Discover the Magic of Mike's Tasty Beavers

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Foothold Trap - Wire a large rock (or cement block) weighing about 20 pounds to the end of the trap chain. Wire an 8-pound rock to the chain within a few inches of the trap to pull trapped beaver down quickly.  Either use beaver urine or money to attract. 

The feet and tail should be removed at the hairline with a small axe or by cutting with a knife to separate the tail vertebrae and leg bones. A cut is then made through the skin from the base of the tail up the belly to the center of the lower lip. Care must be taken to avoid cutting into the muscle tissue and opening up the body cavity. The outer two inches of the pelt are "clean skinned" by cutting away connective tissue and fat from the pelt. The rest of the belly skin is removed by cutting more quickly, leaving more muscle and fat on the pelt ("rough skinning").

With the feet removed, it is easier to skin around the stump ends by pushing them up with the last three fingers while rolling the skin held between the thumb and index finger downward. The beaver can now be rolled on its side and the pelt cut away to the center of the back from neck to tail. The skinned half of the pelt is laid back over the carcass and the beaver is turned around on the skinning table. The other half of the pelt is "rough skinned', in the same manner as the first half. The carcass is then laid on its belly and the pelt lifted and cut away from the base of the tail toward the head. Skinning the head requires several careful cuts around the eyes and ears. The pelt should be hung up and allowed to dry in a cool area. "Rough skinned" beaver pelts can be frozen and thawed out later to be fleshed and dried. The pelts should be folded over, fur side to fur side, and put into individual plastic bags.

The grayish castor glands located directly in front of the anus are used in the perfume and lure industry and are worth saving. They are easily removed by making one cut across the abdomen just above the glands. The glands can be peeled away from connective tissue keeping the connection between the two glands intact and hung over a wire to dry for about 10 days. They are sold by dried weight and can be sold along with the fur.

Red meat, poultry, and seafood all exhibit different spoilage signs. Depending on the type of meat, you may need to watch for unpleasant odors, examine its color or texture, and take preventative measures to avoid early spoiling. If you're not sure whether a meat is spoiled or not, throw it out to be safe. As long as you know the signs and are on the lookout for spoiled food, you can keep yourself safe while eating and handling meat!