Coyote Skinning, how's it done?

M

Mr. Mister

New member
Skinning.

I am fairly new to the skinning and tanning scene and could use some pointers from guys and gals in the know.

I am going to start skinning out my nicer Coyotes this winter with the plans of having a custom made coat for my wife. Problem is I have never skinned one out and was wondering if there are do’s and don’ts so I don’t ruin any.

I’m told 15-17 average size Yotes will make a full size ladies coat. Is that using the whole pelt or is that trimming the prime sections and having a lot of scrap? Are my numbers realistic?

Do any of you know of a site that show’s how to properly skin a Yote?

All help is appreciated.

Steve
 
This is how I do mine and I was tought by a taxidermy buddy. A skinning gambrel makes this job much easier but not neccesary.

1. Run your knife down the inside of the hind leg across the anuse and up the other inside hind leg. Skin around the leg and snap off the leg bone at the wrist joint. Continue to skin down the legs and then just start "tubing" (turning it inside out) the critter as you skin. Stop at the front shoulders.

2. Front legs. Run your knife from the wrist joint down the inside of the front leg to the "hock" or elbow and stop there, skin around the leg and snap the bone at the wrist and tube the legs, you can use your fingers in the tight spot close to the shoulder. Once the fronts are skinned out, pull the front legs through the hide and continue to tube skin down to the head.

3. Once to the head, BECAREFUL AROUNF THE EYES AND EARS! With your non cutting hand, stick it inside the tubed animal and locate the ear, skin careful up to it and then cut straight down to remove it. After the ears are done, take your hand again and find the eye socket, stick your finger in it and skin around it carefully in order to get the lids and lashes. Then just continue down to the nose and "feel" for the soft cartladge and cut straight down into the skull, trim around the mouth and you are done! Turn your hide right side out, wrap in a bag and chuck it in the freezer until you are ready to get it tanned. If you wish to take it in a couple days to be tanned, rub saltdeep into the pelt's skin, make sure you get the salt around the edges so they won't curl on you and then turn the hide fur side out, stick it in a game bag (NOT A PLASTIC BAG) keep in a cool place and you should be good for a few days.
If you want to know how to turn the lip's, ear's and split the nose, I will be happy to try to explain it, it is a little more of a pain in da butt than the skinning process. As for tanning I send all my stuff out and I think you numbers are in the ball park for a coat.
I hope this helps ya! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Akwolfslayer,

Thanks for the detailed description; I have a few questions though.

In step 3 you said:

“Turn your hide right side out, wrap in a bag and chuck it in the freezer until you are ready to get it tanned.”

By “right side out” I assume you mean with the hair side on the floor so that when you roll it up all you’ll see is hair and not the meat side? Is that correct?

You also said the raw hide can be frozen until I want to tan it. Does it need any special preparation or treatment prior to being frozen or do you just roll it up and stick it in? I know not to use plastic bags.

Lastly how is the tail done?

I have practiced on a couple of road kill foxes that I found but I always screw it up. What I want to do is tan the tail as a whole with the bone out, kind of like a feather duster. Each time I’ve had to cut the tail from base to tip to get the bone out and basically ruined the whole thing. Another problem I have is once the skin is cured the hair starts coming out in clumps leaving me with a piece of leather. Any advise?

Thanks,

Steve
 
I believe the toughest part of the process is keeping the eyelids and lips intact. Would someone mind taking some photos of the next coyote they skin out and show us what "landmarks" you look for when you've got the fur pulled backwards so you know where to start cutting.

Also, list any other tips that you've discovered or heard on how best to skin out the face.
 
I think if you want to save the face the easiest way to skin it is to have one hand inside the hide. With a finger in the eye socket itself and your knife in the other, you can lift on the face skin revealing the location of your finger from the inside.
Zero guess work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Same for the ears.
 
Great info guys!

I’m not too concerned about getting the faces for a coat but I’d like to learn how to anyway for future stuff.

Thanks,

Steve
 
Originally posted by 22-250VT:
[qb]Akwolfslayer,

Thanks for the detailed description; I have a few questions though.

In step 3 you said:

“Turn your hide right side out, wrap in a bag and chuck it in the freezer until you are ready to get it tanned.”

By “right side out” I assume you mean with the hair side on the floor so that when you roll it up all you’ll see is hair and not the meat side? Is that correct?

You also said the raw hide can be frozen until I want to tan it. Does it need any special preparation or treatment prior to being frozen or do you just roll it up and stick it in? I know not to use plastic bags.

Lastly how is the tail done?

I have practiced on a couple of road kill foxes that I found but I always screw it up. What I want to do is tan the tail as a whole with the bone out, kind of like a feather duster. Each time Ive had to cut the tail from base to tip to get the bone out and basically ruined the whole thing. Another problem I have is once the skin is cured the hair starts coming out in clumps leaving me with a piece of leather. Any advise?

Thanks,

Steve[/qb]
Click to expand...
If you want to freeze it and get it tanned for a later date, no salt and yes turn it right side out (fur side out, no special treatment) and stick it in a bag and chucker in the freezer. If you are going to get it tanned within a week or so, then salt it heavily (make sure you get the lips and head area good) DO NOT ROLL IT UP, best thing to do is hang it from the nose on a nail, to let the moisture drain out, shake it out and resalt on day 2 or 3 and you are in buisness! AAAAHHHHHHHHH he wants to know how to do the tail! Here is a little trick I use, best done when warm but it will work on a cold carcass.
Take two stick's about 1/2 to 1" DIA. and about 6" long, get a pair of "vise grips". Find the tail bone and grab it with the vise grip's, then have someone take the sticks and stick one on the bottom and one on the top of the bone and hold them tightly (squeasing the tail bone) while you pull on the vise grip's, you will end up pulling the whole tail bone out in one piece! Out of maybe 30-35 times doing this it failed on me once and I had to have the tail sewn back on. But the person holding the sticks has to hold them really tight!
Tial deboneing 101. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Good luck and have fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Steve:

This is great advice and I'll just add my 3 cents worth. Trapping supply outfits sell a neat tail boner that works on the order of the vice grips but you don't need the assistance of another person. I skin out the front legs first up to the elbow joint and cut the leg out at that joint. It's then easy to skin over the shoulder area when you are get to it. It takes patience and practice to skin canines but the great part is a little needle and thread can hide most of your mistakes if you are selling the hides. PC
 
Didn't happen to look like the one pictured in the post Fur Tip #4 that I referred him to Friday, did it polecat? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

tailstrpr.jpg
 
I don't sell them, but like I been preachin, if you look at this post Fur Tip #4 I listed a few companys that do.
Or you should be able to buy one at just about any trapping supply dealer.
Their real cheap, price wise.
 
premade tail skinners are cheap and easy, but if you get stuck without one two medium sized screwdrivers are a lot easier to handle than a couple of sticks that strong. Another tip for the beginner is to go ahead and skin the tail halfway down, or until it gets too narrow, before using the screwdrivers, at least until you get the hang of it. Just remeber to split the tail and flesh it after you pop the bone out or it might slip.
 
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