? for cat men

[bobwendt]

I`m not totally satisfied with my front legs on my put up cats. could some of you detail your methods from dead cat to auction table, in detail, just how you dry ,stretch etc the front legs and tack etc. I mean detail, no parts assumed or left out. I`ve about 20 more to put up and experiment on with new methods.

[ohiyotee]

Well the first thing that i do is take the knife............ Oh wait a minute thats right i never caught one...........greg

[lynxcat]

Bob... looks like you flaten and fold your front legs up the neck.. THAT is the way I've been told the buyers want em.... ALL the spots they can get and the illusion of a looooonger bellie as well... never done the leg THANG... but am planning on doing so next year.
Brent

[JWarren]

I topped NAFA a few years ago with the front legs left inside. Saw a post this year of a cat with the front legs left inside and the poster claimed he topped the auctionwith it. Based on that I would say leaving the legs inside will not hurt anything and probably is preferred. Its also easier than monkeying around. I doubt leg manipulation is going to make a buyer think the cat is better than it really is.

[bobwendt]

assuming the cat is that sale topper with the 6-8 inch wide belly, I doubt leaving legs in matters. and shipping I doubt it matters. but it`s like washing a car before selling, can`t hurt to tidy up the legs and let those inner whites show to best advantage, especially on us guys working with 2-4" c-d bellies and liner north central / western grades. give me some more input joel and some of you other cat-a-holics.

[lynxcat]

Have you EVER tried borax... ;D lol

[bill1306 (Phil)]

Bob, this is a picture some of the cats I have done. I use a large (like extra fat type) plastic close hanger and cut it in half. That gives me the two plastic stretchers for the front legs. I insert the open end into the legs from the ankle of the cat. Then I take a push pin and place it at the end of the fur and lay the leg out toward the jaws of the cat and pull it to the jaw and pin it, with the push pin. I think you will be able to see that in the pictures. The larger close hangers give more air space and the legs dry just as fast as the back of the neck. After a few days I remove the close hangers when you can't bend the leg back down the body. I tired #9 wire like Steve does, but the close hangers are just easier and give more air space. I hope this helps.

Phil

[bobwendt]

very similar to mine phil. worrying about rot on the thick back of neck and legs but no sign yet. I tug around each day. it`s harder to fur out here without fans and heat. pming you on the left cat with the cast bellie.

[bobwendt]

ps, I`m not pulling my legs up that far, you think it displays the belly better to put the crank on them?

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

Bob they use those front legs.

A trapper I know in the old days skinned them all out and made a bedspread.

I use the plastic coathangers as they are easy.

One of the best put up guys I know uses mink boards with tacks.

Joel

[bobwendt]

does he let them hang up or down while drying, tack solid straght up thru the process , so they stay up after off the boards?

[bill1306 (Phil)]

Cranking the legs down a little makes the belly look longer and shows off the marking on the legs more. It just spreads it out to show more white.......

[Stef]

I don't know nothing in Bobcat but our auction houses recommend to put the front legs INSIDE on all furbearers we put up fur out.

Drumming can damaged fur if front legs are left outside.
Think a guy need to think about that before shipping cats to auction... a nice cat SEL or *I can be a DGD after the drumming work.

Just my 2¢

[bill1306 (Phil)]

The cat legs are really stiff and stay next to the neck, which is also stiff as the legs, after they dry, I doubt if it is a problem when the drum the cats. I can really see that on fox and other animals.

[HappyPlumber]

I don't catch cats but this is just an idea that I use with frontlegs of a lot of furs I put up. I take a piece of newspaper and roll it as a tube and stick it inside the leg. This absorbs a lot of moisture and also helps to transfer moisture out as well. This works if legs are in or out. HP

[lynxcat]

After TRYING several leg up methods... I use the newspaper as well..rolled up and LONG enough to get ahold of...legs dry overnight on many..
lynx

[Muskratman1]

Instead of newspaper, I use toilet paper and paper towel rolls (The cardboard part). Same principal - nice and round when finished and easy to pull back through to put the legs inside. It also gives you some air flow through to the rest of the hide while drying.

MM1

[Steve Gappa]

muksratman- thats exactly what we do- a couple of months b/4 season, we start saving the empty rolls. You can cut 2-3 out of a paper towel roll also.

[lynxcat]

The only issue being with the cats you fold the legs UP hence the tight bend....for straight out legs the rolls would work fine...not so good on the tight folded legs tho...
lynx

[briankroberts]

Phil very nice put up on your cats, skunks look very nice also!!....B....