How to tan fur. Part 1

[@dprcontracting6299]

Thank you Bryan and Sue, loving your videos, very helpful and informative. Bryan you are a natural in front of the camera, fluent and clear, concise instruction. Also enjoying your Gone Bush stories. All the best to both of you. Dave

[@ststephensonerahi7153]

Thanks heaps Bryan. Been doing leg-holds in Whangarei - on a small scale - for about a year. Was just plucking to start with - but now butchering some for us, friends, pets (surprisingly excellent eating! And affordable!!) - and now trying to tan some skins. Your videos are so informative. Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing them!!

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks for the positive feedback and great to see you are getting the most out of possuming.

[@melvincollins5811]

The "fleshing" tool/scraper from your tanning kit is just a paint scraper... In the US you can get one from harbor freight for $2 or $3... I'm sure you can find them somewhere in NZ just as cheap... Alum can be obtained at a feed store, grocery store, or WalMart fairly cheap...

[@humanatur2786]

I am working on two roadkill possums I came across and an ermine here in Canada. thank you for the instructions and advice. well delivered. much appreciated

[@logancorston2217]

More on the iodized salt if anyone is interested. Right so a quick google search told me that the iodized salt won't be able to penetrate. Iodized salt can also stain the hide. (It also says not to use rock salt, the hide doesn't have enough moisture to break down the large crystals.)

[@micdal22]

Thanks for the skin tanning videos. It's something I've been interested in for a long time and you explain it beautifully. By the way the possums are in plague proportions in Melbourne but our pollies have deemed them to be a protected animal.

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks for the positive feedback and good luck with your tanning.

[@Matty21stead]

Thanks for doing this. You have a very clear way of explaining things. I live near pine forest and have a lot of gum on my property. I was wondering if you knew anything about bark tanning, which intrigues me because it's totally natural. Keep up the good work. You're a good, keen man.

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Hi Matty, yes you can tan fur with bark, some barks are better than others. I am not sure about pine but if you can get your hands on some wattle/oak/eastern hemlock or willow bark you will have an excellent tanning agent.

[@Matty21stead]

@@BryanRitchie-Gonebush I've got gum, which I think has high tannin levels. Just have to experiment I guess. Are you still to do your third video on lining, stitching etc?

[@andrewshepherd-waring8684]

Great video. Really helpful for my rabbit skin project in UK, but you seriously made me laugh at 24.58: "Now, if you've got a bucket, just use a stick." Haha, I will! thanks!

[@BubuH-cq6km]

😳 the tail❓ 🤣 😂 😎 👍🏼

[@makotikitours]

What time of the year Is best to collect skins? And Hornes no longer send tanning kits to NZ. I'm a first timer at tanning skins. Very much appreciate your informative you tube content.

[@waynecampbell6719]

The knife is called an Ulu you can order them online from Amazon. Great tool!

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Hi Ryan. Have been up in the bush trapping and have only just got back to civilsation. The camera is a Canon X10 HD. Have started filming again and will start posting soon (in the next hour once the first video is compiled).

[@dudekiwi]

Excellent Bryan I going to get Dough to show us how he tacks and cleans sometime as well.

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Good on you dudekiwi. Look forward to seeing it.

[@adampearson94]

Thank you so much for the advise on re fleshing!!! I can never get the flesh part looking good. I think this will help. Thank you so much

[@zeldatepairi6755]

Do you sell finished skins to the public. If so, how do we get in touch with you?

[@davidjohnstone4571]

I Bryan, did you ever get time to make the sewing video, cant find it here? fantastic videos, love them.

[@rachelbellard4452]

salt shouldn't be dumped in the bush. It acts as a weed killer - and tree killer! You can reuse it too, I simply lay mine in the sun on a tray and dry it. Love the video and what you're doing for the nature, and learning at lot from you so don't what to criticise but please please consider reusing the salt .

[@ellen626cudmore]

How long do you leave it in the detergent solution for?

[@louxnatik657]

I'm hoping to try my hand at doing this with some stoats and ferrets tomorrow. I assume I can do the same thing, just on a smaller scale.

[@heidipease7786]

Hey mate how long do u keep it in the water and soap for ?

[@samuelpurdie3925]

Fantastic job mate... hugely helpful!

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks Samuel. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@nickiwakefield9253]

Hi brian thanks for the vids very helpfullI live in the far north on a large bush block, possom control is an ongoing job which I do sporadically throughout the year. I would like to colect the best furs for some crafts.Do you have any advice on storing furs for one large tanning operation.Regards Kit

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Hi Kit, your best bet would probably be to freeze the skins. Make sure you lay the skins flat when you freeze them as if rolled you can end up with fur slip. Some people place a sheet of newspaper between the skins. Once frozen put them in a plastic bag and remove as much of the air as possible (some people say not to store in plastic but it works o.k for me). When you're ready to process the skins, remove them from the plastic bag and thaw them in a cool spot out of the sun. Good luck with your skins, and if you get the chance let me know how you got on. Best regards, Bryan.

[@DEVILgAm3S]

Am going out tonight, what time is best for shooting am close to the maungakotokutoku and live in Paekakariki loved you videos am total novice but you have a way of teaching that sinks in nice thank you mate !! Any advice you had on shooting them would be appreciated 🔥

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks Kanen. The best time to night shoot is from 11pm onwards. Hopefully the weather is a bit better than it is here in the Taranaki. Good luck.

[@Matty21stead]

Hey Bryan: I am thinking of using a bark solution to tan my possum fur skins. Do you think it's wise to use the alum/salt solution first? What is its purpose?

[@dubbie001]

hi mate love the videos can you pls put sewing video up pls keen to make me a blanket

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Will do Manaia. Have been without a camera for a while but just picked one up from trademe. Will get the video done soon.Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.

[@annettevickers3115]

Hi did you end up getting the hornes tanning kits in? where can i purchase

[@taekatamurray6214]

Can u put in freezer an skin another day

[@davecoleg50]

what happens if you accidentally use iodised salt? I bought the wrong sort

[@jackryangaylor5102]

What can you use if you dont have a fleshing tool?

[@kiwitrapper3904]

Is it worth trapping areas that have been 1080 dropped recently?

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Kiwitrapper You'll find that it is not worth the effort if the area had been treated in the last 3 years. Where abouts are you?

[@kiwitrapper3904]

Ok thanks for the tip. I'm in north taranaki. Doc is just about to 1080 the mountain so just wondering wether to give it a crack or not. Whereabouts are you working next?

[@melvincollins5811]

... And, remember to save all the crud you scrape off when you flesh a hide to make hide glue with...

[@marcrameka1023]

awsome mate you make it look easy!!

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Tanning skins is like a lot of things in life, once you make your mind up to do it , it's pretty straight forward. Really appreciate your feedback.

[@fr3akvankuchen825]

i wish i wouldve seen this before ruining my two racoon hides. A life saver indeed

[@andywillis6435]

where can you buy the alum from when you run out or just buy a new kit?

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Hi Andy. Have a look here - www.nzchemicalsuppliers.co.nz/list/search?search=potassium+alum or have a yarn to your local chemist or farm supply store.

[@Josh-vj9dn]

Wats the best time to skin to sell cheers

[@Yankeez001]

Hey! Your a Ritchie who spells it with a T!!! 😱😱😱🥳🥳🥳

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Yep.

[@gotg4625]

Hey mate im wondering whats the tanning liquid stuff and whats the detergent

[@joecats17]

this is a great video, im waiting for my hornes tanning kit to come from aussie, cant wait to get going. you set out the stages so well.

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks, Josie - I'm sure you will be very pleased with the results.

[@jakegane7243]

Can you please put a link to the website to get the tanning kit.

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Give Daniel a bell at [e-mail] You'll find he is very helpful.

[@ryanconner2912]

do you have a gopro? what model?

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

I have been using a gopro clone (Turnigy) though the sound is not to flash. Have recently bought a better camera and sound gear, just need to get cracking and do a bit of filming. We are heading back down country tomorrow to chase some skins and fluff - might have to fire the camera up.

[@ryanconner2912]

what camera did you buy? turns out im bit of a camera geek...

[@ryanconner2912]

hi Bryan I am currently in high school and I have 8 traps we have being doing pretty good got 11 so far in about a week we set the traps in the weekend and we didn't catch anything the first day was very hot and the second day was very cold does this have anything to do with no catches we are trapping on 5-10 acres of pine so we are very confused pls tell me why we probably didn't catch anything

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Hi. Sounds like you are doing well to me. Pines draw possums really well in Jul/Aug/Sep but the possums tend to move on after that looking for other tucker. Have other people trapped or poisoned the pines? Good places to trap are along bush/grass margins - keep an eye out for runs and other possum sign. Where about's in NZ are you trapping?

[@DEVILgAm3S]

Thank you mate I was wondering why I only saw moths last Sunday and Monday nights was out from 9 till 10 ish .. has stopped raining down here on the kapiti coast will let you know how we go .. I don’t have a knife yet so will just be pulling out fur if get lucky my wife wants a opposum throw rug so am going to be studying your vids !! Thanks again for your knowledge 🔥

[@finelson7688]

Great thanks some good tips

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks, Fi. Glad you found some info you could use.

[@jimcee5074]

you'll figure it out :) kiwi as!

[@ryanconner2912]

hey bryan thanks for the shout out I always thought you had the dog facing away I have seen that video like a million times have you seen wildernessoutfitters trapping videos? I really like episode 4 where he's showing different types of leg hold traps?

[@justinmiller8249]

Good video...good explination and demo of steps...have you ever thought about a safer way to tan?...like brain or lecithin solution?..or egg yolk and water?....alot of commercial tanneries here in the US have been shut down because of the chromium and aluminium salts used in commercial tan....im not downing you for using what you are using to tan..just wondering if you ever used more natrual methods is all..its very cheap and leaves the skin/furs breathable ..there is a little more work to it but not much...ive braintanned many deer hides and several furs using brains and or lecithin which is the oil in the brain that taws the hide...or barktan...anyhow im ramblin...just wanted to put a bug in your ear ..you do a good job teaching and explaining things.

[@MountainJohn]

Fantastic video however, did you have to show us how to tan fur with an opossum? The rules are very specific and not universal amongst other animals.

[@thatcammoboy2088]

interesting

[@peterheinz9569]

Definitely thought this was how to tan foreskins

[@reolarssonallen9068]

hi my name is Reo i am 12 i have just started possum trapping and i am trying to sell skins. i find your videos great

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Thanks very much Reo, glad you enjoy them. We have just got a new camera so will start posting some more videos soon.

[@reolarssonallen9068]

great

[@symoonstar23]

Atless it help wht i learn from here.😎

[@ryanconner2912]

hi bryan I am setting traps next to really thick bush where I have heard a professional trapper traps but not in the pines that I have heard of I am trapping on the treeline to fresh grass thanks for tips about the months I have just started a youtube channel; (just click on my username) I have got one video and the next that im uploading tomorrow is checking the traps I am also trapping around invercargill

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

Rogue Leprechaun has made a great first video so check it out. You made a good job of your set but would be a good idea to have your dog facing the tree and your pan facing the possums approach. Not sure if you've seen this but it might help. Good trapping. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3KpaZJ5fseml9U

[@mybla2894]

rogue leprechaun

[@mknight6902]

Damn... Man you make skinning look Real sexy.

[@gegefur]

Hello, I'm from China, I want to buy wolf skin and wolf skin scraps,

[@franhardy3064]

col

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

www.dshorne.com.au/

[@annecorbin40]

what if your goal is to not use ANY modern things or anything that doesn't come from the immediate natural environment? Like, no salt... no buckets... ect..

[@KingGiganTitanusROARKing]

Anne Corbin apparently native Americans used a process of washing deer hides in continuously flowing water; seemed to work alright for them

[@BryanRitchie-Gonebush]

That will prove to be a very worthwhile challenge. As you mentioned in your second post the North American Indians achieved it with buckskin. You've got me thinking, thanks.