Fur handling question

Darknight

Darknight

Member
I have a question in regards to the difficulty I experience when trying to get the tail-bone out of raccoon and coyote tails. I CAN NEVER GET THE BONE PULLED OUT!
Do any of you have any suggestions that I can try in order to get the bone out and leave the tail on the pelt?
 
Darknight skin the tail down a couple of inches and then if you have a tail stripper use that. If not, you can use a couple of screwdrivers. Place one on each side of the tail bone and pull them towards the end of the tail. Don't clamp down real hard on the screwdrivers while pulling as this will only pull the entire tail off the animal. I know this from past experience. It may take a couple of times to get the hang of it. It also helps if you have the animal secured to something stationary while trying to pull the hide off of the tail bone. Also, don't forget to split the tail after removing the bone or it will spoil and cause the hair to slip.
Hope this helps you.
 
Darknight,go to your toolbox and get the wire strippers out,thats the best tail puller because it has plenty of room for your hand.The ones they sell are too small for me and you probably already own a wire stripper so no added cost.
Just my 2cents flattail /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Thanks for the replies everybody. I'll get my toolbox out the next time I string a coyote up from the gambrel and try the screwdriver/wire stripper trick. I'll feel right at home, almost as if I'm working on my truck /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I use a tubing flaring tool with the different size holes that you use to flare out the ends of copper tubing.You can get them at any auto supply or hardware store.I like the different size holes so you can use them on mink,coon,bobcat or whatever.
 
Somehow I missed this post Darknight

Skin a little of the tail around the base. Say...2 inches or so down onto the tail.
Put one of these little tail strippers around the tail bone, close er up, and hold it inside your closed fist with the tail between a couple fingers.
Quickly and swiftly, with one quick motion you pull down and it strips the tail skin off leaving it attached to the hide.
The biggest mistake folks make when skinning a tail is the try to go to slow when stripping, which pulls the tail bone right out of the carcass most of the time.
Or they try pulling and cutting like is done when skinning the torsoe.
It needs to stripped in one swift firm motion, using whatever tool you decide on.
I swear by this gadget. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
tailstrpr.jpg


[EDIT] forgot to put the picture in /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif duh
 
How far you split the tail and skin it out out before using the stripper depends on the age and condition of the animal. I cut and skin to where there is no fat on the tail and then an inch or two beyond that before using the stripper. I also skin down the body of the animal before stripping the tail to leave enough loose hide to allow for stripping. Hey RR, all this talk of stripping has me wondering if the Cheetah Club in Milwaukee is still open (lol). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
On a coyote I skin the tail down about 3 inches. If I get hair pulling through when I test it before pulling then I skin a little more. I use my fingers and just pull them that way. The fox are easier than the yote. The coon is more like a coyote, the badger is tougher all the way.T.20
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top