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Otter tails #8361719 03/10/25 06:11 PM 03/10/25 06:11 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	I notice most otters I see at the sales out west have tails that are stretched fairly narrow, and/or stretched with just a few nails as if it's not an important part of the pelt. Wanted to show you how I stretch the tails and why. One of the main markets for otter pelts in the west is the pow wow trade where they're being used for hair ties. They cut the pelts into 1.5 inch (aprox) strips and charge by the linear inch. Longer strips are desired. Therefor, with a wide tail they can get at least 2 or 3 longer strips off that pelt. One of our main buyers has stated that tails (as I do them) are worth at least $15 more than narrow stretched ones. Often times he doesn't even bid on the narrow tail ones. My otters are almost always the high bid otters on a sale or tied for high bid. Nailing it out. Notice I pull the ankle notch over as far as I can to the edge of the board. And the finished product ready to dry. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361720 03/10/25 06:13 PM 03/10/25 06:13 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	Should have mentioned that pleating the tails that was once a fad is definitely not wanted. Long and wide. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361721 03/10/25 06:14 PM 03/10/25 06:14 PM
Joined: May 2017 ontario K k9-hunter trapper
k9-hunter trapper K Joined: May 2017 ontario	that is correct from what i have heard they will dock you for having tails on otter not stretched properly

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361723 03/10/25 06:18 PM 03/10/25 06:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	We as trappers should always pay attention to the wants of the current market. Just like the Nevada stretch for bobcats is now the norm. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361738 03/10/25 06:37 PM 03/10/25 06:37 PM
Joined: Apr 2024 W Mich L Leroy Bob trapper
Leroy Bob trapper L Joined: Apr 2024 W Mich	Good stuff, as always BP.

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361756 03/10/25 07:10 PM 03/10/25 07:10 PM
Joined: May 2009 Maryland's Eastern Shore M mud trapper
mud trapper M Joined: May 2009 Maryland's Eastern Shore	I had 5 in GF. My tails are similar to BP. We will see how they did again this year. April is autism awareness month. Nearly 1 in every 100 children are born with an autism spectrum disorder.. 1 in 100. Stop and think about it...please

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361760 03/10/25 07:17 PM 03/10/25 07:17 PM
Joined: Jun 2016 Michigan T Trapper Dahlgren trapper
Trapper Dahlgren trapper T Joined: Jun 2016 Michigan	nice thanks

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361761 03/10/25 07:18 PM 03/10/25 07:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 north Idaho W wissmiss trapper
wissmiss trapper W Joined: Jan 2007 north Idaho	I agree - pleated tails is a big no-no. Not only do they look ugly but they have a tendency to develop slip spots in the dressing process. In today’s market, a dressed otter without a good tail is like………. www.usedtraps.com Please check out my updated inventory of Native American books.

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361763 03/10/25 07:19 PM 03/10/25 07:19 PM
Joined: Mar 2025 CO D Deuce2 trapper
Deuce2 trapper D Joined: Mar 2025 CO	Just what is considered the Nevada stretch

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361784 03/10/25 07:40 PM 03/10/25 07:40 PM
Joined: May 2009 Maryland's Eastern Shore M mud trapper
mud trapper M Joined: May 2009 Maryland's Eastern Shore	I’ll add one to BPs beauty. Last edited by mud; 03/10/25 07:41 PM. April is autism awareness month. Nearly 1 in every 100 children are born with an autism spectrum disorder.. 1 in 100. Stop and think about it...please

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361788 03/10/25 07:41 PM 03/10/25 07:41 PM
Joined: May 2009 Maryland's Eastern Shore M mud trapper
mud trapper M Joined: May 2009 Maryland's Eastern Shore	Can’t rotate sorry April is autism awareness month. Nearly 1 in every 100 children are born with an autism spectrum disorder.. 1 in 100. Stop and think about it...please

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361807 03/10/25 08:03 PM 03/10/25 08:03 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	That's the stuff mud. Pretty otter! Our buyer likes the darker furred ones so I think you'll do good with yours, as usual. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: Deuce2] #8361813 03/10/25 08:07 PM 03/10/25 08:07 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	Originally Posted by Deuce2 Just what is considered the Nevada stretch Mainly it's leaving the front legs on the pelt all the way to the paw and slipping coat hangers in there for drying them. It shows off the beautiful dark bands on the underside of those front legs. Last edited by beaverpeeler; 03/10/25 08:08 PM. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361819 03/10/25 08:11 PM 03/10/25 08:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2025 CO D Deuce2 trapper
Deuce2 trapper D Joined: Mar 2025 CO	Ok , thanks, lol been doing that for years

Re: Otter tails [Re: Deuce2] #8361829 03/10/25 08:25 PM 03/10/25 08:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	Originally Posted by Deuce2 Ok , thanks, lol been doing that for years I think most do now, especially in the western states. But it wasn't always that way. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361840 03/10/25 08:44 PM 03/10/25 08:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2008 Manitoba N Northof50 trapper
Northof50 trapper N Joined: Dec 2008 Manitoba	One does not realize how much goes into prep for a " pow-wow " regalia and what is required. From red squirrels to weasels to porky hair. Each tribe has unique things so just pay attention. There is a-lot of money burning a hole is some ones pocket

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361919 03/10/25 09:49 PM 03/10/25 09:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2014 Co.-Wy. part time AK. W wy.wolfer trapper
wy.wolfer trapper W Joined: Jan 2014 Co.-Wy. part time AK.	Originally Posted by beaverpeeler I notice most otters I see at the sales out west have tails that are stretched fairly narrow, and/or stretched with just a few nails as if it's not an important part of the pelt. Wanted to show you how I stretch the tails and why. One of the main markets for otter pelts in the west is the pow wow trade where they're being used for hair ties. They cut the pelts into 1.5 inch (aprox) strips and charge by the linear inch. Longer strips are desired. Therefor, with a wide tail they can get at least 2 or 3 longer strips off that pelt. One of our main buyers has stated that tails (as I do them) are worth at least $15 more than narrow stretched ones. Often times he doesn't even bid on the narrow tail ones. My otters are almost always the high bid otters on a sale or tied for high bid. Nailing it out. Notice I pull the ankle notch over as far as I can to the edge of the board. And the finished product ready to dry. Great job Carl, good composition, and you prove the old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words! You probably made the folks that are paying attention good money!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361930 03/10/25 10:01 PM 03/10/25 10:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2020 Aliceville, Kansas 45 Yukon John trapper
Yukon John trapper Joined: Jan 2020 Aliceville, Kansas 45	Got any belly pics of those otter? I've tried stretching the tail base wide, but hated the way the belly looked. Act like a blank, get treated like a blank. Insert your own blank!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361954 03/10/25 10:26 PM 03/10/25 10:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon beaverpeeler OP trapper
beaverpeeler OP trapper Joined: Dec 2006 Oregon	The buyer I am referring to here does not desire a large belly cut-out. My fear of moving stairs is escalating!

Re: Otter tails [Re: beaverpeeler] #8361970 03/10/25 10:44 PM 03/10/25 10:44 PM
Joined: Jan 2007 Snow Hill, MD J JoMiBru trapper
JoMiBru trapper J Joined: Jan 2007 Snow Hill, MD	Great post. I used to pleat, had a guy that worked at NAFA tell me a funny story once. Said a Chinese buyer picked up an otter at a sale, flipped it over quickly and the tail caught him just right in the face. Said the otter was thrown back down and the buyer was upset lol. After that , he started pleating the tails. Great fur handler too, I learned a lot from him. I got the itch to do some water trapping this spring, my daughter and I set out a line for rats and otter. Hadn’t trapped them real hard in a few years, and it was obvious. Didn’t take me long at all to reach 10 ( our limit in MD). I skinned and froze them all, with plans on shipping them to the tannery, but now I’m debating on putting half of them up to sell. Always enjoy otter trapping, and the fur handling as well. A lot of work but they’re beautiful on a board. Great put up peeler and mud.

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