Raccoon and Beaver Fur Craft Suggestions

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Hey, y'all,

I'm briefly back in NC and going to VA to visit my aunt and attend a friend's wedding this weekend. I fly back to Seattle on Sunday. I was looking at my tanned beaver and raccoon furs from my first trapping seasons here and have decided to take them hack to Washington with me so I can hopefully make some stuff out of them. But I need some suggestions. I know I've asked before, but thought I'd ask again.

My father likes the beaver hoop I made for my nephew, so I'm going to make one for him with the one good beaver pelt I have that has only one hole in it. I'll try to sew up the hole if I can before I make the hoop. But my other beaver pelts have some holes in them since they were from the first beavers I ever trapped, skinned, and fleshed. So I'm wondering what to do with them. Maybe fur lining for a coat or boots? Anyone have any suggestions?

I also have 3 raccoon pelts that I have no idea what to do with. I messed up the tail on one when I was skinning it, so it's really short. I don't think it'd make a good hat. I could probably make hats with the other two, but I don't know what to do with any leftover fur and the one with the short tail. Anyone have any ideas they could suggest?
 

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Hunterreed

Twelve Pointer
I have always wondered if I made some boot liners to fit my feet and then bought inexpensive rubber utility boots to fit over them if they would be warmer than the more expensive thinsulate hunting boots. I did have some old school pack boots years ago that the felt liners wore out and made some new liners out of muskrat that were warm but wasn't very durable. If I had incorporated some good insoles in the design they would have lasted longer
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Since your flying and subject to search, you need to check the DNR regs about importing animal skins into a state like Washington. You could wind up being convict #397246 in a heart beat....
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Since your flying and subject to search, you need to check the DNR regs about importing animal skins into a state like Washington. You could wind up being convict #397246 in a heart beat....
Yep, better to simply mail it ahead.
Those crazy laws make it too easy to get your skins destroyed.
They are scared of importing insects, disease, ect....
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Since your flying and subject to search, you need to check the DNR regs about importing animal skins into a state like Washington. You could wind up being convict #397246 in a heart beat....
Yep, better to simply mail it ahead.
Those crazy laws make it too easy to get your skins destroyed.
They are scared of importing insects, disease, ect....
Thank you. I can't find any information on the WDFW website or in the statutory code about bringing furs into Washington. Just says it's illegal to take river otter and bobcat pelts out of the state. I'll give them a call when they open at 8:00 AM PST (11:00 AM) here and ask. But, yeah, might have to just leave them at home and have them mailed to me.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Yep, better to simply mail it ahead.
Those crazy laws make it too easy to get your skins destroyed.
They are scared of importing insects, disease, ect....
Since your flying and subject to search, you need to check the DNR regs about importing animal skins into a state like Washington. You could wind up being convict #397246 in a heart beat....
Don't be paranoid.

1) She'll be subject to search of her stuff in North Carolina. Not Washington.
2) TSA will examine her stuff before she flies, not after.
3) TSA doesn't really care about much other than pointy or potentially explosive objects like a 20 oz Pepsi or Meemaws knitting needles.
4) It's customs that you need to worry about and you don't go through customs flying domestically
5) You're suggesting she mail them and place them entirely under the custody of the federal government rather than flying with them, think about it...

The closest I've seen is a FIsh and Game stop of trucks on the interstate in North Dakota, and they're more interested in folks with too many ducks or pheasants or maybe bringing a raw deer carcas back in violation of CWD rules. But she isn't going to see that either. No one has ever cared when I've checked or carried on game shot the same day I flew, or frozen (mostly ducks.) And in any case these are tanned hides no different than the fur mittens for sale in the airport gift store.
 

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
You could do like a “patchwork” quilt with various furs. Lining for a jacket hood. Or one of these (but with your furs)if you’re someone whose hands get cold easily in the winter

1660337716405.jpeg
 

buckman84

Eight Pointer
Hey, y'all,

I'm briefly back in NC and going to VA to visit my aunt and attend a friend's wedding this weekend. I fly back to Seattle on Sunday. I was looking at my tanned beaver and raccoon furs from my first trapping seasons here and have decided to take them hack to Washington with me so I can hopefully make some stuff out of them. But I need some suggestions. I know I've asked before, but thought I'd ask again.

My father likes the beaver hoop I made for my nephew, so I'm going to make one for him with the one good beaver pelt I have that has only one hole in it. I'll try to sew up the hole if I can before I make the hoop. But my other beaver pelts have some holes in them since they were from the first beavers I ever trapped, skinned, and fleshed. So I'm wondering what to do with them. Maybe fur lining for a coat or boots? Anyone have any suggestions?

I also have 3 raccoon pelts that I have no idea what to do with. I messed up the tail on one when I was skinning it, so it's really short. I don't think it'd make a good hat. I could probably make hats with the other two, but I don't know what to do with any leftover fur and the one with the short tail. Anyone have any ideas they could suggest?
Did you tan pelts yourself or pay to have tanned?
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
Don't be paranoid.

1) She'll be subject to search of her stuff in North Carolina. Not Washington.
2) TSA will examine her stuff before she flies, not after.
3) TSA doesn't really care about much other than pointy or potentially explosive objects like a 20 oz Pepsi or Meemaws knitting needles.
4) It's customs that you need to worry about and you don't go through customs flying domestically
5) You're suggesting she mail them and place them entirely under the custody of the federal government rather than flying with them, think about it...

The closest I've seen is a FIsh and Game stop of trucks on the interstate in North Dakota, and they're more interested in folks with too many ducks or pheasants or maybe bringing a raw deer carcas back in violation of CWD rules. But she isn't going to see that either. No one has ever cared when I've checked or carried on game shot the same day I flew, or frozen (mostly ducks.) And in any case these are tanned hides no different than the fur mittens for sale in the airport gift store.
You seem to have forgotten the most sensitive check imaginable....... a DOG. Her luggage, whether checked or carried will be sniffed by a dog at some point and if it alerts, it's all over. I don't feel it's paranoid, it's called avoidance. Are you willing to pay her fines or bail her out of jail or restore her possessions?? Are you an airline professional?? Let her decide.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
You seem to have forgotten the most sensitive check imaginable....... a DOG. Her luggage, whether checked or carried will be sniffed by a dog at some point and if it alerts, it's all over.
What’s all over? If the dogs alert on tanned hides they’ll alert on ugg boats, fur hats and mittens, belts. German Shorthairs and Labs in that role don’t even alert on dead ducks.

I don't feel it's paranoid, it's called avoidance.
Or ignorance…
Are you willing to pay her fines or bail her out of jail or restore her possessions?? Are you an airline professional?? Let her decide.
Actually yes. Because the risk is zero. She’s traveling within the US.
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
I left the pelts in North Carolina. Didn't see the other replies until now and didn't want to risk anything potentially happening to them. There were no sniffer dogs at either airport. Either I'll do stuff with the furs when I get back to NC or I'll bring them here if I decide to stay in WA past October.
 

KrisB

Ten Pointer
Did you tan pelts yourself or pay to have tanned?
I had them all tanned. I sent most to Moyle Mink and Tannery in Idaho, who do the best job of any tannery in the US. Expensive, but definitely top-quality tanning. One of the raccoon pelts I had tanned in New Jersey and it was fine, but definitely not of the same quality as Moyle. The last beaver pelt from last season, which was gifted to me, I took to a local tannery in NC last winter and I'm still waiting for it, they're so backlogged. I usually get my pelts back from Moyle within a few months or so.

Tried to do brain tanning once with a deer hide and it was an absolute disaster. Maybe one day I'll try the bark tanning, but for now, I leave the tanning to the professionals.
 

Bailey Boat

Twelve Pointer
I left the pelts in North Carolina. Didn't see the other replies until now and didn't want to risk anything potentially happening to them. There were no sniffer dogs at either airport. Either I'll do stuff with the furs when I get back to NC or I'll bring them here if I decide to stay in WA past October.
Dogs aren't in every airport, but one never knows when one will come walking down the concourse...
 
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