Scored again ..

[hookup]

Met a trapper on another board.  He traps & with the fur makes hats.  I asked him if he ever gets scraps, I'll take them.

So I get a PM give me your address & did it & got some fox & beaver to tie with



So to be nice, I just sent him some jigs I've poured & tied the past couple months.

 

[Muskygary]

That's a fair trade. With the fur market crashing this year, I have been wondering if there's a cheap way to tan hides. I don't think most trappers know there's a market with the fly and jig tyers. Most of us would jump at the chance to buy a tanned raccoon or fox for say  $25 dollars, which would be a good price for a raccoon. How about a tanned muskrat for $10? When the market is good a muskrat is worth $5 to $6. The trouble is the expense to tan those hides.

 

[luremaker]

Don't forget that you are probably breaking game laws by using furs caught by someone else. Especially if you are selling your jigs or flies. Just something to think about not saying it's wrong.

 

[Fatman]

What is the difference between tackle distributors going to fur auctions buying them, doing any dye jobs cutting into pieces and selling them in catalouges and fly shops around the world??? Look on ebay at all the fur companies selling tanned hides.

In a taxidermist situation (and my Supervisor at work is a taxidermist, which means I can't get anything from him) when a customer pays for a job any remaining trims, unless a customer wants them then belong to the taxidermist, therefore no problem.

 

[hookup]

I know my buddy gets a permit to trap & permission from the land owner to set his traps.

And for me, it's just a hobby and I never take money for anything I pour or tie.

I'm just happy to get fur & not have to buy it. Beats stopping by the side of the road and cutting up road kill. I've got some strange looks doing that already.

And it's clean & tanned.

 

[Muskygary]

Once the fur is tanned, it's legal to have. Most laws pertain to "raw furs".Also anyone having raw furs must have a trapping license. Trappers have a certain time period after the trapping season closes to get rid of all raw furs. If they tan or have garments made from the fur; they are legal to keep.

 

[stabgnid]

Don't forget that you are probably breaking game laws by using furs caught by someone else. Especially if you are selling your jigs or flies.  Just something to think about not saying it's wrong.

Is this post for real !! ???? "Come On Man" !!! this is the most Funniest thing I have read today !! LOL
Steve-stabgnid

 

[luremaker]

Yep unfortunately just like having to pay excise tax. I checked with my game commission and was told I would have to have a permit and keep tag numbers to use or purchase deer tails for jig I tie for sell. So, I purchase all my tying supplies for jigs and flies I tie for sell.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Raw dried skrat fur has been amazing on my trout jig ties. Last week at a very public park area with a spring outflow keeping a section of iced over reservoir open, a Skroo jig got 3 nice fatties in around an hour. A couple dunking Power Bait and worms only got dink stockers fishing pretty much side by side with me. I THINK that maybe the untanned hide leaches organic attractants, like pork rind.

Its a bit tricky to tie with since the dried hide is very stiff, but do-able by cutting a fur attached hide piece just wide enuf to wrap the hook shank and meet at the ends. The undertie thread base can be adjusted for tie volume, tho a double Uni Big Fly base wrap seem to work fine for my Skroos.
http://www.jigcraft.com/jigcraft/showthread.php?tid=8835&highlight=skrat
Pic is difficult to display with current website issues.

 

[Fatman]

Slice with a really sharp razor blade and you can thin the hide side to make it easier to work with. I bought six skins on ebay once and they had been on stretchers and just lightly fleshed, I cut them in half sprayed with water and got the rest of the stuff off then washed and brushed tacked them on plywood and put borax on them and the skin side is like wax paper. Really easy to cut but the fish would tear them up if tied like that.

 

[hookup]

FM - I think you were talking to Hawn, right?

I plan to zonker the fox with a home made tool like you've been posting, zonker the fox tail by hand with a sharp razor, and cut fur off the beaver for the back end of a jig similar to what I do with bear

Gave some of the bear jigs to my fly fishing buddy and he's been killing the green carp on days above 60dF out here. Bit of bear tied on as a tail, then a sparkly chenille for the body. Dy-no-mite!

Strange weather in DC - 60 to day then back down to 14 at night by Tuesday.