removing tail bone from coyotes

A

AMF vs Felis rufus

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I tried to remove the tail bone of a coyote but after one hour and moving up probably only an inch, I gave up. What should I do. I'm just tanning it for wall deco.
Advice would be greatly appreciated!
Aaron
 
It might be a little late for your current problem, but my advice is skin the coyote as soon as possible from the time it's dispatched. This can make the difference between a tailbone that slips right out, or sitting there inventing new swear words. What I do with problem tails is insert a very sharp, skinny bladed knife between the skin and the tailbone. Push the blade in as far as you dare without poking it through the skin, then rotate it with the blade going toward the bone, rather than the skin. This will pry the skin off the bone slowly but surely. Go around the entire tailbone, then pull down on it by grabbing the tailbone in one hand and the skin with the other, pulling them straight away from eack other. It may only work down a little bit, then do it all again. Eventually you'll get it down far enough that it will pull out, though it will take some force. This is all I've got. Hope somebody else has a better way of doing it. You might want to try a tail stripper, I've never tried one but hear they work pretty slick. Hope this helps. Just keep working at it, eventually you'll get it.
 
I split the tail about 4-6" then I pull it out of the skin, then I split it with the boning knife to the end of the tube. I pull it out by skinning around it and putting a finger in between the two and put the finger from my right hand in there and pull the tail out of the hide.
If it won't come I skin it a little farther. This way you don't have to skin it all the way down. It is much easier to split the tail skin when the tail is out.T.20
 
Well, I assume you have the hide off already?
Then all you can do is what is already suggested, but I recommend you do get a tail stripper.They work great.
My suggeston is WHILE skinning, cut a couple inches down the tail, then put the tail stripper to work, it just loosely clamps around the tailbone, and just pulldown on the stripper while holding and pulling on the tail bone,the stripper will pull the skin right off.Then all you do is split the tail skin open to dry.
Actually I just use 2 screw drivers and use em the same way,with one hand.I use them to skin the chest area ala 2 Minute Coyote video /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
BTW you could grab the tailbone with a set of pliers( or even clamp it in a vise, yes Ive done it)and then put your stripper to work, pull down away from the vise.
 
You can take two large nails, pieces of aluminum arrow shaft, or two stout sticks and do the same thing as a tail stripper. Simply place one on each side of the base of the tail, grip them and pull. Works like a charm.
 
I make tail strippers out of two 1" bolt washers. Cut an opening out of each washer, lay them flat together with the cut out offset. drill through both washers and bolt them together with a 10-24 machine screw. Works slick and really cheap to make. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I'll toss in my .02 real quick so I can cover the myriad ways I've screwed this up. After all, how many of you guys have either torn the tail off, or worse, separated the tailbone from the carcass? What a mess that is to work with. So here's what I've found works best, and I use a pair of slip joint pliers because I like the bigger size. Eaiser to grab. With the coyote hanging by hindlegs for skinning, cut from foot to foot bisecting the anus. After the legs have been peeled, I then make a cut from the top edge of the anus up the bottom side of the tail about three to four inches. I work the hide off the tailbase and down the back for about six inches until I hve some good slack in the hide over the rump. Now, I put the pliers in the "wide setting" and pass the tailbone through the opening between the jaws and grab the pliers with one hand with the tailbone going between my index and middle fingers. Take your other hand and place it against the coyote's back/ top of his rump with the base of the tail passing between your thumb and palm. Exert deliberate pulling force being careful to pull the tail in line with the spine. If you pull it at too sharp an angle, you peel it right out of the back and snap the bone off between vertebrae. If you herniate yourself, you should have cut a few more tendons along the bone. At some point, you'll pull, feel the tendons/ tail give, and the entire thing will slip right off like it was never attached in the first place. You then need to slip the tip of your knife into the tail and open it all the way to the tip so it can be salted properly prior to tanning. Lotta fat in a coyote tail that you can't "see" until it starts to slip or stink.
 
Lance... I agree with what you are saying. Except the pliers, I've done the pliers, sticks and even the rope trick before I got the washers concept. The pliers will leave the tip of the tail at times. With the washers, as you squeeze they conform to the bony part of the tail. They'll close right down to nothing, and elimanate the ocassional tip being left on the coyote, fox or what ever your skinning. The nice thing is that when their closed up its about the size of a silver dollar in your pocket. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Bud,
You may have a good "point" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks for the "tip". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif In all seriousness, I can see what you're saying and I'll have to give it a try.
 


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