Skining coyotes

I'd like to learn the proper way to skin out a coyote and all the steps it takes to get it ready for the market. It sounds mostly easy, except for the ears and paws. Can anyone shed some light on this. I'd like to try it with someone that knows what they're doing and is willing to share their skills.

For market, you don't need to take out the ear cartilage and the legs are cut off at the knees. They want the bottom jaw (skin) cut off too, so it doesn't snag others in the tumbler. Fleshing is likely the hardest and most important part of the process. The best way is to get a proper fleshing beam and a proper fleshing knife.

Hey sschiffner,

Bushmaster is correct in what he says. I like to take the ear cartilage out however. Sometimes it can start to stink if it doesn't dry properly. I remove the cartilage and then spend 10 minutes with the wife's blowdryer on the ears. It hardens them up real nice within a day or so.

A good book that will give you a better idea as to the whole process can be purchased through the Alberta Trappers Association. The book also shows you how to skin and prepare the pelts of all the furbearers.

The book is the Alberta Trapper Training Manual and can be purchased at the ATA store in Westlock. They will mail as well. Give them a call at 780-349-6626.

Here is a photo of a couple of my yotes.



Hope this helps,
Rob

Rob, those are big dogs !! Lookin' good !

Nuthin to it after the first hundred or so,,,,,,Zepf:hat

Here are some informative sites which should help answer your questions.
www.coyotecanada.ca/
www.coyotegods.com
:eek

Nice yote pics Rob, But you guys have to remember that Rob is only 4 foot, 10. Ha ha.

GPo

Thats one big old feller on your right. Did he have any teeth left? LOL

You guys think that coyote is big.
Check out this beaver that damn near took my leg off.



Rob

thanks for all the info, it will come in handy and Rob nice pic's! did you sell that large coyote? just wondering how much a fur like that would bring in. If it was mine I would be temped to keep it- very nice!!. you must have found that beaver in the Swan Hills area its a monster.

That site "coyotecanada.ca" is a good site. The one area I was interested in is the prep section. No info yet. I guess the site is still under construction.
I have done many deer and elk mounts, but I have never skinned a yote, I think they show the hide appears comes off tubular ? Is this correct ? As far as prep, do we salt and / or pickle & tan the hide like big game capes. I do have a 45 gal baffled drum / reduction gear motor as my tumbler.
Any info on the prep would be appreciated.

Thanks
GPo

Gpo, I assume you are talking about skinning for taxidermy purposes ?? For full body mount i would make a dorsal cut, from top of the tail all the way up the back to almost between the ears. You will also need to open the legs from the knee to the foot. Then the hide needs to be fleshed well, then salt/pickle like a cape.
For fur market purpose the hide is case skinned, fleshed, boarded skin out till it is just about dry, then boarded fur out until completely dry.

Actually BM, I was wanting to prep them to sell. Just wondering if I had to salt and tan them too. What is meant by "surviving the tumble" ? I assume it is tumbling them soft ?

GPo

GPo!
If you want to sell the hides you need to skin them and dry them. Remember to skin them out like a tube, properly flesh them, dry them skin out(not too long), and then dry them fur out. You'll need a coyote forming board(stretcher) for this. It's also a good idea to wash your coyotes too, after they're skinned, this helps to present a much better final product.
Good luck to you! A great book that might be of assistance to you would be "Hunting for Hide and Profit" by Wilf E.Pyle. You can obtain this book from an online company such as Amazon.

Thanks for the info guys.

Have a happy holidays too guys.

GPo

GPo, then all you have to do is case skin them, flesh/stretch them. Washing is optional but is agood idea if you're selling to a buyer, as opposed to fur auction. The auction guys (NAFA) will tumble your hides first and this is a way to clean them Cut bottom jaw off you coyote skin, while it's still fresh and this will keep it from tearing other hides during tumbling. I'll check to see if I have a pic for you.