Post by Lady Trapper on Jan 22, 2007 19:25:14 GMT -5
Coyotes sport beautiful coats that can be tanned and used as rugs, sewn into clothing (I’m still searching for the perfect pelt to make a mountain man hat), preserved as a taxidermy mount, or sold to a fur buyer. For a rug or mount, it’s best to take your coyote whole to the taxidermist. If you plan to sell your hide or make some kind of simple clothing from it, here’s how to skin the animal yourself:
Directions:
Get to the task as soon as possible. Don’t let the animal freeze, and bring it to a warm basement or shed to keep the hide flexible and supple.
Tie a section of rope around one of the coyote’s hind legs, just above the paw. Then tie the other end around a nail, peg, or beam on the ceiling so the animal is hanging upside down with the tail at about eye level.
With the belly of the coyote facing you, make a slit in the hide at the base of the tail and continue up the inside of the leg that’s tied, stopping at the rope. Cut the hide all the way around the leg at this point (it’s not important to leave the back feet attached if you’re going to sell the hide) and skin this hindquarter. Return to your original cut and repeat the procedure on the opposite leg.
Make a 3" to 4" cut through the hide on the underside of the tail (just above the anus) extending toward the tail's tip. Peel the skin back on each side of this cut until you can run a finger (under the skin) completely around the tailbone. Grab the base and with some steady pulling, you should be able to peel the tailbone away from the hide surrounding it.
Make a circular cut around the anus to free the hide where it attaches there. At this point, you’ve freed the hide from the hind legs and tail. Continue to pull the skin off the animal down to the shoulders, as if you were removing a shirt. When you reach the legs, peel the hide down until you reach the “ankle” joint just above the paw. Cut the legs off at this ankle joint, leaving the paws attached to the pelt.
Continue working the hide down over the animal’s body until you free it. You’ll need some extra patience around the ears, face, and mouth. Coyotes have thin skin and are very lean, which means careful skinning is required to avoid tearing the hide. The first dog you skin will seem tricky, but the process speeds up with practice!