Complete rookie in need of information

Just started trapping this year and want to get my furs to the point of being able to send them to a tannery. My target animal is coyote so surely will have the incidental coon, fox, cat. Any nice links advice tools and processes are greatly appreciated. Goal is to get set up with knives, boards etc. for next season. Thanks!

You should try and contact the PA trappers association. They should be able to set you up with some one from your area to give you some hands on help.
Or there may be some one on here from your area that can help.

Take a trapping course.It should cover not only trapping but fur handling among other things. If it is any good of a course you should get a decent trapping manual too..

I'm new to trapping and already signed up for my local PA district's trapping course. It's $25 for 2 days and from what I understand it's a VERY good course to take. Go to PA Trappers Association website and look it up.

If you are handy with wood you can save a bunch by making your own boards. I find jobsites that let me go through thier scrap. Union shops are great for getting the best free stuff. They would rather toss it then pull a few nails and reuse. Guess no one has a nail pulling card....

Thanks for the tips guys! Good info Big1

Take your time and go thru the archives. There is so much information there. It's basically the trappers bible

wstrnPAtrapper, I PM'd you.

Try searching for tutorials on youtube. That's helpful, and is what I did for skinning. Oh, and when you skin your first coyote, be careful about the tail. They come off really easily. When I did my first coyote, I was standing there in horror when I pulled the tail off since I was sure I'd ruined the pelt. I later learned the tail doesn't matter too much, but it still stinks when it gets pulled off. I'd suggest getting a tail stripper and zipper.

im a newbie trapper as well, ive started off building "stretcher"forming boards, p.v.c fleshing beam, started gathering knives,fleshing knives, and yes as mentioned before a tail zip defenetly nice,bought some traps, snares, power rams, and made boxes, its all great fun. The forming boards are easy to make just like every thing else it all takes time. Videos are sure nice they help a LOT. One in particular is coon creek outdoors, Really informative and he goes nice and slow. Figure out an area to flesh, skin and dry your furs having a freezer is nice as well , if you dont have the time to get to the furs for a little while you can at least have them in the freezer. Im sure theres a million other things.