It is funny what crosses your mind when in the process of skinning critters. I been skinning beavers my whole life and have pretty much done it one way repeatedly. The initial cut up the belly is done from the vent to the jaw.l aim my knife blade at the space between the lower incisors making a shallow cut all the way up. I know it makes no difference whether you cut up or down but just curious what other trappers do. Like I said, my mind tends to wander sometimes . lol So,is it up or down on the cut for you?8

Vent to jaw not sure my knife will go jaw to vent.

I’m a jaw to vent guy.

Carpet blade/ hooked blade from chin to vent, takes a few seconds.

Me too.

Me too.
Just skinned 3 today. Just seems easier to go from jaw to vent then you cut around the base of the tail. But if it works for you It's all that counts.

Both
Skun two today, fillet knife, vent to chin.

Probably do that more cuz as long as I have the knife in hand I start to open and remove castors first thing. Then I change to beaver knife and skin to head where i switch again to head knife. Lol

arse to teakettle.

TLFM

From "Tongue to Bung" for walleyed !!!

Or more precisely:

From "Gullet to Groin" !!!

w

Top to bottom

vent up

Up until this year I used a long blade knife butt to teeth, now I use a carpet/hooked blade teeth to butt. It has less chance of cutting into gut, for me anyway.

Jaw to jewels with a hook blade. Jewels to Jaw if using a knife. Rarely do I use a knife for the opening cut. As a matter of fact, I can’t remember the last time I did that.

Bottom to top

Teeth to tail with hook blade for me.

Tooth to tail split the bottom teeth then follow a line I make in the fur with my finger down the middle of the belly to the tail. Single edge razor blade for the cut.

Yup...go with the grain.

Looking for a symmetrical pelt for the willow hoop it's vent to chin here. I tend to stray east/west the other way.

vent to jaw