1st attempt...I don't know how you guys do many of these in a day! I'm good for just 1! Fleshing the tail was a real B! I couldn't figure out how to mount it on my beam so it would stay put!

Looks great! Yeah, those tails suck even after you do more then a couple

Great job!

Perfect.

Nice job John, make yourself a little block for the end of your beam and you can hold the hide anywhere you want.

Your otter looks great! That tail is super tough
Just did my first one. They are tough.

Excellent job. To facilitate ease in fleshing the tail, with a sharp knife or scapel slit and cross hatch the beads of fat being careful not to cut the leather.

Good job on fleshing and boarding.

I will definitely take that into account! I did another one today, it was much easier (as a whole), it had been in the freezer. As far as the tail went it was still a pain, but I clamped it on the beam made a pretty big difference. Thanks all!

Yeah I've seen those on here, I'm gonna make one.

Very nice job on the otter,good shape and nice and clean.

Thanks! I've since found out that I need to pull the back legs around to the back, and cut a shorter window. Guess I'll do that on my 3rd one, cuz I've done 2 this way.

Your Ok by leaving the legs on the belly side.

The way you have it is perfect,the legs are skirted properly,straight across from the base of the tail with no pleating.You could make the window a bit shorter and more rounded.
Pinning or sewing the front legholes is an option but fine the way you have them.

Looks good. You will get better with each one you do. I know I don't cuss near as much as I did with the 1st couple.

I actually tied the front legs and after 2 (I think) days cut them off, they're not closed, but have a very minimal hole. Thanks for the input, I couldn't do what I do without you guys!

Lol backroadsarcher, couldn't have said it better myself!

Dang it! I tried to bunch up the fur on the tail, and the honches and now the leather is wrinkled. My plan is to have it tanned, will this be an issue? Or, could it go ahead and shrink according to plan on its own?

That will not affect the pelt if it’s going to be tanned.

That's what I was hoping, thanks. Just trying some different things to get a better feel for this stuff.

We are skinning and putting up 50 or so otter tomorrow I'll try and get some pictures.

Wheres the pics?

Newfox1 could show a picture of the block or explain it. Thanks

Senior moment left the camera home. And my flip phone dosen't take decent pictures. We started around 9: 00 and I left around noon.
We did about 50 otter. When I left there were about 10 left to flesh and board. A few were so freezer burnt you couldn't skin them.

This is the one I made, works good but needs some tweaking. Should work like a compression fitting.

Vermontster, I’m in the house I’ll take a pic for you tomorrow.

Vermontster, my block is 6”x3”x1”1/4, I put the hide over the end of the beam then put the block over the hide and lean against it, it binds the hide and prevents it from moving, my beam point doesn’t stick past the end of the block when the hide is under it, someone on here showed this trick awhile ago.

#4 I'm getting better, and worse at the same time! Lol

I like yours a lot better! I worked mine over a little bit this evening. My new Lee Steinmeier knife has made the biggest difference though!

Your otter looks good John, if I don’t leave the feet on I rubber band the front legs and cut them off, never thought of a clothespin.

Just happened to think of it...we'll see.

No need to close up the front leg holes. When It gets tanned they will just open up to the way they were.

Good to know, thanks! Its more a presentation thing for me. And OCB! Lol

I understand what your doing.

Keep doing it that way...not pleased with the clothes pins.

1st put up of this season...shoulda knocked the rust off with something else, lol. Made a couple holes, but oh well.

Your getting better John.

Thank you for this, I have been struggling to keep my fur pulled tight which seems to be the trick with getting a good fleshing on it. I have a terrible setup right now, but this will help me out more than anything.

Not to hijack this thread but where do you measure to to determine the length of the otter? Base of tail?

YES, base of tail.

I put up a couple of otters. What makes the tail turn dark? Not fleshed good enough?

That's what I suspect...most of mine are that way. They're a real booger to get all of the grease off without cutting the tail to pieces. Btw hijack all you want!

Please explain how most of you flesh an otter tail. I don't have any problems fleshing an otter tail In fact I think It's pretty easy.
Coon tails also dry darker then the hide when flashed. But Its not something to worry about.

I split the two beads of fat that run down the tail lengthways so the tailskin lays flat before fleshing.
I like to frostscrape otter,and it only takes around 10 seconds to frost scrape the tail clean.

Jeez, and here all this time I haven't really even been fleshing the tails at all, just a quick pass or two with the fleshing knife....I didn't know you guys did it more in depth like that.

I use my fleshing knife and take off one edge at a time. With a good sharp knife It takes about 3 or 4 seconds to do the edges. Then It's right down the middle to finish. A little clean up and your good to go.

I don't reckon its HOW I do it...its the fact that I've only done 5 or 6 of them in my lifetime. Not all of us have been doing this since the dinosaurs roamed the earth, lol. The last one I did I forgot about scoring the fat, I need to try that next time.

You don't really have to score the tail area. But If that works for you go for It.

Just stay off the center of the tail til you take off the two edges. Once you get the hang of It It's pretty easy.
But then I put up fur for NAFA for about 10 years and to make any money you need to be fast.

I wouldnt be bragging about working for NAFA-they went belly up,lol.

Thanks for the advice.

It was a good deal while It lasted.

You can close legholes on otter like this.
if you have a good quality glovers needle it doesnt take any longer than pinning.




Proper skirting and window.

Very nice, I've been wanting to try sewing those legs, just haven't yet. Been sewing other things though with some limited success.

Excellent post re otter put up.