Way to go know your hooked.


Get a regular old box cutter and buy those hooked carpet blades for It. You use that for opening the beaver and ringing the tail. If you have a limb lopper use that for taking off the legs. If not just saw them off or ring them and twist them off. But don't use your skinning knife for that purpose. Blade on bone will get that knife dull In a hurry.

Have you ever fleshed any other type animal? if so that's the route I would take. A first time attempt at clean skinning Is going to test you big time.

THIS!!!!

I wished I would have learned this sooner. It's a GREAT TIP. Thanks for mentioning this Beav.

Got the same one. Bought it about 35 years ago and wouldn't be without it. Worth every penny!

it was clear from the start the knives were lacking... i did use a boxcutter to open it up, ring the feet and tail. I used garden cutters to take the feet off.. and then the regular knife to skin. it came off, but it had way too much flesh on it... i got off what i could, and rolled and froze it.. I have another beaver yet to skin, so I'm gonna get better knives and go again.

In the mean time I've started checking out the other areas on the creek and have found 2 more lodges, both look active (new mud/sticks on the roofs).. so i have at least 2 more animals i can get. Ill get plenty of practice... :-)

Thanks everyone...

Chris

You will get faster it really won't get easier but they are easy to cacth.

You might want to fold those pelts before freezing, they'll thaw out quicker when taken out of the freezer.

good tip thanks...

Something like this, Chris. Ain't beaver trappin' fun! I love it.

that's exactly what i got...

Do you like it? I think these are based on the old I. Wilson knives that came over from England during the fur trade. If you want to get connected to our trapping past, go on eBay, snag one of those vintage knives and put it back to use.