I posted on another thread. And had a lot of requests to explain how I get my coyotes to look that way. So figured its easier to make a thread than to respond each individually. Let me put my disclaimer in now. This is the way I do it, not trying to change the way anyone else does. Don't wanna hear the argument of "that's not how my cousins,sisters,wifes brother does it". Nor do I want to hear that's not condusive to production fur handling. So here is my stab at it.



So to get this result, here is how I begin.

Every coyote gets the same exact treatment in my shop. After skinning here is the process. I start by washing, I have a old maytag wringer/washer I have had for years. Toss in 2 or 3 coyotes and add my water. I use Mane and Tail shampoo for horses and livestock. I just squirt over the top of the fur, depending on my mood, 2 glugs, sometimes 3 or 4 glugs if I think they are super bloody. Turn it on and let them wash. I don't use Dawn dishsoap at all. It is such a good cleaner and degreaser you can honestly wash the shine out of a coyote with it. I wash for 5 or so minutes and then drain the basin. Add some more water, and dab some Cabbola horse conditioner in it and turn it on. Then drain and refill and rinse.

I wring the water out of each pelt, either by hand or the wringer and flip over the fence and let drip dry overnight, or if cold hang in shop and do the same. Following morning will take them and add about 15 gallons of clean basswood planer shavings to my fur drum.(Im a stretcher maker, so always a lot on hand). And then add about 2 cups of borax and throw a couple of coyotes in hair out and turn it on for 15 or so minutes. It dries them out and makes them fluffy again.

I then put them on the beam and scrape. Some sawdust will get in on the leather, but you will scrape it off during fleshing. Plus it helps your knife grip a little better during the process. After scraping, I remove the ear cartlidge. Nothing I hate worse is the stinky ear smell. As one of the Consignment Agents for the Colorado Fur Auction, there is always a few that can stink up the place. It takes just a couple of minutes to skin them out, and your pelt will dry much faster, and easier to pin your ears forward.



Should look something like that.

I then board my coyote. Leather out. Sew any holes at this time, trim front legs. Pin the way I want it, and trim excess off hind legs so everything is equal and pleasing to the eye. When ready to flip I do the exact same thing, replace my pins, and pin my ears forward and pin the eyes open so I can get my hangers in them when they are dry. And then I back comb everything, get that hair to stand up. Remove any burrs that are left, and work up any matts. And then I dry my coyotes nose down, that will help set the hair lying backwards.

A little side note on stretchers. And not a selling point because I make boards. I had a "ah ha" moment about a year ago. I was making some bottlenose coyote boards for a member on here. He wanted a special design he had for years. So thank you Mike McMurray for asking for those. After shipping Mikes I got to thinking about the boards. I had always noticed on my Pacific style boards I had always made that I was pulling the necks out of them. By that I mean making them thinner in the necks. I could picture the bottlenose not allowing that to happen, so I retrofitted my whole shop with them for coyotes. As you can see in the pic, the necks on those coyotes are good and full. A key in this trim market we have. I haven't looked back since. Granted those coyotes are big heavy silky dogs, but I honestly believe I couldn't get that look with my old style boards.



So you have your coyotes boarded. I leave them on there til I need another board usually.Nothing fancy there, about like watching paint dry.



So nows its close to sale or auction time. I bring in a few hangers worth and start the combing and brushing process. I take my fine toothed comb and really get in there and separate those hairs. Checking again for matts and burrs or little tuffs of fur that are poking up from bites or whatever.



One by one I comb and brush them.

And the final , when all brushed to my liking and tails fluffed up I start the drumming process. I own a Monstertom drum, he makes the best drums I know of. I clean my drum out with my shop vac, get all the dirt and grime out. And replace with a 3 part planer shavings. Oak,basswood,maple. Each has a different diameter and each breaks down at a different rate. I put that into the drum, call it 15 gallons.I then add warm water to it, mixing it in the drum until I can form a sawdust ball in my hand that will break when you touch it. I then add maybe a cup maybe 2 cups of a good quality paint thinner. Mix in drum. This is kind of a trial and error process. To much your coyotes are to oily. Don't let that freak you out, just add more sawdust. Usually a cup is about perfect. Toss in a couple of coyotes and let her run. 10 minutes usually is good enough. That paint thinner will add make any oils that were washed out get put back. And will make those guard hairs stand up and look like the top photo.

I realize your not gonna make a crap coyote look that good. I also know you can make a diamond coyote look like crap. Have some pride in your fur handling skills. Its good for you, its good for the buyer, and its good for the industry. I see so much fur that shows up and Colorado every year that just makes you shake your head. And then guys wonder why they were so far below the average. Hope it helps you guys. If your interested in shipping fur to Colorado let me know. I would gladly help market your fur at one of the premier State auctions.

Nice job. Looks great. Do you have a pic of the bottle nose stretcher for those who don't know.

PM sent.

Nice job CC
I got CC cat stretchers they will make you money.

Great post! Thanks Good looking fur

When you hang to dry do you hang nose up or down?

Great info, thanks for sharing.

Nose down

Thanks for posting this!! Great information and beautiful furs!

Nice work nice results.

Thanks Colorado I send my coyotes down to you guys but I can’t get them to look that good I also like to take pride in my finished product

We will be calling you in a couple of weeks for sure!!!! Thanks for the support!!!!!

Excellent post..many coyote trapper could profit from this post..

Good post. I am sure it will be helpful to a lot of folks.
The best fur handling I have seen on coyotes was when I went to Zaggers Coyote U.
Thanks for sharing

Nice looking work and helpful tips.

Cat boards are hands down the best I have used.

Thanks Scott!!!!

Thank you for your time & sharing.

Archive material!

Thank you for the lesson.