Muskrat

[redietz]

That's a great story to go along with flymphs (which I would the perfect use for in few weeks.)

[hankaye]

DUBBIN, Howdy;

I remember reading that story when it was first posted also remember
spending a day on the Gunnison with the writer and a dog named Rascal.
That day is one of my top 5 days, ever.
Thank you SIR.

hanlk

[bearbutt]

I am down to a 1x2 patch of fur from a Muskrat I trapped maybe 45 years ago. Between salt, borax and the sun that hide lasted longer than the 12 year old that trapped it, thought it would.
.......

I could never use muskrat from a bag, like I do opossum, rabbit, and squirrel. Holding a muskrat hide while cutting out dubbing makes this old man smile, and remember his long lost innocence.

Oh, man--I love this story because it feels so familiar. I trapped mine 54 years ago, and I was eleven--not twelve--but like you, owe it all to my father. And like you say, holding the stiff hide of a muskrat is special.


bb

[letumgo]

I too grew up trapping and hunting with my Dad. Every fall we would trap raccoon, foxes, mink. Every winter we would be out trapping beaver, otter, muskrat, fisher and the occasional bobcat. Dad taught me to very carefully skin the animals, making sure each dressing was clean and free from meat/fat, which could spoil the finished hide. We would stretch the animals over old wooden, or wire forms, or nail the skins to large round wooden forms (beaver) allowing the hides to fully dry. We used to sell the furs each year, which helped pay for Christmas gifts and the like.

I have a lot of fond memories of time spent in the woods with my Dad. The man sure knew is way around the Adirondacks, and taught me how to trap, hunt, skin, stretch and butcher deer/bear/etc. I especially loved trapping in the winter, since it required getting up and down the mountains in on and old yellow Bombadier snow mobile, then snow shoeing several miles back into the woods checking trap lines every day. One day was so cold (-30°F), that Dad had to chop down a small balsam (to serve as a wind break) and build a small fire to keep warm (I was getting close to frost bite, and he jumped into action).

I once had to help my father out of a large Conibear beaver trap, when it accidentally triggered trapping both his arms. Fortunately I was there, and the trap had not not broken both his arms. Lucky.

Unfortunately, I never saved any of the skins. I could have easily had several lifetimes of fur for dubbing/zonker strips/etc., but that was before I got into fly tying. I wish I had kept at least one of the muskrats... oh well.

Thanks for sharing the memories guys. It triggered happy memories of my own youth.

[DUBBN]

Ray, those are amazing memories that you shared.
My trapping operation was on a much smaller scale. Just a half mile stretch of wash/creek that bordered my father's dairy farm.

I only had 3 traps, and used a wooden form to stretch and dry the pelts. That is, until I caught my first raccoon. Then I borrowed a wire form from a family friend.

My father showed me how to put a razor edge on the smallest , rounded blade of an Old Timer knife. That was the instrument I did my skinning with.

In all, I bet I did not harvest more than 30 pelts in three years. Still, for a time, I was a trapper. As wild as Jeremiah Johnson!

[DUBBN]

Thanks Ray! I take it from the hide. I am searching for a kit hide. I dont need one, but want one.

DUBBN,
I didn't need one either but I had to have one.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7740&p=88345&hilit= ... mph#p88345
https://www.blueribbonflies.com/kit-muskrat-skin.html

I ordered the hide yesterday along with some other items I did not need. Thank you for the link to Blueribbon . I recall trying to order a pelt there a year or two ago, but they were out. I had a forgotten to check back with them. I almost pulled the trigger on a Collins Hen Cape.

[Roadkill]

DUBBN,

I enjoyed your history with your muskrat dubbing! I have never run a trap line but I did eliminate some pack rats with some old trapper's leg hold traps in our old shack in the hills.

The muskrat dubbing in my photos was all from working with a logger friend of mine who trapped on the side up in the Wallowa Mountains. When we were not fishing, I set some traps with him, stretched hides and scraped them for drying. I have just about run out of that fur from over 2 decades ago.

I never have skinned a muskrat, but have an old hatband on a fishing hat I made out of a Rattlesnake from Malheur River high country. Skinning it was a little more exciting.

[joaniebo]

DUBBN

Could you please post pics of your orange flies. They didn't show when I clicked on your link. THANKS.

Bob

[DUBBN]

DUBBN,

I enjoyed your history with your muskrat dubbing! I have never run a trap line but I did eliminate some pack rats with some old trapper's leg hold traps in our old shack in the hills.

The muskrat dubbing in my photos was all from working with a logger friend of mine who trapped on the side up in the Wallowa Mountains. When we were not fishing, I set some traps with him, stretched hides and scraped them for drying. I have just about run out of that fur from over 2 decades ago.

I never have skinned a muskrat, but have an old hatband on a fishing hat I made out of a Rattlesnake from Malheur River high country. Skinning it was a little more exciting.

Let's see a picture of that hat and band.

Some of the most trivial of objects can open the gates to a flood of memories.

[DUBBN]

DUBBN

Could you please post pics of your orange flies. They didn't show when I clicked on your link. THANKS.

Bob

I am working 100 hours per week in the middle of nowhere Wyoming at the moment. When I get back to my room in Gilette Wyoming I will see if I have a photo on my laptop. If not I will have to wait until I am back home in Grand Junction Colorado this coming Wednesday .

The trouble there is my house has been sold and my wife and I are moving our belongings to the new house as soon as I get back. With the help of a couple strapping, good looking teenage Grandsons and a rented Uhaul Truck.

If I do not find the pics , please do not think I am ignoring you. I promise I will post it when I can.