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I'd like to start saving the pelts, my walls are pretty bare and could use some decoration and I wouldn't mind a new winter coat.
I know how to skin em (never done it but I know how), but what comes after that? I know you need to flesh it but I have no idea how or what else needs to be done.
The one I did if I remeber correctly, I bought a kit at sportsmans wharehouse for tanning, but I think you cover the meaty side with salt to get it ready? Its been a while I will see if I still have the stuff from sportsmans and see what it says.
Years ago I supplemented my income by hunting coyotes on weekends. My best was 6. Then they went for $50-$60 a skin and if Jonas Bros skinned them it was maybe $5-$10 less each. That was good money then. They took me 30-40 minutes each to skin properly, ie, face and paws as well. Not worth it to me.
I would not want to put out the effort unless the fur is prime December to early February. You can go to a furrier and buy one already done for what the time and effort would take, assuming you work a 40 hr week for a living.
All that said...go for it if you just want the experience.
The "Dangerous Book For Boys" has a section on how to tan a skin and advice on how to practice on a rabbit. In addition it's a great book if you have a son.
Haven't been here in awhile and good to be back.
DON'T LEAVE THOSE DOGS TO ROT!!--whatever u do. It's nothing to skin them, but forget about all the paw skinning stuff--that's way too much work. All u need to do is make or get a fleshing beam and fleshing knife (even a window ice scraper will do.). Coarse flesh them, wash them a bit in a bucket and use dish soap if u want too, sew up any big bullet holes, stretch flesh side out on a big coyote stretcher (don't forget to skin out the ear cartilage), and let dry for 6-8 hours until "tacky", flip them and dry for a day or two. pull off stretcher and hang them somewhere where the wife doesn't gripe about it. When u get all u want sell them at the fur auction and/or tan them through Moyle Mink (google them) @ ~ 30$ each.
So basically what I'm getting is...
1. Stretch over something (never seen/heard of a fleshing beam... but I think I get the idea).
2. Scrape off the fat and such hanging on the skin.
3. Scrub it down.
4. Let it dry for a while, then flip it and dry more.
Anything I'm missing?
???
Profit
That's about it--be sure to skin out the ear tho when it's fur side in or else they'll sour on you. Next time you're at Sportsman's look at the fleshing beams--u'll get the idea.
Actually i have an interesting story about fleshing beams. My filipina wife hates my "junk" laying around the garage. She thinks a garage should be pretty wth flowers and such. So couple years ago my son-in-law offers to take a truck load of my junk to the dump. I told him sure as there really was some junk there. But he comes over and the wife's supervising the junk loading (i was sleeping from night shift), and he asks if that grungy wooden thing is "junk"--"Of course" the wife says, and off to the dump my sweet fleshing beam goes. It was the best 1 i ever had too.
Coyotes are actually worth a few bucks these days i hear. I haven't sold any in awhile now tho.
I just looked up some pics of em on google... seems simple enough. Does it need to be rounded or can it be flat? I have some old doors in the garage I could use if it can be flat.Quote:
Originally Posted by sscoyote
I probably wouldn't be selling them. More interested in making things with em.
Sucks ya lost your beam... I certainly wouldn't have been happy. Mine would probably want to help with the fleshing lol.
Rounded helps when using a fleshing knife, but i'm improvising a flat piece of 2x6 now...and it works after a fashion. In the other coyote hunting thread i detailed that we killed 20 this year dn only 2 were good down here in SoCO. We did get 1 swift fox, 3 badgers and a bobcat this year though. Now fleshing badgers is a bit harder--but doable.
Looks like we need to have a SoCo tanning party this winter. Perhaps we should plan a hunt, I have a buddy in Rye who wants a few dogs taken off his property.
easier said than done...sure there are lots of people with ideas out there, some work, some dont. I have some knoweledge about it, my business is Echohawk taxidermy, I am a full time taxidermist, look at my site if you like. Echohawktaxidermy.com. I have skinned many of the critters and have mounted many also. there is alot of difference in tanning for taxidermy purposes, garmet purposes, or just throwing around or hanging on the wall. fleshing beams differ also, you dont want any square edges as you will get cuts in your hide, round edges way better, my favorite and only beam is a 55 gallon plastic barrell. you can lay the critter over it and just keep working it toward you or away from you. when done you take the hose to it and keep it clean. not only must you turn the ears but the tail bone needs to come out. if you dont cut thru the pads and open them up you will get hair slippage. Also keep in mind that the short cut methods of tanning and fleshing will almost always result in bugs wanting to get into your hides. There is plenty of info out there on all this stuff thru the internet, and you may have some fun with it. but if you want this stuff in your house and not have your wife on your back because of the smell or bugs, it must be done properly or you will find it in the trash. have fun killin and tannin!