ADC, Hern, and others who know their way around the fur shed...I hate to hijack this thread but I'm looking for input on fleshing fatty critters, particularly coons and bears. I just put up 6 large boar coons this week and fleshed and salted two bears for friends and my right elbow is killing me from the heavy pushing motion with the fleshing knife...It seems like on fatty critters that I am relying on the battering ram approach to push off all of the excess fat. Scraping the last 1/4 inch of fat down to the leather is no problem, but in areas with heavy fat (1/2 inch) or some flesh I just have to hammer that top layer off with the dull side to try and get it to move. I've tried using the sharp side to cut a little of the excess and being careful but I've put a hole or two in the pelt that way. I have been doing my bears the same way as a coon, starting below the ears and going down the back first then moving on to the sides. I don't have much control over skinning the bears (friends bears), but I'm thinking I can do better at leaving fat on the carcass with coons. Seeing ADC's video above is what prompted me to write this post, even the belly fat seems to be sticking on the carcass of his coons in the video. Anyways, it's my favorite time of year to be in the fur shed and I'm taking a few days off to think about it. I'm guessing I just need to get better at skinning, but I'd welcome any thoughts.