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brain tanning otter skin ques.

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billy:
So I'm driving to work today, and I pass a dead animal on the road.  When I look in the mirror I notice the shape of the tail and immediately recognize it as an otter.  Well, I jerked my emergency brake through the roof of my little Honda, pull a u-turn, create a massive pile-up of about 300 cars, and jump out to retrieve my prize.  I pop the trunk and throw him in there so fast that you wouldn't believe it.

Gonna  attempt a braintanned quiver out of it, but I've never braintanned otter before.  I have done raccoon and beaver, both with the hair on.  Anyone have any experience with otter?  P.S. Just kidding about causing a pile-up! :)

Thanks.

billy

huntertrapper:
not sure on braintanning but good find. my dad trapped one this year and it would make a great quiver good luck man!

hawkbow:
I have tanned them ... they are in essence a weasel so need to be cleaned well and degreased with dawn dishwashing liquid first.. then dried and brained. i will say that the skin will felt up really nicely with the final working over a hemp rope.. because the otter is the warrior of the water.. their skin is valued as a quiver among most tribes.. big medicine.. even Grizzlies don't mess with the quick and fierce little warriors.. Hawk

terence pinder:
i dont know about you guys but im glad to hear that im not the only one who causes traffic accidents in the name of scavenging

billy:
Hey Hawk,

I totally understand about the otter furs being highly prized....their pelts are beautiful.  Plus, they are like the raptors of the water.  They are awesome predators and are so adept at catching fish that it's almost beyond belief.  My friend has a lake management company and whenever they are seen in neighborhood lakes he must set traps immediately, otherwise they can really reduce the number of fish in a lake.  I guess that's why the Natives used their pelts for quivers....just like they used hawk and eagle feathers for their arrows....because they are BIG medicine. 

Yeah, I've picked up numerous dead animals off the roads.  If they're fresh and I can salvage something that would otherwise go to waste, I'll pick them up.  Deer, raccoons, minks, otters, beavers, mastadons, homeless bums.....well, maybe not homeless bums....but just about anything else!!  People must think I'm outta my damn mind....but that's o.k.  We're the only few sane ones left in the world anyway! 

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