90% of all our coyotes tails are pretty ragged so It's pretty hard to make them look good no matter what you do.

That might so in your area but not in mine. Here's a typical example:

WE don't have anything like that here In WI.

Only coyote here are a few around the towns.

Just about every coyote around her has a tail full of burs or stick tites. And are just about wore out. You can only do so much with that mess.

You ever get any with a tail like a whip from lice?Get the odd wolf like that with otherwise good fur.

No I never have, but get lots with burrs in them.

One more question- Im sure the answer is no, but, would you pleat the tails like you do on coon and mink?

Your correct, no pleating of canine tails.

Mine look just like that. If you don't pin them, all that hair will keep air from getting to the skin. All that hair tends to roll the skin. IMO.

I pin all tails on all species, if a coyotes to long for the board I insert a mink board to pin out the tail, I even flesh tails to get the excess fat and membrane off so they dry quicker. Nice yotes bctomcat.

In my opinion - pleating tails should not be done on any species. Might be ok on ranch mink but just not right on wild fur.

even otter?

Especially otter. A properly pleated otter tail is much more likely to slip in the dressing process than a normally put up otter tail and there is enough useable fur on an otter tail to make that slippage significant.

A number of years back, pleating tails, inc,using otter, was in fashion. That is no longer the case..

thanx Nancy