Saw Norwestalta thread about skinning Otter. Oh boy, I found Otter to be a different animal in the fur shed!
Friend caught Otter and ask me to put it up.

My first Otter put up. Small female.
How did I do? Give it to me straight

I am far from an expert, only 10 otter under my belt.

That said, it looks pretty good to me. Looks well fleshed.
Mine are used for craft work by me, so I pin the feet on the hind feet on the other side of the board.
Abd the tail would maybe be a little wider and shorter, with twice the number of pins.

Again, that is just me, putting them up the way I want them for my work.

Right on Hern, maybe a little more by that one ear, that neck doesn’t have to be super clean, if there’s small pieces they will melt. We usually pin one eye hole open for tag.

Did you put In any belly wedges ? I don't see any. If not you should put one In from the mouth end and one In from the tail end. The one In the mouth area Is very important.
The other thing Is I would have pulled those legs around to the belly side of the pelt.
But over all It's a great put up.

And you have more then enough push pins. I use screen or cardboard on the tail and maybe 4 push pins to keep In place.
Lets see the belly side.

Looks good,I keep the skirting strait across from the tail and put the legs on the belly side.You will still have a good inspection window with the legs on the belly side.

Thanks everyone for the comments & advise.


Its been drying for a few days-


Took pelt off board, then slipped it back on board for pic. Reboarded after pic was taken.

Good luck getting it off the board with no key in the belly.

I reboarded with 2 belly boards, as Beav suggested.
Had fun putting 1st one up. Thanks folks. Now I know.
Wish I had a few more to do so I can get the hang of it.
*(only allowed 1 Otter. 5 trap limit. 1 week season here in Pennsylvania)

Boco, wonderful job on Otter. I like the look, how you close front legs.

Prime fatty otter are fairly easy to flesh on a beam and nice to put up.

Looks like a fine job Hern. I haven't got mine boarded yet but I'll be more then happy if it comes out looking like yours.

Agree Boco, I had no problem fleshing. Now I learned how to board thru this thread.
Norwestalta, thank you. Boco pictures don't need words.

Hern once in a while on a nice one,or for competition, I will close the legholes with a glover needle and thread drawstring.
Normally I would just pin them closed.

Looks great. My son picked one up off the side of the road. It will be our first time skinning an otter. And we have never finished anything