Can someone please tell me the easiest way to skin a coon? And how should I store it to sell? Thanks.

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Cameron Armstrong-Hunt hard,Shut up and fish!!

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The best way I know is to use a skinning machine you can make one yourself if you wish

To build a simple one make a square out of 2 X 6 lumber about 18 inches on a side fasten it to a wall or build a self standing frame high enough so that a tub to catch the skined body when your done skinning mine is mounted on the wall of my fur shed then above it mount a pulley if you use a frame you will need a cross arm to hold it if you use a wall a rafter workes great

then through the pully run a line with a loop the other end is fastened to the puller of your choice a small winch from some place workes well I found one at northern hydrolics for a little under 60 dollars but a friend of mine used a comealong for power

now to use your skinner

first start skinning your coon the right way is to start at the top of the foot cut up to the knee along the front of the leg then across to the other side on a male coon the cut will cross between the penis and the anis then down the other side to the top of the other foot

now start peeling start at the knee and get the skin loose on both sides(at the knee and the back by the tail) then run a metal rod through from side to side then with the coon hanging from 1 foot pull down on the rod to the end of the foot and cut the skin free then do the other side do the tail next till the but end if skinned out now comes the easy part

now for the easy part loop your line around the body in front of the rear legs or you can use a skinning gamble hooked through the tendons of the legs lower the coon so that its hanging through your square and fasten the skin from the legs to opposet sides with a couple of vice grips

my winch has a foot peddle that lets me keep both hands free

apply power or start cranking

the coon should almost jump out of its skin till you reach the frount legs free them and apply more power till you reach the head apply power in little spurts cutting as needed till done

with a little practice you can skin a coon in about 5 min and makes doing 15 or 20 coons no real chore

if you have any questions pm me

I love ur Idea of skinning NIGHT LIFE I never thought of it that way before

Skin 'em in the woods right after you shoot 'em. I use a small choke chain hooked on to a leash. I tie the leash on a sturdy limb or smaller tree. I put one hind leg in the loop on the choke chain. I siart at the hind legs. I worh the skin down to the base of the tail. I usually split the tail about 1/3 of the way down it and strip it with a tail stripper. After that pull the skin down over thfront legs. Once the front legs are skinned i work it off the head. After you do it a few times it is easy to do. If you skin 'em in the woods while they are warm it is alot easier. You also don't have to pack out the whole carcus.

Dan

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hey nightlife i sure would like to see a pic of that set up you got there.

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http://www.myspace.com/banks741938

I will take some photos and post them when i get them developed

Skinning in the woods is ok but I do this for a winter job and any time spent skinning on the line cuts down on the number of traps that I can run with gas prices what they are I need all the time running as many traps as I can to make a living.

This is not my idea I got it from a professional fur dealer and they make this rig out of steel pipe and angle iron and sell it but my home made rig works just as good for me you can use it on fox and yote as well as other case skinned animals sure makes it easer to get the hide off those old dog yotes that hate to give up there hides

PS if you use it for fox you have to roll the leg hide a couple times or it will tear out at the vice grips

ya a guy I went with skins them right in the woods! he brings to peices of rope and ties the legs up and does what ever and what not!

When you're skinning the coon with the intent to sell, do buyers generally want the feet left on?

I don't think so, i know on coyotes ya do but not coons.

I've never skined anything in my life so was wondering if someone could give me step by step intructions to skin a coon. As of right now i don't shoot them because then the would go to waste.

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TJ

Curs Rule

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=33dv1i1&s=7

i start skinning a coon by hanging him up by the back feet ringing the back legs with a knife then cut 1 of the legs down to the gut area then go across the back of the stomach by the tail to the other leg go up the leg to the ringed area now i start pulling the skin back and sliding the knife through the connected fat once the back legs are skint i pull the bone out of the tail next thing i do is split the hide right up the middle to about the front legs the skin ort to peel right down to the front legs then you do the same thing you done to the back legs you ring them with a knife cut them to the split area in between the legs once you have cut out the legs you are ready to pull it down to the neck skin it down to the head let the hide hang down when you get to the head continue to slide the knife through the connected fat then when you get to the ears pull down on the hide and make quick slices so you dont cut giant ear holes do the same with the eyes when you get to the nose cut straight across behind it and you have a hide that skint all the way over the nose any further questions o that send me a message