Hello all,

I am new to the forum, so I wanted to say hello. I am from western New York near Buffalo and new to trapping. I caught two beaver under the ice so far this season. I wanted to post a couple pictures to get some advice on whether I fleshed the bigger one out enough. In all the youtube videos I've watched guys get the hide down to almost like a white/light pink membrane, but with my fleshing knife and beaver knife I only seem to be able to get it down to a darker pink. Do I need to spend more time on the fleshing beam or is what I've done sufficient. The big one is a 50 lb beaver so I really want to do this right. Thank for your help and I look forward to being on the forum in the future!

Well, first off welcome! I can see that it is already boarded and partially dry...so that will limit what you will want to do now. Overall looks pretty good. Yes, that thin membrane down the back is ok to leave. Where I see areas for improvement are in the head, neck, and shoulder area. There is a lot of muscle still there which you can still remove with your beaver knife. Also, guessing you plan to keep it and have it tanned? If prepping for sale you should focus more effort on the proper shape.



A few pics to reference. Normally my nails are a bit closer together, but i know it wont matter for these "hatter" beaver I am putting up. Having a top quality knife goes a long way. The main thing is that you are learning so don't give up! And you came to a good place for asking questions.

Thanks! I'd like to get it tanned or find someone that can make me a hat. Do you think I can remove that muscle around the head and shoulders while it is still on the board or should I take it off and use the beam? Or because it is partly dry is that a bad idea? I see in your pictures you get the hide down to that almost white/light pink skin, is that due to how much fat was on it when it was caught or is that just skill by you I'm looking at? The only reason I say that is I caught mine under the ice and it was a fat beaver and thought maybe that made a difference. Thanks again for the input.

First, yes you can do it while it is on the board. It isn't too dry by the looks of it. Second, I'll call it practice but yes mine are down to the skin. I personally find fatter beaver easier to flesh (I used to be in MI). Those pictured were very stringy and difficult to flesh. Hard to describe. Most importantly there should be no fat left. If you have membrane down the back without fat under it then it will dry right out and not affect the tanning at all.

Welcome edbentle!!!
For your first go at beavers it looks pretty good to me. I'd post a pix of my first skin and flesh attempt but don't need the laughter from the forum peeps!! LOL!
It took me 3 beavers to get the hang of things as this was the first year I ever trapped any. They are a different critter.
Looking forward to your posts!!

Like said above more could come off head shoulder area. When boarding fit it for a size and follow that line. It looks like on the tail portion you started boarding on the largest line and on the head your 3 lines in. If you keep on the same line it'll help keep the nice oval shape. Nails should be closer together also. If it's hard to pull the hide to the line in some spots you can use pliers for better grip. If you have to use pliers on most of it you should downsize to next line.
Good job on your first one

Sorry to have to say this But.


If all that red membrane Is still on that hide then I'd say It's not fleshed well at all.
And I'm betting the tail section has most of the gristle still In place.

I generally agree with the "Beav" re the tail area needing more fleshing. Plus you should stick to one (smaller) line for boarding to obtain the proper shape for marketing

Try to make them look like this.

Not fair! I want to send you all my stringy southern beaver Boco. I miss northern beaver...want to trade?

If it mattered any at all I would space my nails like pictured above. It doesn't matter with the product I have. Apparently neither does removing the ears, closing leg holes, bites, scars, etc. as I have been told. All that matters is either folded flat and frozen, or fleshed properly and completely dry. Being sold by the pound here. Also, the extreme blotchy look on the large one I posted above is related to an abundance of scars combined with partial dryness (FWIW). If I were selling to the market where northern beaver are going, and the hides are individually graded then I would have at least twice the nails as I used above.

Another example with better nail spacing

All mine look like that... NOT!!

Mine neither. LOl

In my opinion way over kill on the nails. 2" apart Is just fine.

Just the way I learned when I was a kid,cant change now.The nails are an inch apart.

Well, I use wire hoops... So take that!!! LOL!!

One inch is what I was taught too. Does make for a nicer looking finish and when each skin is graded individually that might just be enough to land one or two in a better lot. For the current market, it might only matter that it is dry...or frozen flat. Especially down here. I'm putting mine up because I sold my extra freezers when I moved.

The grader Is looking for defects In the leather and the fur. Nail spacing Isn't a grade. LOL

Scallops on the side will drop you a size with nails 2 inches apart.

Can I get some of that stuff your smoking.

Boco, Beav is never wrong. Give up.