finally caught coyote number three. this season doing second half of season furs myself.i was selling in round got sixteen dollars for two nice greys and between five and ten for twenty coons.im doing all my furs from now on.eight dollars for grey fox doesnt seem right.plus we spent six hundred in supplies traps ect from this guy.anyhow ive put up ten muskrats one big mink two coon five possum three yotes.i wear double rubber gloves yesterday skinning till late while doing yote being tired brought knife to rest by leg and sharpe old butchers pointy knife poked me in leg and drew blood.then later fleshing coon with zulu knicked hand. i sharpen on hand grinder.how many of you guys have these type of accidents what about rabies. i had wife call doctor he said just get tetnis shot what do you think . next season might get rabies vacine. any good ideas for killing possible virus before skinning ? maybee soak animal in clorox water since you need to clean fur anyway.thanks for advice

I might be way of base about this but I wouldn't use Clorox water on any fur, it's bleach, man.

I don't, but I always mean to keep a bottle of Listerine or hydrogyn peroxide in the fur shed to pour over any cuts I get. Don't know if that would help prevent rabies, but I think the odds of getting rabies that way are real low. In fact, unless the animal just contacted rabies I doubt if you are going to catch a rabid animal in anything but a blind set. A rabid animal just isn't apt to be interested in a dirt hole, bait or lure, or a scent post. I might be wrong, I'm no expert on rabies.
But I stayed in a Holiday Inn last night. And I have watched Cujo 3 times!

you should be alright, but you should make sure your tetnis booster is up to date, every 10 yrs, stay away from the mouth and saliva, spinal chord and brain matter.

Got a visual, now that's just wrong! I stay away from the mouth and saliva of every animal I skin!

I started using gloves. You can get a 100 count of throw away gloves as walley world for 8 bucks. If they don't have them try your local auto parts store, they will have them.

I have been thinking the same thing. I got one hell of a rash all over my body. My eye swelled shut and my face looked like crap. I went to the emergency room on sunday (no health insurance so no regular doctor). The doctor took one look at me and said I have Contact Demititas from poison ivy, oak or sumac. She perscribed prednisone. I have been taking it for 5 days and am still breaking out. I got this rash on my hands, belly, butt, armpit, leg, neck.....I am begining to think its from a critter. No one in my family has developed the rash.I think after 5 days of meds it should be alot better.

Buy a couple dozen pair of the nitrile type gloves. They hold up well. They won't add much to the $600 you already spent and will keep your hands clean.
As to knife cuts and nicks. I have not cut myself the last two years and have skinned about 500 animals. No coyotes I might add however. You may be using your knife too much. Skinnng is about opening, pulling, pulling and pulling some more. Then skinnin out ears, eyes and nose. Less cuts in the pelt and you to boot.
It seems strange but the toughness of the pelt is in relation to the animal, size and species. If you grab a rat or mink correctly you can pull them down all the way. Same with coons and you can crank on them really hard. Even red fox if you get the whole pelt started one can pull off with very little knife work.
Did I mention that skinning most species is about pulling?

Bryce

Never had anything happen to me even though I've nicked or stuck myself many times. A buddy of mine and I were working on a bear hide and he stuck himself in the thumb while working on the toes. He didn't think about it much and keep working. The next day it had infected and they had to pierce his thumb and go on antibiotics. He also had the start of blood poisioning which they tracked with a black marker pin. What ever money he made that year trapping paid for the doctor visit. After that I've really watched what I do.

Buy a couple dozen pair of the nitrile type gloves. They hold up well. They won't add much to the $600 you already spent and will keep your hands clean.
As to knife cuts and nicks. I have not cut myself the last two years and have skinned about 500 animals. No coyotes I might add however. You may be using your knife too much. Skinnng is about opening, pulling, pulling and pulling some more. Then skinnin out ears, eyes and nose. Less cuts in the pelt and you to boot.
It seems strange but the toughness of the pelt is in relation to the animal, size and species. If you grab a rat or mink correctly you can pull them down all the way. Same with coons and you can crank on them really hard. Even red fox if you get the whole pelt started one can pull off with very little knife work.
Did I mention that skinning most species is about pulling?

Bryce

I usually ware gloves while skinng but last tuesday i was skinning a otter bare handed "first mistake" and somehow nicked my thumb. I am ok so far but if i show up missing yall will know what happened lol.....

good post bblwi. I believe in being safe not sorry. Plus you can pull the gloves off and eat supper.

johnmcabe, you shouldn't be getting that stuff this time of year, no leaves on the stuff, sounds fishy to me!!!

I would see another Dr.T.20

Ive gotten poison ivy in the dead of winter from cutting wood.

Good post, both questions and answers.It is way to easy to get to confident and not worry about little scratches and cuts.We don't like to give anything short of a major injury much consideration.Granted you cannot protect yourself from everything, but i worry the most from getting infections.

The reason why is i had a friend while in the process of skinning a bobcat scratched the side of his thumb on the dew claw.It didn't even bleed so he thought nothing of it.This was during the week.That weekend he and his wife had plans and reservations to go the the coast for the weekend.Towards the weekend he started having flu like symptoms.Fever,achiness,sore muscles,etc.He thought that it just figures his luck as the plans were already made so they went anyway.He thought the worst would be over in a day or so.As it turned out they had to cut their trip short and the symptoms and fever elevated.Infact to the point when the returned home they ended up going to the emergency room at the local hospital.They pretty much just told him that it was more than likely the flu as well and sent him home to recover.Told him if he didn't get any better in a couple of days to come back.Keep in mind he never mentioned anything about how he got the scratch as it never entered his mind that it could be the cause.By the next day he had a fever of almost 106 degrees.They went back to the ER because of the fever and he was going into convulsions.They admitted him into the Hospital to observe him.He ended up having a stroke,and a while later another stroke.By the time they started to relize he had some kind of infection he had several other mini strokes.

Long story short by the time they had the infection under control, it had left him partially paralized and had ruined both of his heart valves.They had to be replaced with plastic ones because the infection had ruined the origional ones beyond repair.He survived,barely, and has rehabilitated himself back some.He still has lost alot of his normal function.

He can no longer bow hunt,rifle or shotgun hunt.He has had some success with handgun hunting and some limited fishing.

I no longer handle any animal without nitrile gloves.In the event that i do get a cut or scratch in the process of skinning them i stop what i'm doing.I then clean and disenfect the affected area and put on new gloves again.There are also disenfectant soaps available for this purpose.Professional meat cutters are constantly getting small cuts,scraps,and bone cuts.They will use a iodine soap to wash their cuts with.I know this seems a little extreme, but its alot like wearing a seat belt.For a little extra hassle or effort which ever way you want to look at it, it could add years to your life.When this happened to my friend he was 28 years old.

Trophyhunter.... You can get poison anytime of the year. From touching any part of the plant.

Scandiclt,

Man, that sucks especially for one so young.

I've cut myself many times (with and without gloves) and have always pretty much ignored it. I guess, not so much anymore.

Great post!

S/F,

Bob

I always wear a good rubber/latex glove skinning and heavier ones for fleshing. I don't use the thin skimpy gloves at all.

Any scratch or nick no matter how slight gets treated immediately with hydrogen peroxide. H2O2 will kill any microorganism it comes in contact with. Why take a chance on even a minor infection?

Some critters have sharp claws which you have to watch when disposing of carcasses too.

Ok, I have never used gloves while skinning. Maybe I am Just lucky, but after hearing these stories, I think I will buy some tonight. Before I would always wash my hands in gas.

I never paid much attention to these cuts and nicks skinning til last year....i'm not sure what did it, but this time last year a finger on my right hand started to hurt, within two days that finger was 2x its normal size, I went to the Dr. and recieved some antibiotics....the next morning when I woke up my whole hand was 3x its normal size, and I had a red streak running up my arm to my armpit.

I went to the Dr. again that morning, and was admitted to the hospital.

After 4 days of 'round the clock IV antibiotics I was released from the hospital.

It scared the heck out of me, and i'm alot more careful now when i'm skinning.

I think this hand deal probably stemmed from skinning cats.

I've had contact dermitits several times. It is awful, especially being a hunter and trapper. My problem is I am allergic to wet plants!! Tukey season can be just one giant itch!!!

Have you tried any Benadryl yet? Try some topical cream on your skin and Benadryl pills for the rash. Be careful! Benadryl can cause severe drowsiness. It is also used for over the counter sleeping pills!

If your family hasn't been affected it probably is not a critter, but I am not a doctor. Usually critters will make the rounds through the family.

I hope you get some relief soon. The itching is enough to drive you crazy!! We used to put perfume on the itches when we were growing up. Sounds silly, but it would make them hurt and not itch.