After watching M. Howards videos, I started doing the front legs in a similar fashion. Instead of using rubberbands, I used small cable ties. Either way, the outcome is the same, you end up with what looks like 2 nipples instead of 2 holes where the front legs are. I agree with M. Howard, to me it does look better than the way I had done them previously.

First question is...Will it make any difference to a grader or buyer?

The next questions, are about pleats...Does it really make any difference, to a buyer, if the tails and the base of the hide are pleated? Or is that more of a personal preference sorta thing?

Makes no differents if you cut the legs off and let dry that way. As for pleating the tail and back makes no differents on a raccoon. Also cut the ears off will save you time in the drying process.
Cheers Jim

Thanks for the tip! I'd never heard of cutting the ears off before. Do you cut them on the fur side or from the hide side after putting them on the stretcher?

Hide side when you are fleshing.
Cheers Jim

Ok, I'd heard of doing that with beaver but not coons. Seems like that would result in a couple of fairly large holes. Any chance of getting docked and/or downgraded for that?

No down grade, should be about the sizes of a quater. Our head coon grader skins them himself that way so no problem, just be careful to take only the ears off. I will post a picture for you later.
Cheers Jim

Thanks Again gibb. Pics are a great help. May be a few days before I get back on Tman, I'm heading to the lake for the weekend!

I have used a dollar coin to give you a comparison.
Cheers Jim

I helped my furbuyer this year only and he WANTS the body pleats pinned in a straight line as this increases the density of the fur on the back. This straight line should be just over the size(eg as 27 or 29 or 32 inches) an inch more will be worth nothing but could make it more dense and raise the quality of the pelt(more money). We make a small window but by pleating we end up with a large window. It takes just as long to skin as it does to flesh as it does to put on the board Coon. They are hand washed-Clean with as little water as possible then oput on boards(adjustable). The leg and ear thig saves sapce and that earns you extra. Learn how your buyer wants it done and do it right. His way will vary with each private treaty he gets so ask!!!......jk

Great pic, thanks for the tip..

Cut of and leave open.
Cheers Jim

Jim, Probably a stupid question, but seems like finished coons look better without the two big leg holes...Do you think it's possible, a potential buyer may want to see the fur through those 2 small "windows"(front legs)?

When I put up my coon, I cut the front legs about 1/2 in long. No need to pin them shut, as that is more extra work you don't get paid for. The leg holes dry just about shut when cut 1/2 in long.

Does that coon hide have something that you put on the skin?

Listen to everything said here and ask your buyer how he wants it done. Pretty soon you will enjoy fleshing and putting up fur. Keep it to 4 a day at first and freeze the unfleshed pelts so you dont have to much to do at one time until you get the knack of it. Honest you will enjoy doing your own fur all the way to a nice clean dry pelt. I am glad I have a friendly buyer to sell to and not those auctions houses in Canada, thank Charlie......jk

Good question, no they would not use the leg holes for inspection. Don's, coon handling is a good as anybodys in the business. Cut them off at 1/2 inch and let dry. That is all you need to do. The leg holes will dry almost flat and closed.
Don you should post some pictures of your coon.
Cheers Jim

TexA, Hard to tell by the pic, but it looks like ther might be some Borax on the hide???

I'm genuinely asking, is dusting the raccoon skin with Borax when you board them bad? I've been dusting the leather with borax, then using a beaver knife to scrape it & the weeping grease off the next day.. I'm always looking for input, I did it because it seemed to give me a dryer coon faster..

Tex 66 I suppose that must be sawdust I am seeing on your coon. I was just curious about what I saw.

Tex trapper you should neve put borax on a coon hide. The weeping you talk about is nothing more than the natural oil of a coons leather.
I have stacks about chest high of coon and I have never tried to dry the natural oil from a coon hide. If you scrape the coon correct, it don't need any more attention.

As a kid my dad & I would make our own 'wallhanger' pelts for the deer cabin.. We knew nothing about trapping for the fur trade.. We would take a pelt, salt it heavily, then rub borax on it.. While still damp the pelt was stapled to the wall.. We have some pelts on the wall prepared that way going on 25 years old now.. I actually tried to pull some hair from one of the pelts this weekend & couldn't get any to come out..

Not to run off topic, but that's why I was rubbing a little borax on my pelts when I was putting them up.. Thanks for the tip that the fur buyers/auctions don't want it that way..

I was told that drying coons too fast would result in them being "feather light" and losing a size/grade???

Listen folks,,,,Borax will never,,,I mean never hurt any hide you apply it to.From coon to Muskox it doesn,t matter.
Now,is it necessary? Maybe,,maybe not.But it sure won't hurt.There is,however the cost of the stuff. To me well worth it.,,

i just always leave about 2 inches of leg on does this hurt anything

Texa, On the "NAFA sizing???" thread that I posted, page 4 of 6, Greg Schroeder said "The other reason for a size drop could be your drying." And "If your coon feel feather light, they will shrink in the dress." And "Slow down your drying time,it will make a big difference." And Greg also said "Drying fur too fast is the #1 reason why coon feel light."

Like you, I had NEVER heard of that before.

me neither

If dried to close to heat they can and will get papery or rattly sounding.

Don, what about little or no heat just fans blowing over the fur? That unfortunately is what I had to do this year. Tom

P.S. Thanks to you knowledgable fur handlers like Don and TexA and the rest. This is a good thread for the archives. Tom

Tom I use temps in the 60s to dry all my fur and yes I use fans. I can't see where you could go wrong the way you are doing it.