"Saddle and Singe"

[Saw557]

Was looking at some stuff on the web about putting up fur and ran across the terms "saddle" and "singe" not sure exactly what they're talking about.

Thanks

Scott

[fishermann222]

The "saddle" is a thin layer of meat that tends to stick on the hide of some critters we skinon the back above the shoulders to just before the hips..

[leechmann]

The saddle is real easy to see on a mink when you are skinning it. Like Fishermann says, it is the thin layer of skin which runs from the front shoulders down to the middle of the back. When you stretch a mink, they want the saddle left on. You can still scrape the hide forcing the fat out from underneath the saddle, being carefull not to scrape the saddle off.

Not sure about the singe term, except that I think it refers to when you scrape the hind to hard, or close, exposing the hair roots. I'm thinking that is what referred to as singed.

Or possibly later in the spring, the otter fur get singed by the sun. The fur actually gets a little hook, or "J" shape on the end of each hair.

I'm thinking my first guess is right.