This was my first attempt at fleshing. I will not even go into how long it took. Please give any advice...I want to do it right. The front legs have been rubber banded to be cut off tomorrow.
Thanks for the tips

I personally take the meat off the head and chin area. But that is a good looking coon. Very clean.

Thanks M.......I watched your videos and got the catfish pliers out but was too mad at how long it had taken.

Good job, they don't buy the head but it does give you a grade most of the time...I also tack the legs tighter to the outside to form a better window. The graders like the windows open a little. Just my thoughts. You did a very good job and it would sell fine. Tom

Like previously stated, pull the skin on them legs tight on the belly side and pull the extra around to the back. Other than that, great job.

I would put in a belly board or u might have some trouble gettin him off that stretcher.....

LOL, I was just sitting here, got up and ran out of the house (10 degrees out). When I came back in my wife wondered what the $#$% are you doing......I said "I HAD to get a belly wedge on my coon!"

Thanks for the tips...

looks good and i dont do the head either never had a buyer say any thingeven at nafta and fur harvesters ive watched them grade my fur and never say anything but nice fur and i win alot of top lots

Pulling the legs tight???? Are you guys talking about the small triangles that are on the inside? Pull them down as far as I can? and out some to make the window look bigger?

that looks a whole lot better than my first

hey dont mention it. just tryin to help. did the same thing on a nice buck mink once. had to cut it right up the belly just to get it off the board.

What others said above and nail the tail better.
Bob

I'm also new at fleshing coons. I use a piece of plastic mesh like you would use as a gutter gaurd on the tails. I open the tail as wide as possible lay the piece of mesh over the tail then pin the mesh to the board. Usually 3 pins on each side of the tail is enough. It makes the tails really straight, and flat. Thats the way I was shown last year when I first got started fleshing. Hope that helps a little

Looks good, I clean skin the head on everything I skin where when I start fleshing I do not have to worry about the head.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

Listen to TexA, What he is telling you is what got me started on the road to success. He gives good advice. Only thing I want to add was to your statement me about the time. Trust me, it is not the time it takes but the end product your are after. I am considered slow by a lot of standard at 5 mins per coons, but I want mine to look a certain way. In fact one of the reasons I put the video up was the fact I am not a pro, nor am I fast. But I do get the job done. And done right it the goal. Speed will come with practice. I think I started out at 20 mins a coon and now I am down to 5. Maybe one of these days I will shave that to 4 then 3. Keep this in mind, it you get fast and cut the hide up you are not saving time but wasting money as the hide is damaged.