Merry Christmas everyone. I snared a wolf today that's frozen solid. Any tips on thawing it avoiding green belly? Also where can I buy an authentic ulu? I started using one last summer cleaning fish and love it. But it's the cheap gift shop type.

I thaw mine in the garage at 50 degrees. Usually takes 3-4 days. I rarely have a snared wolf that doesn’t have green belly. I don’t believe it has as much to do with the thaw time as it does with the time it takes to freeze when it dies and being belly down on the ground. Trap caught ones that I hang outside to freeze and skin when I have time, thaw the same and don’t have green belly.

Ok thanks for the advice. It was mid twenties below when it was caught so hopefully that helped

I thaw at room temp.Green belly is almost a given with wolves that die in a snare and have a full belly.
Green belly is not a damage at all.if it turns brown or black then the hair will slip.
Light green-no problem,just dry as normal on the board.

I'm no expert but this wolf was caught with Ted's snares from Tok. 7/64 1 by 19 with sennaker kill springs. It was over in a minute or two

I'd suggest hanging it from a hind leg or legs it helps a little bit while it's thawing out it works well on coyotes .
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !
Allan

If you have Facebook there's a guy in Western Alaska by the name of Wade Church that sells some fine looking ulus. If that doesn't pan out for you the Great Alaska Bowl Company in Fairbanks sells some made local ulus, last time I was in there. My mother bought one for my wife when it took me too long to make her one myself, it's a fine tool. Don't wash antler in the dishwasher, it shortens the life of the handle. Ask me how I know for sure, and then ask me who wouldn't listen when it was an educated guess.

Try using Ace bandages to hold the fur on the body "down." (And thaw in a cool, not hot, room.)

This will allow the carcass to thaw more efficiently. Fluffy fur insulates more.

Pete

The cutting edge may still have real ulo's. like pete stated ace bandages work well.

Hang it by a back foot. Wrap the chest and shoulders. Hanging this way will get the stomach away from the belly skin to slow the bacteria growth.

X3 wrap with Ace bandage and thaw hanging by a back foot.

I believe borax helps with green belly. There is another product too that taxidermists use but I forgot the name. Google might be your friend. Congrats on the wolf.

I use the plastic shrink wrap stuff that is used for packaging to wrap critters for thawing. Get a 5"x1000' roll for a few bucks, it lasts a while.

If you're worried the belly is really going bad gut the animal as soon as possible even while only partially thawed. I had to gut a snared wolf and hang it in place one time for 2 weeks. Had to walk about a mile to the set because of deep overflow then a big chinook hit. Took 2 weeks for the snow to get back in shape to get the machine over there. The wolf was fine. Stitched up the belly slit, sent it to Moyles and it came back fine. Sold it to a neighbor. Nice wolf.

I guide some hunts for a taxidermist who has an outfitting business on the side, and have help prep hides in the shop between hunts. What they use is Lysol. I think they buy it generic, but that is what he told me it was.

Thanks everyone. Priceless advice.

Stop Rot perhaps.

I'm not selling the wolf were getting a rug made out of it. It's been on the kitchen floor for two day but is still like a rock. I like the idea of gutting it.skin it like a bear salt it and tan it at moyles. Hopefully I can skin it in a day or two. It's been cold I don't think it's been much over 50 in the kitchen. Maybe next year we go somewhere warm

Congratulations on the wolf!