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Post by trappnman on Sept 15, 2004 20:08:26 GMT -6
Aside from the legs sticking out and hitting yourself- what advantage is there to lopping them off? Time wise, skinning wise?
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Post by Edge on Sept 15, 2004 20:30:42 GMT -6
Probably nothing;just the way I was taught and *if*leg removal is done,the loppers are faster than a knife,and safer than a saw.
One thing about the way I skin,I do nothing diffrent or "out of order"ever,same old,same old.I hear a lot of people say sometimes I do this,sometimes that;for me its always the same,cut by cut.
Just like design/fab work whether wood or metal,start at step one and continue til its done.
Edge
PS There are a zillion faster skinners than me;I just do it when I want to or have to.
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Post by trappnman on Sept 15, 2004 20:47:49 GMT -6
I'm not a fast skinner-
but I am 2 things- careful and lazy....
I'm always looking for a way to minimize effort and mess
try that ringing/slitting. No blood from lopped of legs- and when you get to the front shoulder, the slit leg peels right off.
Actually- I probably ring the leg about an inch up from the elbow.
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Post by Sage Dog on Sept 15, 2004 21:01:02 GMT -6
"Actually- I probably ring the leg about an inch up from the elbow. "
Tman, is tha an inch toward the body or toward the paw?
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Post by trappnman on Sept 15, 2004 21:09:11 GMT -6
Towards the body.
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Post by RickMcC on Sept 15, 2004 21:34:36 GMT -6
The legs have no commercial value so I don't bother skinning them out. Once you have the hide pulled down to or past the front shoulders, poke a rod,bar, or your sharpening steel through the armpit and you should be able to jerk the hide down the front leg a few inches. You can stick your thumb through the hole in the armpit and steady it, grab the upper leg in your other hand and pull it out of the hide down to the "elbow". Cut the hide in a ring around the leg from the skin side and pull the leg out through the pelt. It takes alot longer to explain than to do it.
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Post by Zagman on Sept 15, 2004 23:11:18 GMT -6
......something I thought about on my third night in Vegas...margueritias tonight!
When I was in Montana last year trapping/snaring with my buddy and we were skinning on the line with a skinning rig hooked to the front bumper......
He noticed that everytime when I would set the knife down on the truck hood, it was a step that I did not have to do.....my buddy, when he needed to put the knife down would simply stick it in one of the exposed hams vs. putting it on the truck OR as I would do if in MY shed, on the skinning table........
A small thing, but once I started doing it, it made perfect sense........
Just dont stick it in so far that you hit the bone.....
To answer your question on the sawing of the front legs, what advantage is there in the opposite? The only advantage to doing the leg sawing is the reason mentioned earlier....get the legs out of the way, and when you pull it down past the legs, whether with a winch or by hand, the legs are done and just pop out....
MZ
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Post by jsevering on Sept 16, 2004 4:26:07 GMT -6
......something I thought about on my third night in Vegas...margueritias tonight!
your a different kinda critter zagger ;D......jim
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Post by Rob220swift on Sept 16, 2004 6:03:27 GMT -6
Steve: Please put this one in the Archives. Lots of usefull tips. Rob
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Post by jim on Sept 16, 2004 6:12:37 GMT -6
Steve I have been using the empty toliet paper rolls to keep the front legs sticking out away from the hide when drying (got to get air to all the hide) does slitting the legs hinder this process,not holding the rolls in place? Jim
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Post by trappnman on Sept 16, 2004 6:23:45 GMT -6
You can still do it if you want- but I found that with the larger leg hole- I no longer had to do it-
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Post by Ridgerunner on Sept 16, 2004 7:52:47 GMT -6
Thanks guys, I needed this! I am a front leg slitter also. Perhaps it is tradition, but I like the way it looks; and every now and then, I will get a good one tanned. Two tips that I have read here are things that I do, but merit repeating: Hang him so that you can adjust him higher as you work him down, and stick your knife where it is handy. (now guys, don't come back on me with that last suggestion ... ;D) Great thread Tman! Archive? "Ridge"
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