Looks like some gouges, Boco. Scars?

You left a lot of meat on that hide for sure.
A good sharp scraper would make short work of that just the same.
Keep at it if you have cold enough weather-there aint much of a learning curve to frostscraping once you figure out how to sharpen the scraper.

gotcha thanks Boco

I think those are wrinkles you're seeing in the skin before stretching posco.
There was a scar up by one cheek on that big bugger.

I thought that might be the case but wasn't sure. Thanks.

Do you have you any idea of the percentage of beaver hides you've fleshed that carried scars?

Now you are going to make old Boco think 🤔. It will be too hot to frost scrap tomorrow.

I'd say at least half of the biggest ones carry one or two good healed up scars,usually between the shoulder and neck.
I have caught a couple over the years with huge jagged scars that have healed up.These are no doubt the results of escaping a wolf or bear attack.
The biggest pelts dont often grade the best.
I find the best quality beaver fur and leather are the LG and XL beavers.
MED and LM have a nice fine coat in late fall/early winter.These are good sizes for the home tanner to tackle.

Wow these scraped beaver look amazing.

You bet BOCO ..Thought it would be easier to scrape without the leg holes

Glad you posted Boco's tanning link HT. Have a beaver drying now and I think I'll try to tan it.

A buddy of mine in Ontario uses ice auger blades for frost scraping. He has a jig welded to the end of a scraper handle that he could screw different blades to. Has a coffee can of used auger blades he swaps out and sharpen etc.

Here's my first try at frost scraping a smallish beaver. Tried an old sharpened paint scraper and was not having much luck. Switched to an ulu that I had messed up and scrapped years ago and it went well. Held it up by the handle and kept it at about 90 degrees to the hide. Given the shape of the ulu I did not have a very wide scraping surface. Had a couple of thick chunks of meat and fat on there but it was easy to skive them off with the ulu Got a little tough around the head but tomorrow I will try to clean it up a little more.

It was about -8 when I started and by the time it hit 0 the fat was starting to smear and roll instead of coming off easy. I did manage to put a cut into it when I pulled over an area that was not real tight but for a first time I think it went pretty well.

I am going to make up a scraper that will be easier to use. Have not made ulu for quite a while because my right wrist is messed up but I already have some blades cut that I can modify.

Moosetrot

Looks great,Moosetrot.
An Ulu with a hole drilled in the center for a handle would work well.

I use antique handsaw blades for the ulu blades. Some of the best high carbon ever made. They take and hold an edge like nothing else. I am going to make one with a wider scraping edge and one with a smaller one for around the nails and other tight spots.

Thanks for all the help, Boco!

Moosetrot

You're welcome moosetrot.

Beautiful morning this morning for frost scraping.
Minus 36c,did two large grisselback fall beaver in about 5 minutes.
I should have put out several more but am running out of drying space in the cold room.