Here is some information on fleshing and sewing on coyotes. This information can be used for other canines as well. Before starting the fleshing process be sure to comb the pelt again, it never hurts to double check. I do wash all my canines but wait until after the fleshing is completed. I do know that they are easier to flesh after washing but, as messy as I am I save the washing until the end.









I start by removing the cartilage from the ears. I start skinning the cartilage from the ears with a sharp knife to insure that the membrane has started separating which will reveal more of the cartilage. This will help by giving more to grab. I then will put sawdust on the ear for a better grip. I will start peeling and pushing my thumb into the ear separating the ear from the cartilage. Once I can get my thumb pushed through to a side and expose the fur I will then work the edge to the tip. I then peel the rest of the ear to the base. The only attachment at this point is at the base. I will then use a knife and cut the base of the ear off. I will then stretch the pelt on the fleshing beam so the face is tight. I then flesh the two sections of meat in front of the ears.

I now flesh down to the legs. When fleshing I keep the fleshing knife around 45 degrees. I do not use a slicing motion I just push the fleshing down the pelt. When I get to the legs I will put the legs at the top of the beam and flesh around the leg. When I am doing this I will fold the leg over the tip so the leg is not stretched out and torn. When fleshing around the legs use lite pressure as the skin is thin and very easy to tear.
When I get a hole in the pelt I will flesh around the hole very carefully so as to not make it bigger. I will then use a leather sewing needle that I purchase from taxidermy supply stores and waxed dental floss.

So. Tell us more on the sewing part.

Great pictures.

you can slice the edge of the hole if it needs it to remove damaged hair, or skin. If its in a foot ball shape it sews easier, hitch each stitch.

For my first pass with the needle I make sure that the hair is pushed back on to the fur side. I then keep the needle on the back side of the hair as I sew. The amount of leather that I will stitch together depends on how thick the leather is at that location. I also space the stitches out to a quarter inch as I sew up the hole. When the stitches are put to close together the hole will be easier to tear out. Having the hole in a diamond shape makes it easier to sew. At the first stitch I double knot and cinch it down. The second and subsequent passes I run the needle through and loop through its self 3-4 times and cinch in down. At the last stitch I will do no less than 4 loops on its self.
If I have a very large hole I will use clothes pins to hold the hide together to make sure I get it lined up properly before sewing. Then as I sew I will remove the clothes pins one at a time until finished.

When you get past the legs you have to start watching out for the nipples on the belly. Yes both females and males have nipples. This is one area that is very easy to tear. I will usually focus more on the sides and back and leave the belly alone until the end. As I am getting closer to the end I will start using sawdust to help keep the fat out of the fur. I keep pushing the flesh until it is off the pelt. In some cases the fleshing will stall out just before the end. When this happens I will just skin out the fleshing instead of using the fleshing knife. Some coyotes will require fleshing of the first couple of inches of the tail. Be careful doing this as the tail can tear very easy. I will often just use my thumb nail and sawdust to flesh this part out.
If fat does get into the fur I will rub in saw dust and use the fleshing knife to gently push the fat and saw dust out.

When it comes to the belly area I will put the pelt off the beam and lay it on top with the belly up. I will then flesh out the belly area. I have found by fleshing the belly this way I tear them less. After that is all done we have a properly fleshed coyote.

Hope this helps...Jason

ttt

Bravo, very nice.

Thanks for taking the time and posting the pictures with the write up.

I like how you use the sawdust to clean up the edge areas.

Great post, what needle you using for sewing? I use regular ones & they are a pain. Thanks

Yes ,another great post and pics.

Well done.

An added tip on the sewing, if you go under over on the sewing, your hole will butt up with out bunching or making a lump on either side.

Instead of going from flesh side to other side of flesh side. Go from flesh side to the fur side and come thru to the flesh side, then go back to the other fur side and come thru the flesh side, just pull together tight, not over tight, as when you pelt drys out it will be much flatter.

It makes for a much better seam and also is much harder to feel when a buyer runs their hands over the area.

Here is a link to the needles I use.

http://www.mckenziesp.com/Search.aspx?k=needles

I will have to try that. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks so much for this post. I posted earlier on one I had just fleshed. This was exactly what I was looking for. I now have something to compare mine too.Awesome job thanks again.

Nice looking fleshing job. How long does it take you to flesh one? Thanks Jim

Very well done,good info Geer and Grit.
Folks sometimes drop off unrepairable critters for me, I tell them, you blowem up, I'll sew them up!

Thank you, very well done. There are several needles at the site you gave us. Which one is that your using? Tom

Excellent tutorial!! Really well done pictures and all.I have sewn up hundreds of fox and coyotes.I always used Linen thread-still do.I find that the Linen thread really locks in place and doesn't even come out in tanning.One thing I will do over and above what you have shown is to fleash all around the bullet hole damaged area,then I wash thoroughly with water and dish washing detergent.After I have washed the area,I once again put dish washing detergent all around danaged areas hair to further remove any grease /oil from the fur before sewing it up.I do this because if you don't that sew job will get exposed to the fur buyer and be graded as a damage.Now I always drummed my fur afterwards as well,but before I drummed the final product I would look for any greasy areas that may have shown up through the hair in the drying process and would address those areas with a paint thinner to help break down the grease effected area before drumming.Just a tip to help hide bullet damage even better.Thanks for taking the time to show how to do it-again very well done!!

It is a size 6 suture needle.