Title says it all, just trying to improve my bobcat putup.

Looks good, maybe just clean off the blood.

Get some oxi clean and remove that blood.

The pelt is shifted, looking at the dark stripe down the back, to the right on the board. That would mean the belly is shifted as well. need to keep that stripe straight, you did, and centered, you didn't. Again, looking at the back, about where the legs attach on the left side of the board you can see brown fur on the very edge, that you don't see on the opposite side. Again, it's not fully centered on the board.

A good dry bath in borax should take care of the blood and make the overall appearance improve.

And Mac has a point about centering on the board. You can see it is off center by lookin at either side.

I noticed that the next day, when I looked at the pic. Too late now, but thanks. I only put up a couple a year, so any and all advice is welcomed. I also didn't pin the back legs well enough and got a little searation in the crotch area. As far as the blood, it will get a good borax rubbing and a blow job when I take it off the board. Thanks again, all!

I leave the bottom lip on, just pin it up to dry. I think it looks better and if getting tanned both lips make the mouth look better too, imo.
Center it up and get the blood off.
We wash our bobcat hides before boarding, adds a drying time but looks really nice and fluffs the hair.
Dry it with the head down, bet you know that though.

This is after a borax rubbing, and a blow job. I know there are things I could have done better, but I think he turned out ok.

Looks nice.
Ask the buyer what he thinks and take his advice. I always ask them about our put up when we sell.
Try to maximize the size of the white belly and hang it upside down, head down to help fluff the fur. Hang them head down while on the board drying.

Unless the fur buyer is coming directly to your house to buy the cat upside down, do you really think hanging upside makes any difference? You take it off the stretcher to take to the local buyer, or take to a state auction, or take to an agent so they can shove it in a bag and send to the FHA. It'll get drummed at the FHA, and after it takes a ride to the local buyer or state auction, hanging upside down is irrelevant. I'm asking this question with the utmost respect.

Yes hanging up side down helps the fur stand up better, makes it look like more fur so yea it is worth it and doesn't take up anymore time than hanging by the head. The hairs dry standing up, the hide it set that way.
Our trapping mentor taught us that ah he knew what he was doing, $1200 bobcats to prove it.

I ask every buyer or the shipper about our put up every time we sell or ship, they all say the same thing, my put up is great and the hides look nice.
Not changing now with that kind of feedback from buyers.

How many of you cat trappers hang them upside down for drying?

No problem with your question kinley31.

No one is going to take better care of our fur than us, but once it's handed off, it will never look that good again. Yes, the hairs may dry standing up, but they're not going to stay that way permanently. Your right wytex, it doesn't take anymore effort to hang upside down. I just think trappers sometimes put extra effort into trying to polish something that doesn't need it. I've asked several fur buyers about coon on wood vs. wire. I'll be the first to admit, they look better on wood, but the fur buyers I've asked said it absolutely makes no difference. Not trying to offend anyone, I think it's a good conversation to bounce around.

It's like putting in the effort to wash coyotes. If you think washing an Iowa coyote is going to add an extra $20, you just wasted your time and your wife's detergent. You cant polish a turd.

kinley if we're selling to a buyer then what the hides looks like to him or her is what matters. After they buy it we have no control on how it is handled. But if the put up brings extra money from the buyer it is absolutely worth it to us.
As far as hanging them upside down to dry, I wonder how many cat trappers don't do that?
I think it is pretty well known and widely practiced, could well be wrong though.
Seems to be the way it is on bobcats and trying to help the guy with his put up. It sure doesn't hurt and actually helps with appearance.

Comparing bobcats to coon, apples to oranges, but I get the point you are making on coon.
Our bobcats are worth the extra effort to put them up nicely, when dealing with hides worth hundreds of dollars I'm not skimping on put up.

Have had buyers comments on dirty coyotes too, they don't like them around here anyway. But that was when coyotes brought some decent money.

I like to hang mine nose down. Mine get a Borax rub down, brushed and fluffed. To me it adds to the overall appearance.

They look great!

I appreciate it.

Well done

Thanks Hern

Nice cats and put up !

Got our bobcat boarded this weekend.

Appreciate it wytex.

Bobcat is ready for the buyer.

Cat looks really good. Nice put up.

Wytex, that looks beautiful. Put up looks great and fur is super clean and fluffed. I don't catch cats here. Wish I did.
Is it common to leave the bottom lip on?

Thank you.
I leave the bottom lip on just incase we decide not to sell it, I think they look better tanned with them on.
Haven't had anyone tell us to cut it off so on it stays. Not any more work.
Not sure what she'll bring, 38" is all I could stretch her but she's decently spotted.

How do ya'll keep the fur from bunching up in the crotch area on the board?

Pin it down.

Okay. Thanks. I've been a little concerned about it drying properly in our climate. There always seems to be a lot of extra in that area.

We are a dry climate and I still use a small fan blowing on the hide on the board, dries faster.
Use those pjns and make it look good, it will dry that way.
It may have some pleats but they will still dry.
Have a fan blow up the hide from the floor maybe.

A trick our trapping mentor taught us, I use a thin sprinkle of baby power, talc, all over the leather side before turning. Lightly rub it in the areas that may take longer to dry; armpits, face, ears and around the rear. Smells good and helps with the drying without using borax. Helps hide not stick to the board also.

Wytex,
I dry my cats head up, but I know it is common practice to dry them head down. I clean and fluff mine with alcohol and cornmeal after they are taken off the board though. Sometimes use a little borax, but I prefer the alcohol and cornmeal. I've washed them with different soaps over the years, from Dawn dish soap to Mane and Tail, to even human shampoo and conditioner, but the last few years I have been just rinsing all the blood and mud/dirt out with water, no soap. Many of the buyers say not to wash them, that the soap takes the natural oils out of the hair. I figured it was hype, and that the tanning process would remove anything that the soap would. And the cleaning I do on the hides afterwards to remove any grease would also (and unwashed hides always have more to remove, so more cleaning). But I had about forty cats flopped on the table and a buyer picked out the one cat I hadn't washed and said, "that one hasn't been washed, that's the way I like them." So since then I haven't been using soap on them. I had several top lot cats at NAFA over the years though, all washed with soap, so I'm still not convinced that it is detrimental. I take them off the board before cleaning the fur all up, and break the neck down, bending it back and forth and even running it over a rounded table edge if it is particularly stiff. The more limber the neck is the more the fur stands up on it and looks fuller.

Nice looking put up, and nice cat.

Forgot to say, I also leave the bottom lip/jaw on. In my opinion, it looks better and never had any complaints about it, been told it wasn't necessary before, but for the extra twenty seconds it takes to skin it out and pin it up on the board, I'll leave it on. I'll occasionally do some for the craft or taxidermy market with feet on and lips split also, obviously for that you want that bottom lip.

You could have probably got an extra inch with a pointed nose instead of that squared off nose, but 38" is comfortably into that extra large size anyways, so that little bit of extra length isn't a big deal.

I made a Bobcat Ruler (after watching this video)-