Who takes it out and who doesn't?

When I sold to private buyers and they knew my put-up id leave it in.

Now I mainly sell at auctions so I take it out.

I take it out of every fox and coyote. Doesn't take long at all and in my opinion offers a better looking finished product.

I take the cartilage out of all canines and my cats . When I put them on the board I pin the ears out on cardboard then when I flip them I pin them up flat towards the eye holes. I feel like it makes for a better, more neat presentation and I don’t have to worry about the potential for slippage. My fur buyer has always praised the effort and I want to make the best end product I can .

i know they recommend it at FHA

What is the easiest method of removing it?

I take it out when I'm skinning if I have time or at the put up.

I dont remove it just because it gives the ears a more rounded and better look imo, however easiest way I have found is a screw driver inserted between the cartridge and hide and slowlyyy pulling down to remove it. If you go to fast you will rip the ear in half.

I remove it on fox and coyotes, once you get the hang of it, it’s not that hard.

I use catfish skinners to get ahold of the cartilage once I've skinned a little around the base to get it started so it'll pull off right.

If you want to sell to the crafter or tanner markets, do not remove it! I sew part time and I would not buy anything with the ears cartilage removed.

I’ve tried removing the cartilage from coyote ears. About tore the ears off so I quit doing it. My buyer has never questioned the ear appearance on either species so I leave the cartilage in.

I've done with cartilage and without. Nowadays I normally remove about halfway up the ear and leave some cartilage in the tip.

I never messed with it. Rub a little borax on the ear butts before you turn it fur out and you should be good to go.

I know many would say I’m wrong in doing this. But I just cut the ears off. I sold all my coyotes that way at the North American fur harvest auction last June. I didn’t do too bad on them compared to all the other lots. Even too lotted on my skunk. So hopefully I’m doing it right.

I take it out. If it’s going well I even turn them. I’m used to skinning for taxidermy and the last couple coyotes I just put up, I realized I don’t know how to do it without turning the ears. Shouldn’t get docked for ears, but I have to look at my put up fur for a couple months and hate seeing ugly work. There’s some real stinky coyotes put up out there, and it isn’t because the hide wasn’t washed…..lol

I have done it both ways, but I can tell you from doing taxidermy professionally for 20 years unless the carcass was iffy to begin with there is zero reason to pull the cartilage out. Now a days I cut the ear buts off and if I have the time I will open the inner ear skin away from the cartilage and throw a little Borax in them. The amount of fur I have tanned and had tanned with intact ears and no slippage tells me I can spend my time on more important things.

The last few years of that coyote market I just cut the ears off completely.

One pin to close up the hole and good.

I don’t recommend this if you’re trying to sell for taxidermy, wall hangers, hat makers, etc.