A friend asked me to skin three beaver for him split up the back. The point being to keep all the belly fur in one piece. I found it to be a little more difficult than normal but maybe because I am not used to it. I found it impossible to pull the tail down to get it round. They will not stretch as large as traditionally done but they are not being sold anyway.
Here's what they turned out looking like.

Looks good a little different but well done.

What was the reason he wanted the Bellies intact?

Had a customer send me a tanned pelt put up like that several years ago. The belly fur was shaved and he had painted with acrylics cave art. I hooped it up and shipped it back. Should have taken a picture. Looked very cool.

I always like the belly fur, there’s some good stuff a furrier can do with it. I even wish I could keep my summer ADC beaver as that belly fur can be utilized.
Sure looks weird on the board though. I should sell one to Dave at GFW like that, probably have a good chuckle……lol

Skinned a number of beaver that way the last time I caught some. We used them all for garments and like the way the belly fur looks better, so left it intact.

Actually, at one time groney was wanting them skinned that way.

Belly fur generally is softer as the guard hairs arent as long there. Gives a lot longer section of softer fur for making stuff like pillows or some furriers liked to make cut the section up into strips.

Also a side benefit is that dorsal skinning shifts all the bite marks to the outer edges of the pelt since the bite marks tend to be on the back side of the beaver.

Yes I cant remember why tho Was it when the hatter market started

Belly fur on beaver is the densest, but making that cut up the back might bring a tear to my eyes.

Off the topic.

A question for you Bruce: When was the last year you trapped in Oregon? I'm thinking to go hit that river you trapped back then. I haven't trapped it since you did.

He started this experiment i think the year before the Spencer Iowa NTA. He had a buyer or two that wanted them that way to see what the results would be. I think hew was only looking for a thousand or so skins done that way at the time

Yep, that's how I remember It. And he wasn't paying any more for the dorsal cut hide. I tried a few and It wasn't worth the effort.

I seem to recall that as well. Anytime we're called on to do something like that you would think there would be more money in it for the hassle.

Beaver belly fur trimmed hat.

cool , when they shave a beaver, is it like the belly everywhere, ??