32 replies to this topic

[MonkeyChunks]

Bagged a nice coyote on Saturday and decided to pelt the entire thing. This was my first time taking a full pelt and i think it came out great. Heres teh pics.
It still has to dry for a few more days but i think it came out great and i will have pics of it before i put it up on the wall.











Here are the bigger pictures, hOPEFULLY YOU GUYS LIKE THEM AND HAVE SOME GREAT FEEDBACK.

[Braz]

Thanks. Sure looks like you went abouyt it right.

[screwwork]

Cool, Thanks for resizing the pics...Nice post
How did you get the skin from tail and tan the inside of the tail hide?

[Shoot-it]

Nice rifle is that a scar? Good job on the skinning it's not easy.

[KNOCKED UP]

Thanks for sharing.
Very nice pictures.
Tom

[MonkeyChunks]

The skinning wasnt easy but the crucialthing to remember is use a small knife. We had him bagged for a few hours as we continued to hunt so the body started to dry out a bit making the skin tight. The tail was difficult as i dont have a tail skinner so i used the knife carefully and cut down the tail from rectum to tip, cut under the bone and around the end closest to the rectum and inserted my finger under the skin, sliding and cutting all the way to the tip. the tough part was the ears and eyes, it was really crucial to control the knife and cut slowly. The rifle is a scar, yes..

[Frank]

Thanks for blowing up the pics... Can see them much better.

Oops, I see you just beat me on the eyes, ears and mouth being the tough part. Another key is like you also stated, is taking your time.

Anyway, Congrats on slaying ole wiley and skinning him out.



p.s... just noticed... we work the hide off the tail sorta like "peeling" & cutting the hide off the body of the coyote. Sorta!? I do not cut (or slice) the tail from rectum to tail tip in other words.

[Shoot-it]

you 2 like saying rectum......i call it butt hole or ass hole.....

[Thumper Dunker]

Good job. You did not waste the meat did you?.

[rustygun]

Thanks for upgrading the pictures I can now see them with old eyes. I have done that a few times in the past. Slow slow slow is the key. Like Frank I always peeld the tail with now cuts. I once got reported when skinning one in a friends garage. The neighbors said I was skinning my dog.

[Frank]

I don't think I could have resisted saying that it was fiddo... at least for a minute or so. Nah, I probably couldn't though. LOL

[MonkeyChunks]

My hippie neighbors actually saw me and i was a bit afraid of the backlash but they actually were happy cause they dont like coyotes, they lost too many cat in the past. plus they were glad i was using the majpority of the animal.

[Bisley]

Typical Hippie-crit, loave and save everyone and everything until it directly effects them. Then, and only then, is it OK for us to do something they don't/didn't like

[BCF]

Tail strippers sure do make it easy but I've used channel locks our regular pliers both held lose around the bone and just pull. Works good also. I made my tail strippers by using a small hinge holding two pieces of 3/4 x 3/4 x 3" wood. Clamp shut and I drilled a 5/8 hole thru the center so you have half a hole on each piece of wood. Works good and I keep in my Fanny pack with my calls.
If you don't have a small hinge you don't need one or you can just use a strong rubber band.

[tawnoper]

Good for you. No better way to learn to skin critters...then to skin em. Even a summer dog like you took, most wouldn't skin but I've done em...even for practice. If you poke a few holes in it with a knife you don't feel as bad as if it was a thick winter hide. After you skin a few (dozen) you'll get to a point you can go through them pretty quick. I believe there are quite a few people on the boards who have hunted and taken coyotes but have never skinned one...which IMO is a shame.

As others have stated, you can buy a tail stripper for a few bucks...or, use a set of shooting sticks, skin around the tail, place sticks on each side and pull. Done a bunch like that. It's easier to skin in the field. No nosey neighbors and easy to rid the carcass. Also a warm animal (fresh killed) skins MUCH easier. Make sure to salt down the hide real good to keep it from rotting.

[MonkeyChunks]

I had always planned on pelting out a few for wall mounts but all the ones i came across were nasty so when this one happened i couldnt pass up the chance. I wish i used my shooting sticks but i didnt think of that. I will remember it for next time.
I am curing the pelt teh poor mans way with Borax.. Baby

[tawnoper]

Gotcha. I think even with the Borax method you should salt dry them first?

[Frank]

Ok, now I gotta ask...

I almost always leave the dogs for mother nature, except for perhaps a half dozen(?) or so over the years. Of the very few hides we saved, we never salted them, as we normally had enough ice on hand to store them in temporary. We would put the hide in a very heavy duty (usually commercial type) bag, squeeze as much air out as possible, then bury it in ice.

Now it is no secret I have a lousy memory, including the mistakes on here too, but if memory does serve me right, I have either read or been told in person by taxidermists not to salt them, if one is putting them on ice quickly. Or am I missing something... again?

Btw, our hides always turned well, some better than others of course. Oh, and we skin any kind of animal immediately, as it doesn't take much time for the fur to start slipping / falling out... especially in warmer weather. Cold weather always helps of course.

Anyway, just wondering about the salt thing. Thanks!

[Frank]

p.s... And if one does use salt, isn't it suppose to be non-iodized??

[MonkeyChunks]

Ok, i went to work onthe pelt today. I trimmed off the excess parts like the legs and theni noticed the ears smell terrible. I think during the process they got some moisture trapped underteh folds so now they smell terrible.I brushed out the pelt and re applied borax to te ears. I hope this saves them from future deterration.Any help would be appreciated....what should i do. Iam trying to have it ready for saturday. Will post pics of the pelt so far.
Stand By.

[tawnoper]

Ok, now I gotta ask...

I almost always leave the dogs for mother nature, except for perhaps a half dozen(?) or so over the years. Of the very few hides we saved, we never salted them, as we normally had enough ice on hand to store them in temporary. We would put the hide in a very heavy duty (usually commercial type) bag, squeeze as much air out as possible, then bury it in ice.

Now it is no secret I have a lousy memory, including the mistakes on here too, but if memory does serve me right, I have either read or been told in person by taxidermists not to salt them, if one is putting them on ice quickly. Or am I missing something... again?

Btw, our hides always turned well, some better than others of course. Oh, and we skin any kind of animal immediately, as it doesn't take much time for the fur to start slipping / falling out... especially in warmer weather. Cold weather always helps of course.

Anyway, just wondering about the salt thing. Thanks!

If your out hunting and want to keep the hide...yeah putting them on ice is fine for a while. Once you get home make sure you got most of the big chunks of meat off and freeze them. If you go that way no salt cause salt don't freeze.

Most taxidermist's I've used want the hides salted. All salt does is dry it out and doesn't let bacteria build up. What I do on a weekend is salt them up really good put them in a bag (burlap) and them store them in a cooler till I get home. If it's warm I'll put some ice in the cooler. Once home I'll flesh them salt and dry... or flesh them and freeze them. When it's really cold you could probably get by without salt for awhile...but I still salt them.

Edit - meant to add, this only how "I've" done it. Some may disagree but it's worked for me. Also you can buy a 25lb bag of salt at smart and final for about 5 bucks.

http://www.thetanner...e_shipping.html



The ears stink cause they are probably starting to rot. When it's hot it happens fast. You want to turn the ears anyway. An exacto knife, razor blade or a really sharp pocket knife work good...then salt them.

[Frank]

Cool... Thanks, Ed... Pretty much what I figured... Btw, did / do you happen to use iodize or non-iodized(sp) salt?

Monkey, you stated you "bagged" the dog for a (couple hours(?) & kept hunting. Was the bagged coyote heavily packed all around (including head & ears) in ice (on outside of bag)? If not, then there is the problem of the ear smell, & most likely (more & future) fur loss along with it. Bacteria goes to work immediately, & the warmer the temp the faster the bacteria is destroying the hide. Not removing hides immediately is the #1 mistake I see hunters make with their game. Salt or freezing temps significantly slows down bacteria.

Hides must be removed immediately from any animal, whether off a deer or coyote for the meat (& hide) respectively, or just wanting the hide itself. Then salt or temporary heavily ice, & freeze immediately or taken to the taxidermist or(?) when getting home. Also, if you do put a hide in the freezer, I would not leave it in there for more than 3 or 4 weeks.

We are dealing with fresh meat & skins, & should be cared for accordingly, & is why my hunting stops immediately (to skin) if saving meat or hide.... which is very rare now days for me.

[MonkeyChunks]

FRANK, Ok we definately messed up. We didnt have any ice so we just bagge dit and placed it in the cooler. My budy was so amped on getting that one he wanted to continue on with the hunt. UPon removing the pelt i soaked it for 5 minutes in hot water to remove fleas and ticks. soaped the crap outa it and let it sit again for a few minutes then washed with cold water, stretched it and applied borax liberally. The ears were on the inside of the pelt for teh majority of the drying process, rotating every other day. I would have removed the pelt righ then but my boning knife was at home and i didnt want to use my big knife on it, so i think it may have been doomed from the get go, but i hope it cures.

[tawnoper]

Hides must be removed immediately from any animal, whether off a deer or coyote for the meat (& hide) respectively, or just wanting the hide itself. Then salt or temporary heavily ice, & freeze immediately or taken to the taxidermist or(?) when getting home. Also, if you do put a hide in the freezer, I would not leave it in there for more than 3 or 4 weeks.

While a good idea, they dont need to be removed immediately. Some guys don't know how to skin...or dont want to and will bring the whole critter in to the taxi...just got to ice them down really good. Most people go after hides in the winter when its cold out. After a good night of hunting we'll skin what we want the next morning.

Not sure what kind of salt I use. Just a big bag of SALT! lol.

[Frank]

While a good idea, they dont need to be removed immediately. Some guys don't know how to skin...or dont want to and will bring the whole critter in to the taxi...just got to ice them down really good.

Yep, very true, Ed, and we have also done that a couple times on both deer and coyote & bobcat. However, I do prefer the skinning right away... less risky IMO! And so true on the winter hides, my preference also. I've gotten to where I almost do not enjoy hunting in warmer weather, along with wanting to kill better quality animals in cold weather... even though I rarely keep the hides and drives my friends completely nuts. LOL I am pretty picky about what type of hide I want now days. (true story)

Hey, Monkey, you still did good... All of us (keep) learn(ing) as we go.

[modoc squeek shooter]

This has been a very informative thread, good reading. Thanks Monkey, Ed and Frank . ED

[lif2fsh]

Nice job looks good.

Did my first brain tanning job last winter was fun but was a lot of work. turned out great for a wall hanger!

[TonyS]

I used non-iodized salt on a deer skin two years ago. I had it tanned by Golden State. For me the hardest part was getting it to dry. That year it rained for two weeks and just would not dry. Finally I asked Rae for advice and she knew just how to accomplish what I wanted.

[Rooster707]

Good looking dog. When i saw your photos i was curious about what your neighbors must have thought, being SoCal and all. Congrats and i look forward to seeing the finished fur.

[MonkeyChunks]

Ok the pelt is done. I dont think i can hang it indoors as the ears stink. It will probably hang in the garage or outside wall.
I will post pictures later.

Here is the thing... How do i prevent the ears from rotting next time???
Does the ear cartilage require a special process?
If i brain tan the next time how do i coat the ears properly?