hey everyone, I am new to trapping, by that I mean I have yet to set out any of my traps or do any scouting, will be waiting for it to cool down a bit before scouting.

I will be mainly going after raccoon, coyote and maybe bobcat.

My main question is, once I sin the animal and place it on a stretcher to dry, what is the best method for drying in our area as it does not get very cold for long periods of time here. the average for the winter is around 60-65 degrees. Are there any issues that I would need to watch out for specifically and any specific setup recommendations.

I am not planning on selling furs just tanning them myself for wall hanging and giving to family if they want them.

Heat isn't the problem compared to humidity. If your area is dry, your pelts will dry just fine. Keep a fan on them to move the air. I bring my pelts indoors to dry because they dry too slowly outside.

I am not a tanner but I believe you can skip the drying process if you are going to tan them. Just skin, scrape well and tan. You can skin, also skin freeze, thaw, scrape and tan. If you skin, scrape, freeze, thaw and tan you might have a problem re-hydrating the pelt to tan. Areas might have dried out and hair loss could be the result.