leaf blower.

I have received many complaints on my put up over the years. Yesterday the buyer when asked said they were absolutely amazing. I wash them flesh after drying, board them upside down and then fur brush them and drum after they are finished.

Not everybody has fur that's froze when caught/skinned Boco. We don't all live in Canada, eh? You'd be hard pressed to skin a coyote down here the same day it was caught without blood and we can't let them hang for days without green belly. No matter how hard I've tried to keep coyotes from bleeding during skinning it's inevitable. Bobcats I do my best to never wash.. it's a lot more time consuming then just skinning them.

I have washed mine this year in Mane and Tail shampoo with conditioner and they’re the nicest looking yotes I’ve ever had in the shed.