Time for road-kill hunting

[Rawlinson]

Outside of a legal (and maybe ethical) standpoint, that is a wonderful idea. Penguin sporran... Panda sporran... Zookeeper sporran...

[MacBean]

We saw a gorgeous young red fox road kill this morning, and a lovely morning it was. I would like to have a taxidermist skin it, but don't know how to tell how ripe the fox was. At what point do you pick it up vs. avoid it. How do you keep it until the taxidermist opens? Don't tell me to put it in the fridge - I might forget it's there until next spring.

[tyger]

At what point do you pick it up vs. avoid it. How do you keep it until the taxidermist opens?

Pick it up
Fresh is fresh. So, in the fall or winter, a hour or two is great, overnight is OK if the ambient temperature is around freezing, or below.

If the body is warm (or not yet in rigor mortis), the blood is bright red, and the corneas are clear, then you have a fresh road-kill.

In Georgia, road kills are extremely common at all times of the year. I only pick the freshest winter kills (except for the summer whitetail fawn), many of mine are less than an hour old. The fawn was killed minutes before I arrived.

Avoid it
Flies, odor, dark red or black blood......forget it.

Keep it for the taxidermist
If you intend to hold an animal for the taxidermist (that means, 24 hours maximum), then you must cool it quickly:

Immerse the animal in a tub of water until it is thoroughly wet to the skin, gently squeeze the water out of the hair, then place the animal in the refrigerator in a shallow pan. The reason for wetting to the skin is to facilitate cooling of the body. A dry furry animal's body is insulated by the air that is among the hairs in the coat. Soaking in water removes air from among the hairs. You must not allow this air/hair insulation to function because bacterial growth will occur in the hair follicles as the animal slowly cools, despite your having put the animal in the refrigerator. Bacterial growth in hair follicles will result in a skin that sheds hair. You will have a poor skin. Tolerate no shortcuts, if you want a good hair skin.

After the animal is cold, you could wrap it in something, but really, it should be on its way to the taxidermist within 24 hours.

[Tobus]

Does anyone know how well deerskin holds up? Coyote? Has anyone ever seen squirrels used?

Coyote hides do very well. I once saw a set of saddlebags made from coyote hides that were just beautiful. So my wife traded some of her leatherwork for a couple of coyote hides so she could make a set. They aren't done yet, but the hides seem like they'll work out great.

I was really tempted to make a sporran out of one of them, but now that I have the grey fox for that, it's not such a temptation any more. But her saddlebags will be really beautiful when they're done. Coyotes in winter fur are quite stunning, and the fur is very durable (and SOFT!).

[Rawlinson]

Since I likely won't be hunting this year (going to college at a city school...), I'll have to tell my Dad to keep a weather eye out for coyote. We usually see one or two while hunting every winter, but don't shoot them to avoid scaring off the deer.