Tip: Adding pulleys to skinning...save your back.

TonyTebbe

TonyTebbe

New member
I've got plans designed for a new skinning pole with a hand-crank winch on it for skinning, but never seem to have the time to get it built. So in the meantime...

I was at Walmart a couple of weeks ago and found a Remington pulley/grambel kit on clearance for $11. It's designed to hoist up a deer, but I figured I could use it to help with skinning coyotes. The grambel is way too wide for coyotes, so I scrapped it and used the pulleys and rope. My biggest issue is pulling down on a hide that's been sitting around all day, or in this coyote's case, all night.

I hung the coyotes from my hauling and skinning pole, as I usually do, but instead of tugging by hand, I used the new pulley. It worked like a dream.

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I used two plastic golf balls and a homemade noose to hold onto the hide. I attached one pulley to the noose and another to the closest anchor I could find. In this case, the hitch on my jeep.

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What a savior to my back!

I had to tie it off to keep the tension, but this has cut my skinning time in half.

Here's my skinning tools. I forgot to put my piece of rebar that I use in the neck area in the photo, though.

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Tip: If you don't have one, get a WeenoJack tail stripper. I've used alot over the years, including my shooting sticks on a bunch of coyotes. The WeenoJack one is the best I've layed my hands on...period!

So, if you find one of these Remington pulley/grambels on clearance, pick it up. The pulleys alone are worth twice the price I paid. Makes the chore alot easier and is portable enough for field skinning.


Thought I'd share.

Tony
 
I'm not understanding how the noose and the golf balls are holding the hide. Can you explain? It looks like a good system. My dad has a hand crank system that he built for pulling on coon hides and he uses a modified pair of vise grips to hold the hide. I don't know how good they would work on a coyote hide.
 
Coyote hides tear pretty easily. I've torn 6 or 7 this season with just my hands....and I'm not a very big guy.
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I tried tarp clips, thinking they'd work...they just tore the hide, as well.

I remembered the golfball idea from when I was in highschool. A farmer would shuck deer hides off with his tractor using them. I'm not a golfer and didn't want to spend the money they want for new golf balls, so I opted for the plastic practice ones.

After skinning the back legs and tail out, I put the golfball inside the the hide (skin side), on each ham of the coyote. I grab the hide from the hair side with the golfball inside, then slip the noose over it. I wish I took a close up picture of it, but I didn't.

Here's the easiest way I can explain. Picture putting your fist inside a sock, then slipping a noose over it and onto your wrist. It makes for a good solid pulling area for the cord. The golf ball doesn't tear the hide, as it is round and not poking.

Hope this helps...Tony
 
i am 63 and can skin one in about 5min.,if i do it when i shoot them which i have done for about thirty years.that is a neat idea.when they are warm they are not bad.i also use a sharping rod or long flat blade screwdriver that i putbetween the body and the front leg so i can use both hands to pull the skin off of the legs,i have skinned many deer by using a rock under the skin above the front legs then pulling it with a four wheeler or truck.you cut around the neck and split down the front legs then pull
 
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Good heck bud your always thinking.. LoL That is one cool idea and it looks like it works like a champ.. Ill pick me one up.. Thanks for sharing.. Kerry
 
I can bring you a half dozen golf balls to Las Cruces if you want them. I have a couple buckets of them and I dont golf.
 
I will have to get a picture of a similar rig my brother made up years ago when he was trapping.

Now its question time. Is the height of your rack permanent? or can you extend it up? Reason I ask, is you could make something that would extend down from the hitch and pull the hide more straight down. That or you could attach the hide down low and using the lift attached to the top, pull the body up.


Ya I know, more things for you to think about.
 
Cool idea Tony! I have the exact same gambel kit set up in my garage for deer. I tried it on yotes, but like you stated the gambel was too wide for use. I never even thought of trying to use it this way....

Thanks!!!
 
I use a similar setup, except I have a small atv 12 v winch for pulling the hide straight down. It is mounted on a square tube that slides inside the tube that slides inside the receiver.

I have some to skin in a few days, I'll try to get pics.

Another thing I started doing a few years ago is skinning the head first. It is easier to do when the coyote is on the tailgate instead of working bent over to reach the head on the rack. I skin back to past the ears. It also allows me to better see what I'm doing.

Oh and golfballs? If you need some, contact Elin Woods, I think she has some her husband isn't using now.
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Originally Posted By: RedfrogOh and golfballs? If you need some, contact Elin Woods, I think she has some her husband isn't using now.

I just saw where AT&T dropped him like a hot potato. He may need all of those balls, so he can sign them and sell on e-bay for his alimony payment. Hmm, that really doesnt look real good when refering to him huh???

 
Originally Posted By: RedfrogI use a similar setup, except I have a small atv 12 v winch for pulling the hide straight down. It is mounted on a square tube that slides inside the tube that slides inside the receiver.

I have some to skin in a few days, I'll try to get pics.

Another thing I started doing a few years ago is skinning the head first. It is easier to do when the coyote is on the tailgate instead of working bent over to reach the head on the rack. I skin back to past the ears. It also allows me to better see what I'm doing.

Oh and golfballs? If you need some, contact Elin Woods, I think she has some her husband isn't using now.
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Is this sort of what you are talking about... Do you have any advice for me about the clamps?
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Cody, That is like mine except my winch is where you have the clamps. I use the golf ball and loop method to attach the winch line to the hide.
The tailgate on my truck will also drop with the rig in place.
 
Yea, the tailgate will drop on this one. It is really for loading hogs and such back there but if I can get some use for skinning it is twice as nice...
 
Yes the idea is cool I have been running one through my melon for some time that would use the electric boat winch in my shed. Tony yours could work anywhere.

I also like the screw driver idea.

Redfrog, I just can't picture how you would skin the head first. Enlighten me.
 
Cody, My neighbor is currently building me one almost identical to yours. Only difference is that it's a hand crank, the pole height is adjustable (so I can get through overhead gates), and will utilize the golfball noose concept, instead of the clamps.


I skinned out another coyote we killed this morning (a nice male) and took better pictures of the golfball concept. Hope this gives a better idea.

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Tony
 


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