My boys had a nice boar coon in a duke1.5 on a dry land set on a hill where 2 small game trails cross. .22 cal pcp air gun has been working well the last two years. After 3 years i think we have managed to reduce tje population on the farm. First year 14 coons, 2nd year 8, this year only 2 so far of our farm. Well and 3 opossums and one mink.

Depending on when the boys get home today we may put out a few k 9 sets. I saw we have some peat and polly fill in the shead and i picked up some lure made by a semi local guy so we should be set.

This half of the farm smells like bbq coon. I toss the remains into the outdoor burner vs the farm dead pit. I figure it may help from spreading worms and such just a little vs tossing them in the pit to be drug out?

Now off to see if i can run this coon fleshing it out. Im just learning and its only my 2nd of the year. I wonder if im doing a good job or not. Coon are the only thing I have an idea how its to be done. If i get a photo hosting sight soon i will post a few pictures to see what you think.

How hard is it to tan coon and get good soft results? If i can learn that next step sewing. And learning how to get other critters put up.

Tanning any pelt and getting soft results takes practice. I would start with something that has thinner skin than a raccoon, maybe a mink or a muskrat. Work your way up to raccoon. Don’t expect to figure out tanning over night.

Good Luck!

I have had really good luck tanning pelts with egg yolks. The pelts also get smoked, and most always turn out soft. But wissmiss is right it takes practice. I started tanning rabbits and squirrels and then worked my way up. So far I have tanned 3 coyote, 2 fox, 2 coon, 6 rats, and 1 small yealring deer hide. Thicker skins need more coats of tanning solution and need worked/broken until soft, then I smoke it. There are alot of videos on youtube about egg tanning along with other methods. Good Luck!

Coon are easier than beaver,but not as easy as fox or mink(like wissmiss said thinner skinned is easier to get better results) when starting out and learning all the necessary steps)
Coon has thick leather in the neck,and thinner leather in the body.Thinning down the leather in the neck and shoulder area before and during the process will lead to more useable fur.for sewing.
As you do more and more skins you should be able to get better results each time.Keep fairly detailed notes as you go then when something turns out nice you can replicate the steps.

Well the rest of this coon is heading to the boiler. I rubed it to hard trying to get the heck and head cleaned up and fur started falling out. Looks like i will not wast any more time skinning then and just toss then in the ditch. At least untill i can find someone to baby sit me while im fleshing or at worstt pay to put them up.


Not being able to do anything with the hides and having freezers full of skins reall makes it tough to want to bother trapping any more. Now its just reducing #s on my farm.


Edit: sorry just getting discuraged.

Don't get discouraged - you will figure it out!
If you have no one to show you, there are fur handling videos out there. Not as good as hands on teaching, but they can shorten your learning curve.

The worst part is i thought it needed more off. Yet i runed it. I cant stand wasting it or runing it. O well i have other hobbies im good at. May just need to let this one go.

On the flip side I did not burn that one yet so it will be a great one to try tanning. No loss if it does not turn out and it most likely wont my first try. I guess i will brush it off( it ended up under a load of fire wood) and put it on a board in the morning. Time to look up taning with egg yokes. I have more than we can eat now. Wife has been cooking them for the cats to use them up.

Lost power for 4 hours a couple weeks ago. A coon shorted out a power transformer, flash fried.