The best Tip I have is when you are done fleshing the hide still on the beam. Take a sheet of newspaper and wrap it around the hide. Rub it to soak up the grease. Take the paper off and put the fur on the strecher. By doing this I don't have much wiping down when drying. Later Longear

After skinning ,I turn my mine back fur side out roll up put it in a freezer bag then put it in the freezer over night pull it out in the morning and then flesh that aftenoon after work a much cleaner job the fat solidfies and pulls off in slabs a lot less runny

A little tip when skinning is to use a big dowel rod to push through under the tail and front legs, really saves on your thumbs....






~ADC~

For skinning get some old rags or towels - helps you get a good grip and pull on the hide. Also if using wire stretchers, cut up onto the heel of the back foor about an inch, this will give you better purchase with the hooks on a wire stretcher.

WHen fleshing - best to chill as stated above (I skin and hang outside on a 2X4) as the fat is not liquidy but solid. Also if you make a very thin slice across the back just below the ears it gives you a better starting point for fleshing the coon. (THe cut should just be about a thin line below the ears do not cut deep!)

Have the wife or kids do it.

use a winch

(or a wench, if ya have one handy...)

ADC,
I noticed on your pictures what appears to be a few puncture wounds on the back of the neck??? Was this coon taken in a connibear? I have experienced this several times myself and thought the holes to be from the trigger wires but I am not sure. Can you comment on the potential cause of these small punture holes?? Randy

No holes there, just a few drops of blood. The coon was snared.


I have heard of people putting the body gripper's trigger wires on the bottom (trap upside down) to avoid trigger marks on the back of the pelt. I've never noticed it much.

~ADC~

a few very important key ingredients to skinning coon faster:

1) Get a gambrel of some sorts to hang your coon
2) I use 3 knives when skinning. I have a sharp hunting knife to ring the feet, a small kutmaster skinning knife to make the opening cut, and a larger rubber handled skinning knife for around the head. Each works well for it's intended use and speeds up the skinning time.
3) BUY A TAIL STRIPPER!

I use a three knife technique as well, but Ill add this to the equation: There is a perfect sharpness that works for skinning. Its impossible to explain, you'll just have to find it yoursefl. Too sharp and you knick through the hide too often, too dull and you work too hard. I keep a whetstone about 4" X 16" right on my work bench, and hone all three knives to perfection between every coon. That is not to say that I take each one to a razor edge evrey time.... I just keep each one in the 'perfect for its duty' zone.

I first cut off the front feet with limb prunners then I always use a steel to go through the shoulders but the best thing that works for me is to use a serrated knife around the head (eyes,ears,and mouth) that dosnt dull very easy like a straight blade.

Elementary, but dont forget to get coon as clean as possible before bringing him out of field. Before you begin skinning make fur is free of burs, etc.
I used to use wire, but have gone to all boards I like those best. I also like the necker knife, makes it easy to get flesh clean even at the top. I like the board because I can get nice wide stretch on tail. Some buyers dont like the tail pulled long and tight becuase they feel it may damage some of the valuable fur on back of animal.
I also tryed staples last year instead of tacks or nails. Works fast and with a little practice I think it might look almost as good as tacks. I may do all of my beaver with electric staple gun this year.

Skin a bunch and then skin some more. Scrape a lot and then scrape some more. But before you can skin and scrape a lot, you have to catch a lot. That's my tip.

after the ears have been cut, take a phillips screwdriver and insert it into the ear hole. it gives you great leverage and pulling power while finishing out the rest of the head, lips, and eyes.

get a skinnin' machine rigged up and you will kick yourself in the fanny for not doin' it years ago. raise and lower the animal, NOT YOU!!!

spend the ten bucks and buy a "lifetime" tail stripper. don't use your fingers. work smarter, not harder.

the grump.

Thanks guys it's always good to here the things that make it easier and better. Longear

Make sure all knives are razor sharp. If they are dull, you have to work harder and that's when mistakes happen from pushing too hard.I finally got my Necker to shave hair with and it takes hardly any pressure to get the fat and grissle off the neck and shoulders of a coon.After that, I use the dull edge of the knife to pull the fat right off the hide. I do suare up the dull side of my knife also.

If your using a puller you should never have to use a steel on the front shoulders. Lop off the front legs pull untill you get to the ears make two cuts pull to the eyes make two cuts and pull It off. The nose will snap off and the legs will pull through.

Dont ring the feet.Make your cut from heel to heel 1 in below rectum then use your fingers to pull hide from around legs and tear it off at ankles,safes your knife blade.Pull fur past front legs and cut fur once your past claws,you cut front legs to about 1 in any way so you may as well do it now.Dont shoot coon,to much mess,and clean fur before u skin.Once you have back feet and tail off,pull hard till your past front shoulders,should not have to cut at all between those areas.I pull alot and use my knife a little.

Buy a machine

TexA has it down pat.