Otter pelt and CITES tag

[Privateer6]

Quick question in reference to CITES Tags. I just received a pelt and it has the CITES tag on it. It is legal for me to cut the tag off the pelt and store it in my suitcase in case wild lfie and fisheries show up?

Thanks in advance.
Privateer6

[spottedeagle]

Once you have purchased a pelt, you can take off the tag. I normally save them just in case. But I know people who don't. As far as I know the tags are only to show that it is a legal pelt to sell. Someone correct me if I'm wrong please. I mean I've never seen anyone with a CITES tag hanging off their otter. Same goes for other pelts

[apacheheart]

I agree...the tag is there just to let you know that the pelt was legally harvested.It's perfectly legal to have otter here,as long as you purchased it from a legit source,and they always tag their stuff.CiTES tags are also good if you want to ship the pelt to another (permitted) country.Usually once you've made something with the pelt,(hat,bag),you can travel with it overseas without any real problems....keep smilin'1

[CHEROSAGE]

I'm no legal eagle BUT I also think you can remove the tag. Kinda like the mattress tag that says removal is illegal. Well the removal of the mattress tag is illegal to others except the purchaser. I would just keep it around until you actually make things out of the otter.

[Privateer6]

Thanks for the responses

Still new at this so thank you for your responses. Yes I am gonna keep the tag on it until I begin tanning it. right now the otter is on my work table being salted.
P6

[Fat Albert]

Tanning? Salted? Huh? What? I take it the hide is not already taken care of and ready for use? I usually find them cased and prepped so all I need to do is the work to cut it for my use. Also , I don't know much about tanning but no salt is the mantra I have heard when using a green hide. What do you plan on using the hide for and what kind of tanning are you planning on doing? This is new to me so I am eager to learn more about it!

[Privateer6]

Thought i was getting a deal on a hide off ebay, didn't read the fine print saying it wasn't tanned yet. Long story short, i decided to tan it myself since no one locally can do it, and two I can't afford to send it off.

Anyway I got directions from a University of New Mexico pdf. They say salt it,then I am using the turpentine and wood alcohol method of tanning, if I can find the wood alcohol. if not then I will brain tan it with eggs.

Right now I have a fake otter for my regalia. Been wanting a real one, and saw it on ebay dirt cheap. The left over pelt wil be used for other projects.
P6

[Fat Albert]

Wow! Sorry to hear how that worked out for you! So they shipped you a green hide? Did it keep or is it already going bad? No amount of tanning can fix that! Did it show up ice cold and go into the freezer? I don’t know much about tanning but I have always been told to never salt. Keep frozen until it is time to work the hide. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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I might suggest that you ask around and find someone who has tanned hides that might be able to show you how to do it rather than try from a document. However this project seems doomed from the start so why not?! (No offense!) I think most hides are commercially prepared when you buy them from Crazy Crow or other dealers so I can't say I have ever tanned an otter. Yes, they are expensive and all I can say is save up and wait until the time is right. I have seen them in a store up in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montana</st1:place></st1:State> for twice what Crazy Crow sells them for and Crazy Crow sells them for $50 more than I am willing to pay myself. Be patient and use your network to find what you need. <o:p></o:p>
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Till then I would suggest silver down your back? <o:p></o:p>
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Not trying to discourage you at all but I would personally not try to go through a lot of effort and trouble without guidance. It will only get to a point where you have gone through so much trouble that it would have been easier to have raised the otter from birth. If you decide to move ahead, please let me know how the tanning works out as I am always curious about new things. Again, I am not trying to offend but am just suggesting there may be easier ways. Good luck!

[Privateer6]

Fat Albert,
No offense taken. The pelt had no smell to it, it wasn't frozen or anything. So it was cured prior to me getting it. Just making sure by salting it.

You would think that somebody around me would be able to do it since I live in eastern NC, but everyone I've talked to either had to ship it out or the perosn they contacted shipped it out.

I am one of those willing to try almost anything, so I am going to try it anyway.This may sound funny but I find it relaxing, even if I screw up as I learn from the mistakes. Plus my oldest is really interested in what I am doing, so it is worht it just for that.

I will definatley keep you posted on how it goes. Luckily I still have my fake otter just in case.
P6

[Fat Albert]

Sounds good! I would be interested to hear how it goes. Related to tanning, there is some great resources for hide tanning out and about. I understand there is a Yahoo discussion group out there but I don't know any specifis and I can't speak to the quality of the information. Maybe do a subject search and see what pops up? When it comes to tanning, Fat Albert throws the hide on the tanning bed and lets it cook for 15 minutes every day. Now thats an otter ready for spring break!

[Privateer6]

Update

After getting an email from a friend with some experience in tanning and seeing how well my oldest listened to instruction when salting the hide, he didn't, I found a tannery that is in NC to do the pelt. drove down there this morning to talk to the guy and he showed me the process with hides in production and the finished product. I now got 6-8 weeks of listening to some Ponca songs and working on my gourd stitch, if the new arrival lets me when he shows up.

P.6

[CHEROSAGE]

You know, I just never heard of purchasing a green hide of any type over the net. I guess this is just a good learning point for all of us to think about.

[randyinkc]

You know, I just never heard of purchasing a green hide of any type over the net. I guess this is just a good learning point for all of us to think about.

Once upon a time I was looking on eBay for a buffalo hide and about half of them were still green and would require tanning. If you shop it carefully, even with paying a tannery to finish the hide, you can sometimes get a full fur-on Buffalo hide for around 600.00 to 750.00. Green hides are out there, especially on eBay.