Let's get the shed in order before the season and do some projects before the season.
...here's some things that may help you with fur put up...

I made a 'third hand' board holder.
Two pieces of wood, screwed to front of flesh'n table to forum a slot or ledge for board to sit in. Nose of board is against wall.
This enables me to pull and pin skirt & tail in place, while working with both hands.


I learn this on T-man, from Boco...
I now use Quilting pins or T-pins (Walmart sewing section) to open tails for drying.
Red Fox


Grey Fox







Can you add a tip or two?

Use poultry shears for fleshing feet and heads for taxi species.

Use a bone otter clean skinner to open up the chest\upper leg area on difficult taxi species like wolf before skinning

.

Use beaver hooks to help skin toes.

Use a hand magnet for handling nails and pins.(and picking up spilled ones from the floor)

Use two keys in the back as well as one in the belly after turning fur out,on large animals to allow easy pelt removal and provide an air space between the board and pelt for proper drying.

Use a shop vac to blow dust out of your pelts before shipping.

Use a one handed flesher and a small beam to flesh mink marten etc.

I use wire nails for in place of push pins and also on my coyote and otter and coon and mink and what ever else.I use the ones that is over 2" long.easy to handle.If this might help someone.

Great stuff. Thx for sharing

What kind of nails are those Boco? They look very thin and sharp.By the way I have said it before and I will say it again-your put up on beavers is amazing! Man they look fantastic!

Thanks MB.Those are pinning nails.I bought a couple boxes years ago off a trapper that was selling them at a council meeting.

I converted an old dryer into a fur tumbler. Fist thing I did was open the back of the dryer and cut all the wires except the ones that turn the drum. Those two wires I attached to the end of an old drop cord so it will run off 110V. instead of 220V. I then duct taped the holes on inside of the drum closed. It's then ready to tumble furs...



I toss in some corncob horse bedding like this... http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/best-cob-premium-horse-bedding

2-4 cups is what I use and add more as it needs it....



Here is a coon that was wet and muddy when I skinned it. I then hung it to dry overnight...



Up close...



Same coon after tumbling for about 8-10 min (you can put 5-6 coons in there at a time) ...



Closer up...



I know guys complain the dryers don't do as a good of a job as the big drums, and that you need expensive media in it, but this works good enough for me.

~ADC~

Ceiling fan(s) instead of light fixtures. More light with a fan option.

This is not for inexperienced fur handlers. Years ago when trapping grey fox in Southwest deserts where pelts dry fast I would sometimes put the skin flesh side out turned 90 degrees from normal on the stretcher so animal back would be on one edge of stretcher and belly on other edge. When pelt was turned fur side out and put on stretcher normally there would be no ridges on sides to interfere with getting it on straight.

An inexpensive kiddie wading pool under the fleshing beam catches almost all of the fat and scraps, and saves floor cleaning later.

A big piece of cardboard under your skinning rig sure keeps a lot of mess off the floor. And when it gets nasty, replace it with a new sheet of cardboard. This can also work well under your fleshing beam.

And your local auto body shop is a good source for cardboard. They get lots of big parts like hoods, fenders and bumpers in fairly heavy duty boxes that you can breakdown and use. Sure makes clean up easier IMO.

Keep a little moveable table or stand nearby the overhead skinning gambrel. Helps me to have nice place to put knives, tail pullers, zippers, and other stuff handy and within just one arms reach when working hides off the carcass. I have an old steel knife sharpening rod there too. Not for sharpening knives, but I can shove that into gap under a coyote or coon front leg and use it as leverage to pull the hide down over rest of the front leg. Push it through the armpit area, grab each side of the tool, and pull down. I suppose a wooden dowel would work too, but I've used this old sharpening steel rod for years and it works great for leg pulling.
Jim

my tool bench in the fur shed is a gutted and stabalized old console tv.heavy castors with a good sized top for all my tools and stuff with storage for extra's underneath.roll it wherever it's needed.

broken off tails-keep an old snare around to hook on the bone and pull like normal.

always,always,comb things good before fleshing.a burr has turned many a nice hide to a damage.

keep your mouth closed when you flesh as you never know when you are gonna hit a puss pocket or where it will go.

What ADC says...always. He has tons of good tips. Buy/build one of his skinning machines.
Use a hook blade to go toe to toe opening coons. The dryer conversion is slick and makes 'em look like they just got back from the beauty salon. Water trappers would love it with muddy coons.
Beav's got good stuff, too. Best advice I gleaned from his posts was to put the belly board in from the head, rather than the tail end. MUCH easier to get hide off as the head gets the tightest.
KISS method with Newt. Catch tons of coons with nothing but DP's (wonderful on public ground with virtually no worries) and Jack Mack for $1.38/can at Wally World. If it's going to freeze, ALWAYS keep wet/fish bait below the trigger. Or buy 20 lb sack of cat food in fish varieties, add liquid smoke, bacon grease and a little red fox urine/gland lure. It's killer.
Don't skin skunks or pull essence if your wife will be home soon. But do it because the pods and juice are the most valuable part of the critter.
Mostly, enjoy and read this site, archives and everything, as it shortens the learning curve tremendously. I appreciate everyone sharing.
Nice idea, Hern.

I do most of my skinning with a utility knife. Dont have to spend time sharpening,just flip the blade around. Keep things as clean as you can. Its a pain to have to pick up the stuff you left laying around before you start skinning. I like wearing an apron with pockets that keep the knives, tail strippers I use all the time handy.

Spray your long hair fur with water after turning to "train" the hair.
Makes the pelts look better than if they were drummed when the're dry and combed.

Removing Burdocks...
*Always remove burdocks before skun'n & flesh'n

I don't spray burdocks to soften.
I use a straight, tight tooth pet comb and work them out, one at a time. Don't try to pull all burdocks at once.

Darn burdocks...


One at a time...


That's better...


pcr- last picture, you can see part of my shop table on wheels. Stationed at my skun'n spot. I keep all skun'n knives, gloves, tail puller, tail splitter, rags, paper towels, combs and such within reach.

i have another i made into a fish cleaning table the same way.

i hate it but i've also had to start wearing reading glasses while working.

i got used to tumbled fur in course sawdust and will fill a feedsack with course sawdust and the hide turned fur in to help soak up fat and keep oil off the hide.

I have a cheap 3 lamp floor lamp Im going to use this year by my skinning hoist seems like I'm always standing in my light
I have a welding magnet on my hoist pole for my knife.
This doesn't apply to the shed but I mounted a plastic trash can to the receiver hitch of my 4 wheeler to haul critters.

Flip'n fur out - Turning fur

I use a bent nail (hook) attached to cord to turn fur out.
Hook in nostril then pulled thru while standing on cord.
This method is fast & smooth and takes less time for me to explain or post pictures.



Yikes! It's dry. I have to turn the pelt.


I stand on cord. But, used table clamp for this series of picture taking.

Drop cord thru pelt and hook thru nostril...



Get nose and ears started...


I usually start the flanks. This is where folks have trouble with tearing a pelt...


Work head thru pelt...




Clean off dried blood, comb, place back of board and comb fur upward...

The above pictures are from one of these Red Fox.

Here are Fox taken from the freezer and thawed.
Sure don't look like much at this point.


After flesh'n, drying, cleaning dried blood, combing and more combing...



Am showing these before & after pics from results of basic fur handling methods. Nothing fancy on these Fox.
Basic stuff- skun'n, flesh'n, board'n, flip'n.
I remove dried blood with borax by rubbing area. I do comb canines alot. Finish combing upward, so hair stands up during final drying.
Using correct board size gives a uniform appearance.

I'm loving this thread Hern, that's great information right there.

Hern I used your rope hook on some fox my friend gave me last year worked great

Go to the appliance store ( or carpet store) and line your floor with large/thick pieces of cardboard. Come spring just burn it. This also adds a little bounce and moisture wicking for the wet critters. A alittle old/used carpet adds more bounce and helps on the old back and hips.

Good tip Calvin.
...line your floor with large/thick pieces of cardboard...old/used carpet adds more bounce and helps on the old back and hips.
also cardboard and/or carpet on cement floor keeps feet warmer

illinideer, neat atv setup. Thanks.
I like the idea of magnet knife holder.
I use a magnetic tray to hold push pins.

I put a rubber bed liner under the skinning machine where the most blood is and cover it and a good portion of the rest of the floor with used carpet. The cardboard wouldn't last long enough to suit me and when it starts to tear up became a trip hazard, wet critters were especially tough on it. You can duct tape the edges of the cardboard or carpet down to concrete floors if they don't want to lay flat.

~ADC~

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Plastic-Panel-63003/202090190 I use two of these under skinning machine and fleshing beam. I lay it down in the garage prior to the season. Keeps the grease and blood from staining the concrete. It cleans up easy and I roll it up at the end of the season and store in shed. On my fourth season . Looks like it will last forever.

auxiliary work lights, similar to this one https://www.lowes.com/pd/All-Pro-LED-Stand-Work-Light/1000012482 are very handy!

I like to use floor dry around my skinning machine to absorb blood, works well, but is a little messy

sawdust here

hern,i built one of those board holders on the side of my beaver table,i don't know how I lived without it,great idea.

There is a bit of a learning curve with the cardboard for sure ADC. This is where the HD stuff you get appliances come in is the key It doesn't curl like the thin stuff....and I tape the edges with the clear packaging tape. About any appliance store will have enough for a few layers if you want (more is better of course).

I toss a lot of wet rats and even a few dumb coon and beaver on it and it dries from both sides this way. I've not had an issue with it coming apart, personally....but I keep fans on the wet stuff constantly so it doesn't go soggy.

I use and like the rubber mats as well if I'm standing in one place long (under my beams).

I use rubber stock trailer mats under my skinning machine. Cheap and readily available at farm auctions.

Ugly mold
A little Lysol and back in business

I got one of these last year for $1.00 at Lowes on closeout and drilled a hole in the center for my floor mount. It saved my floor big time and sprays off clean.

Good stuff guys!

I keep push pins in magnetic tray. Keeps them in place and easy to get at...



Place Borax in plastic containers. Large enough to reach in for a handful or a pinch...


Wipes come in handy...


I smoke cigars while in the shed. I don't reach in my pocket for a lighter with a Long nose lighter laying around...
(also great for burning fallen ticks)

I use a unistrut system for hanging up my fur and storing my boards, it has been working well.


Hanging in my fur handling area of my garage waiting to be filled. The vehicles still fit too...

Fur hanging in my basement


Beaver boards get place in my rack I made, may add some casters on it to move easily.

I also made a board holder that accommodates the unistrut system.





I use a scrap piece of rigid insulation to hold my tacks, I poke myself way to often to do it any other way...

Hern, I go through a lot of those disinfecting wipes.

my thumb usually looks like a pin cushion at the end of the season from pushpins.

Rendezvous, i also use the unistrut suystem and like it a lot. Why do you have different hardware and holes on some of the boards as opposed to the regular t shaped hardware at the base of the board?

It looks like threaded rod

great thread thanks for the tips.

It is threaded rod. I hang my Fox and Coyote heads up. I had to modified the regular t shaped hardware with the threaded rod, to make it possible.

I learned on here to use a ball peen hammer to get the hide loose from coyotes around the front legs and chest area. Thumbs are less sore now from skinning.

biggy and one i have a friend comin to help with new wiring is have PLENTY of lighting.

thanks ADC! that's the one. Really helps.

Good stuff there ADC, you sure cut them front legs off short. Thanks for taking the time to put that vid together.

ADC, Do you use mineral spirits with the media too?

Nope, never have.

I like this one.It make it easyer to do coyotes.I will have to make one up for this .Thank you for Posting this. As for beaver what i do to skin them is I do the normal cuts on them then I start to skin on the belly and then around the tail ,I hang them buy the tail and then sin them you do not have the body roll around the weight of the skin make it east to skin and also to skin out the head.Works for me.

No Front Legs? what the heck! how do you do that?

Cut canine front legs off in the elbow area...


When canines pelt dries 'fur out', tuck front legs inside pelt...
-don't forget to cut off bottom lip when boarding, creating a uniform appearance-
(l. to r.) Grey Fox, Red Fox, Coyote

This tool helps me adjust pan height/level pans.
I have one at the work bench and one in by setting bag (just in case).
From #0 Vic to #3 Bridger...






A skun'n base helps skun Coyote & Coon.
My 'Look-A-Like' ADC base has speeded skun'n and ease on the arthritis.
Skun'n Base...

Well, I feel enlightened and pretty ignorant all in one this morning. I've seen that pan adjustment tool in catalogs and never quite understood what it was for. Didn't jump out and bite me. I've been using channel-locks to accomplish the same thing. That tool looks to be a WHOLE lot easier and more accurate. Thanks for the pics! I'm one of the slow ones that can benefit from visual explanation.

Good stuff on this thread!

I too use cardboard on my floors, but I take things a step further. I lay down a cheap plastic painters drop cloth over my cardboard. Very easy to change out when needed and makes clean up at the end of the season very simple.

The key to be able to get a razor edge on a beaver knife for clean skinning is to thin the blade first on a wet wheel.
Then it is easy to hone a razor edge with a good stone,and after that a few swipes on the strop will keep the edge keen.

Some day I’m gonna sit down with someone and learn that clean skinned method Boco ! Looks like it’s got to be better than scraping one on a beam .

I like clean skinning better than doing them on a beam,but some prefer the beam.Clean skinning can be difficult if you cant keep your knife razor sharp.

An old butcher taught me that years ago ! One question though, on a round nosed beaver knife do you not sharpen all of the nose ?

Boco what knife is that? All I seem to find is the wooden handled Dexter knives and I like that handle much better.

Looks like this one... https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Skinni...torinox+skinner

I have one and I can easily shave hair with it with just a couple passes from this sharpener... https://www.amazon.com/AccuSharp-ACCU-00...knife+sharpener

Try is and see, you're out less than $8 if I'm wrong, but I'm not wrong.

Thank you ADC I will give them a try. Looking at your posts and all the good info you share you might be right. 😁

*

5inch Victorinox skinner like ADC's link.

I like the look of the knife James but not the sharpener. Yes it will sharpen a knife but they consume metal at a rate I’m not comfortable with.

Years ago I was at a NTA get together and NAFA had a guy from Canada there name Phil and I sat down and watch him flesh a beaver skin like Boco look like done and how fast he done it.I just did not sit done to really do it but did not forget how he did it and also have got one of the knife he use that he was selling and some other tools.that I use.I know I will have to do the knife way.For how it is for me to get.

A

I keep trying but I can not skin a beaver that clean.

saw dust makes blood and grease a easy clean up also helps prevent slipping on a bloody floor! I prefer planner chipping most a coffee can worth under my skinning rig will last a season.

One of the handiest items in the fur shed is a piece of burlap. Great for keeping the fleshing beam clean.

Me too. I save saw dust from wood projects, and use it liberally at my skinning/fleshing area.

Yes, great tied around waist when fleshing to keep hide from slipping on beam and getting a good grip when pulling/skinning. Sawdust great for fleshing greasy coons.

Oh and I keep a five gallon bucket lined with a small garbage bag right by the scraping station. I can toss globs of fat into it easily right from where I stand at the beam. Then afterward just close the bag and toss it in garbage place a new bag in the bucket and ready for next round.
Jim

One of the handiest items in the fur shed is a piece of burlap. Great for keeping the fleshing beam clean.
Burlap keeps hide in place when fleshing...
When fleshing, place a piece of burlap between your apron (your stomach) & point of beam.
Burlap placed in this manner, keeps hide from slipping down beam with pressure from you stomach (& piece of burlap) against beam.

If you're saving skunk essence, use a plastic/unbreakable jar and don't put it up high where it can fall and break on the floor. Don't ask how I know.

Amen brother, preach on!

When I freeze pelts to be fleshed and stretched later, I roll them up tail first...nose last. When I thaw them out, I hang them up hanging by the eye hole...and they unroll by themselves as they thaw.

I like magnets! I have a magnetic strip by the bench to hang knives, steels,and other useful tools when done using them. I also have them on my skinning machine to hold knife when pulling legs out so it's not in my hand where it could be dangerous. You can make your own very easy, just use some construction adhesive(caulk) and glue them to a board, I like the magnets that are about 1×2×1/4' thick.

Good tip.

I glued a piece of carpet to my skinning apron .
I can lean harder on there tip of my beam and gives a better grip on the nose of the critter being worked on.

Probably goes without saying but,I sand down the edges on all my beaver boards,even before marking the size lines.It only takes a couple minutes,and will prevent some nasty slivers.

Any kids hair detangled spray helps on those really tough bur messes.

Ttt

This is archive worthy

If you turn your boards sideways you can get a bigger patterns on a smaller board

Note to self.... Try to remember all these ideas.

Thanks everyone!!

Brad

I always have a scale hanging in my fur shed. Seems a lot of us trappers are always guessing and curious at how much the critters weigh. Kind of fun to guess the weight of a coyote, bobcat, beaver, or whatever I've caught while out on the line and then see how close my guess is when I get back home.

I wish I would have known this, I just made 6 boards (3 double sided) last weekend!

I've learned a few things on this thread. Am always looking to save time. Thanks folks.

I mark the width of boards with permanent marker (both sides). This saves time when looking for the right size board or one gets mixed with another size.


I mark Coon boards for length of pelt. This gives me a gauge on size of Coon when boarding.



I mark my lure & bait caps with permanent marker. I use a simple code to what's in the bottle.
Trappers are always looking at the cap of a bottle or lid of a jar. This saves fumbling around, looking for lable at set or re-stocking at home.
Storing lure & bait in the fridge- Placing lure & bait bottles in cardboard boxes will keep the fur shed fridge a bit more organized and bottles easier to handle.

When your neoprene waders are ready to be tossed cut them off at the thighs and wear them when fleshing. It keeps the hide In place and will save your apron. And gives you a little padding against the beam end.

Man, I love this site! Really hope this goes in the archives! Lots of tricks and experience in this thread.

. I have an old pair of neoprene waders hanging at camp. Now I know what I’ve been saving them for.

Wear hand protection when skinning(surgical gloves, etc)

If your hands get dry and cracked, check a product called "blue goo"

I have tried several different gambrels. What I have found that works best for me is snare cable run through a fender washer. The loop holds itself open, stick a foot in the loop and a bit of downward pressure it will "slam" shut. Works great on the bigger dogs, no fumbling with choker chain trying to hold the loop open with one hand and the dog with the other. Also if it hasn't been mentioned before, tree lopping shears work great for foot removal, I just leave them hanging right above my head by the winch hand control.

EDIT: Not my ideas, just passing on what I have seen here and other places.

Nice set up petey.

Dd says- Really hope this goes in the archives! Lots of tricks and experience in this thread.

FHf says- This is archive worthy

I hope a moderator hears you guys. Good stuff above.
Now some joker will use this info in a trapping article or video...lol

Hern, my book is already at the publisher getting edited.

What I use when I scrape my skins on a beam.I use some old t shirts that is worn out and use that between my apron and the skin and also use it to wipe down the skin.It is some thing I am use to.Also use a fence stretcher for when I hang my animals to skin. I have a limited space to do it all and make it all work. Also use a dog choker to hold the hind feet of the animals and the tail of a beaver after I get it skin around the tail, the skin with its weight help to skin it easy also and when you do the head too.

I make Rags for the trapping season out of my old work shirts my wife gives them the last wash and I take and I cut them up for usable rags I use this Fiskars round cutting wheel that is made for cutting cloth works like a dream and makes quick work out of shirts and I throw them in a bucket with a lid

I have several extra Mink drags I use for double hooks.
They come in handy from time to time...

TTT keep the tips coming.

dustytinner, I have always been rough on t-shirts and reuse them as rags... I'll have to try that Fiskars round cutting wheel, thanks for the tip!

rendezvous, I took dustytinner's advice when he posted. I bought Fiskars round cutter at Walmart's sewing section. It's the Cat's Meow.
It made short work of 6 old T-shirts. Better than scissors or knife for sure. Thanks for the tip Dusty.

I thought a wood racoon stretcher that you could mount or screw down like an ironing board would be great for putting the shirts on to cut them up. Please just be careful it wouldn't take much to lose a finger!

I use Johnson's paste wax made for use on wood floors and wood furniture on my stretcher boards and fleshing beam. Keeps blood and grease from soaking in the wood and pelts won't get stuck on the board even if you forget the wedge.

great idea!

when you store you're boards overhead,don't put a fox board on top of the coyote boards.it will slide down and hit you between the eyes.

I skin outside at camp and don't have a place to sit my knives and etc. I got a pair of microphone stands at an auction for a dollar and made this



Sorry, I can't get the pic to rotate. It is adjustable to about 3 feet.

On the side I inlay some magnets to hold knives if I want to free up table top