Since i enjoyed the Trapping Art or Science thread I started I figured why not try another.

So fur handling is it an art or a science?

This one is easier in my opinion. Its science to know how to skin an animal in certain way, after that its all art and nuance. Each pelt even if handled by expert handler will look slightly different. I know the fur I put up looks just like the fur my Dad and Pop put up (Tom Zander told me this one year when my Partner Arnold Favinger and I were selling fur to him).

In my opinion fur handling is a learned skill just like efficient trapping is a learned skill.

If we look at it stictly from an art aspect, it's like any art form. There are good artists and there are bad artist. From what I'm seeing from the pics you posted, someone is a very good artist.

Learned skill

Hard work if you do enough of it.

Science in the knives and art for using them. Takes a while before you get the feels needed for skinning and fleshing.

EXACTLY!!!! I feel the same way. Lots of time and effort to learn how to get it right EVERY time

When I teach someone new to handle fur I stress you must learn your knife/knifes and your beam When I teach someone how to shoot I do the same I stress you have to learn and build muscle memory
I would say it is a skill that requires both practice and muscle memory were the practice is built in to your head and your hands and arms.

Muscle memory and pure happiness. I love putting up all fur

If you go to a fur auction pick up site and look at a lot of pelts yes you will come to believe that fur handling is an art but mostly "modern" art!

Bryce

Fur buyers, and auction houses, would prefer you didn't treat fur handling as an art form. It's a learned skill where conformity to a set of standards is the goal.

I honestly don't see how skinning, fleshing boarding and cleaning fur is a form of art. Some of my coyote pelts looked like I was trying to make snow flakes with them when I was learning but I'm getting better

Its more in how its done, not so much the look of the end product. Do think some guys get a bit too artsy with their put ups though.

Art and science but mostly fun.
And a well honed skill

You can't turn a summer coyote into a top lot pelt. My word would be skill . Its pretty easy to turn a 1000 dollar western cat into junk.

The preservation of the hide and fur is science, but the presentation or visual appearance is art. If appearance did not matter, why do some fur in and others fur out or cased or open for that matter. Why have standards for how to stretch if visual appearance did not matter. The preservation can be achieved in lots of different shapes.

It would be artistic and enhance the visual appearance to turn raccoon hides fur side out, but we don't.

Fur handling is a mixture of both. Each person makes a conscience decision as to the degree they want to complete it.

Being I'm a retired military person. I would have to say it is a discipline. Every step is the same every time on every piece of fur start to finish. Some folks I try to help/advise don't like my style and complain when they don't receive the amount of money as someone that put forth a little more effort.