Man that was hard work! It must have been 75 degrees in the shop last night and I was working up a sweat big time. Sure doesn't feel like trapping season--not now at least.

Anyway, I have a few in my freezer and sold them green in the past. Watched a good video on here of a fella fleshing some coons and made it look easy. I figured coon--otter, can't be that much difference. I nicked the hide once and not real proud of my fleshing job on this first otter put up. It was hard to flesh the tail because....well if you've done it you probably know what I'm talking about. Anybody have any tips? I have 6 more I need to work on. I have a Necker 600. My beam seems to be alright. The problem is all me think.

Another thing is my apron is that yellow pvc stuff and the hide slides on that. Seems like I should have something mo grippier between me and the beam. Cotton apron maybe?

on the slipping i put a shop towel between me and the beam and that prevents most of the slipping around stuff.

on the tail, i use a griz getter knife, its an ulu style knife and they used to made by clint locklear but i don't think he makes them anymore someone else is making them for him.

Hoping to get my first one this year, since we can keep one finally.

Are they hard to skin too?

wish someone here on t man would do a vid on skinning and fleshing one.

Yeah, no pulling much on an otter unless you have a machine.

Get you some burlap to stop the sliding. I just get a bag and cut out a piece about 15 x 15 or so and just put it between my apron and the pelt.

I use a beaver knife to flesh otters. Takes a while but is a lot easier than a fleshing knife for me.

a good sharp fish fillet knife works great on otter tails.
a really good sharp fleshing knife works wonders on the rest of it lol

The trick On the tail Is to do the two edges one at a time and then take out the center of the tail. I would rather do a otter then a coon. But it just takes practice and more practice.

Thanks guys. Wife's asleep. Gonna sharpen the sharp side of the Necker. Got my shop towel, ulu, fillet knife, beaver knife, a cold one and a few hours to spare. Gonna get some more practice in. All but one's between 18.5- 20 lbs. I'm hoping those are large. Got one 16 pounder. Figure I'll put that one on the smaller board. I hope this get's me more than 3$ more for them.

You need good weight to pull the hide off,and muscle and long hard strokes with the fleshing knife and you'll be done in a few minuits.If you make a cut through the fat lengthwise down both sides of the tail it will make the tail lay flat and you can flesh it with your fleshing knife.

For me fleshing on a beam with my two handed flesher and fine sawdust works well for the whole otter and the tail. I use a burlap apron over my rubber skinning apron.





For the finishing touches around the head and neck and those two ridges down the tail the old modified safety razor works wonders.



A nice clean tail that can be either screened which is my preference and is the fastest.



Or neatly pinned out with push pins.



And some nice neat leg closures.



Or if you prefer and have nothing but time on your hands you can sew the front legs. This will not get you any extra $$$ at the auction but is nice for those that really take pride in their put up.

Or you can leave the legs a little long and close them up with the green castrating bands and tool. Then when dry take a nipper or serrated knife and cut the excess leg off, makes a neat leg and quicker than sewing. Works on beaver front legs also, you can get the bands off with a needle nose plier and re-use them.

Nutra Rat: Just skin them real clean and then send them up to me. . . I'll take care of them for you!

I haven't put up very many, but I hear you. . . they aren't easy. But my first beaver wasn't easy either. Over time and volume, you'll learn to get quicker with your knife and board!

At least you've learned how to catch them!

In my experience cutting or trimming any pelt after it's dry will leave it prone to ripping or tearing,especially one which is subject to drumming.

Any pelts that are leather out are not drummed.

Nice photos, trapper ron. Thanks!

I don't think otter are all that hard to flesh. They skin harder than some others, you just have to use your knife a little more. I would rather flesh an otter than a coon too. You don't have to deal with all that fat.

Ron, you Canadians have way too much time on your hands. LOL

I could only wish that were true. Seems retirement (semi retirement) is busier than when I worked full time.

The razor works good on the tails. Alo on the tails you can make some longitudinal cuts through the gristle almost down to the leather, here are two main lobes of gristle one each side of center. these are the ones you need to cut. The tail has a tendency to curl up on the edges when you are fleshing it, but if you make those cuts it will lay flat making it easier to flesh. The neck gristle is tough too, especially on the older otter. The razor helps here too.

TRAPPER RON,real nice put up job and great pics