I've Gone Green... I'm Recycling Squirrel!

T

Texas Slim

Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
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Well, ok, only one squirrel. See, over the winter, I wanted to tie up a favorite fly pattern but discovered that I was outta squirrel tail.

Fast forward to this evening. I head out the front door to take my boy to guitar lessons and lo and behold, right there in the street in front of my house is one of the local squirrel population smashed flatter than a pancake. Now, I couldn't just leave him there to decay so I went and collected him and while I was at it, I took his tail for future projects. Waste not want not I always say.

So anyhow, now I got a tail but thought I'd seek you guys input on how to cure it so's it don't get too rank or the hair fall out.

Geez, this recycling stuff is fun!
 
skin it, salt it, keep it cool.

someone with more experience will be along shortly to expand upon this.
 
Need a coon tail?
buzzards009.jpg

Nature's recylers.
buzzards003.jpg
 
Sorry to hear about your COW Rocky, but glad is wasn't Grape Nuts or something more painful.

Horn Dog, I can't think of any patterns that use coon tail or I'd take you up on it. Now if you run across some opossum belly fur, I'm in.

As for the tail, I cut it off about a third of the way up, so there's not much meat there to clean. Still, I'm gonna split it, scrape it and salt it. But is that the best I can do?
 
For small patches of hide used for fly-tying, I just salt until dry and keep in a cool dry place for years. It doesn't matter if it's stiff as a board so long as the hair is good.
 
Bear in mind I've only been researching this, I'm just starting to go after grays for the tails. I've got a pattern in mind for a sheath and 'possibles bag'....but I've only worked with veg tanned leather so far.

To keep it stretched out so it dries flat, make a frame for it. I'm planning to use the wooden frame the missus uses for needlepoint. Shhh.....
As it dries, it'll shrink enough to keep it tight. I'd think you want to use a coarse thread (carpet thread, maybe jute?) to keep from tearing the skin when stretched.
http://www.braintan.com/articles/furs/george1.html
http://www.braintan.com/articles/furs/miller1.html

Race ya !!
 
Well, I just went out and took a closer look and it seems clear there's no good way to clean up a squirrel tail without loosing too much of the best hair. I piddled around a bit but when the power went out briefly (we're getting a pretty good lightning show here) I figured it was time to quit. I've already taken five stitches in my leg just by taking out the trash this morning. I'd hate to loose a finger over a squirrel. Course, that might make a good story one day.

I'm thinking I'm just going to salt it a bit and leave it be.
 
So, what fly pattern are you tying?
 
I would've said BORAX instead of salt. Is one better than the other?

Horn Dog- That looks like a black vulture rather than a turkey vulture? We have some of them around these parts, but not nearly as many as the turkey variety.
 
I cut a ring through the tail skin near the base, then use two small round sticks as a clamp to pull the tail free of the meat and bone. It will strip out clean as a whistle. Then I thumb tack it to a board to dry. This works for coon tails too. I've never used salt or borax, but if you are worried about insects, you might use it. Mice will love the salt and fur though.

Codger
 
If it is just the tail, Then skin out the bone and use either salt or borax. I have used borax on most of the bird skins that I have skined out. I seemed to recall salt as a preservative for animal hides though.

Paul
 
Man arrested for abusing squirrel
Minors filmed man kicking dead animal near parking garage

http://media.www.bsudailynews.com/media/storage/paper849/news/2008/04/24/News/Man-Arrested.For.Abusing.Squirrel-3345833.shtml
04/24/08

Three minors found themselves in a squirrelly situation Monday when Ball State University police caught them abusing a dead animal.

Muncie resident Robert Dennis, 18, was released from Delaware County jail early Tuesday on $2,000 bond after he was arrested after police say he abused a dead squirrel and filmed it with a cell phone, according to jail and police reports.

Dennis was arrested Monday on charges of criminal mischief, criminal recklessness and illegal possession of a fox squirrel out of season, according to police reports.

When police officers arrived, Dennis was kicking a dead squirrel near the McKinley Avenue parking garage, and two minors were beside him laughing, according to reports.

Officers found the three suspects abusing the squirrel and placed handcuffs on them, according to reports.

Police approached Ball State student Nathan Gropp, who had witnessed the incident. Gropp told police he saw the three throw the squirrel off the top level of the garage as a vehicle was pulling out underneath them, according to reports.

Gropp also reported the suspects threw the squirrel against the garage's walls and windows and kicked it several times.

Gropp told police he saw one of the suspects filming everything with a cell phone. Police found the phone, which had five videos showing the suspects doing everything Gropp reported and laughing in the background, according to reports.

Dennis was then taken to Delaware County Jail, and the two juveniles were taken to the Ball State Police Department.

According to the Indiana Code, if Dennis is convicted of his Class C misdemeanor, he could receive up to 60 days in prison and a maximum fine of $500...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Who'da thunk that you have to be nice to road kill. :confused:
 
For the record, I do not condone the abuse of squirrels. However, I do advocate recycling road kill where possible. :D

I wonder if they kept it's tail???
 
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