Beaver Trough?

[T-Bar]

Hey guys my favorite time of year is almost here....Spring Beaver Baby!!!

Anyway I am planning on making one of those beaver skinning troughs this year to make it simpler to do my skinning...and save my back from having to lean over onto my truck bed all the time.

So can you guys give me some pictures and dimensions of them so I can make one next weekend?

Do you use treated wood or is that not a big deal?

Thanks guys!

[thebeav2]

Hey TBar It looks like no one uses a trough.
I think there a waste of time and tend to slow you down.
I like a table that's built so I'm comfortable standing In front of It and I don't have to bend at the waist when working.
In the front edge of that table I have 2x4 nailed flat. The beaver lies behind that 2x4 and the skin hangs over the edge of the table as you skin. You can rotate the beaver up on It's side skinning as you go. When you reach the half way point reverse the beaver and start the other edge.

[marbleyez2001]

Ive never used a trough. Never felt the need to. Just get a table (or fur freezer) that sits at the right level and skin away!

The biggest advantage ive seen to one, is if your setting up a fur shed somewhere else. Nice to have something that is portable to take with you and puts the beaver at the right level.

[John56]

I made this one out of scrap iron I had laying around. Don't plan on having to make another one.

[T-Bar]

Thats just it guys.

I live in an apartment over here and I'm sure my landlord (or girlfriend for that matter) wouldn't appreciate me skinning beaver on my kitchen counter.

I guess what I need is something portable...just had seen those troughs before and I thought they were the cats meow but I must be wrong. Maybe I'll just make myself a little portable skinning table with removable legs or something. I'll be doing the majority of my skinning outdoors somewhere.

So Beav whats the point of the 2x4? I'm thinking you pull the fur up over that and it helps keep the beaver on the table as you pull on the fur?

[marbleyez2001]

T Bar, just make a elevated platform you can use on your tailgate.
You could make a tough to use instead, might be a little easier to work around that the tailgate.

Ive skun more than a few beaver on the tailgate, after about #5 you start to feel it. Or your just sick of skinning beaver. Not 100% sure on which one it really is.

[robertw]

I have never used a trough. That doesn't mean they are not ok though, I just never used one.

For me it is all about having a table (or deep freezer) the right high-th, it goes faster and easier if you are comfortable.

[billmeyerhoff]

I have limited space 8X8, so I made a small trough. Takes up less room than a table. Miss being able to spin them as you skin though. Beavs 2x4 sounds like it'd work good.

[ColdSteel]

I see I am not the only one that skins off a deep freezer.It is the perfect height for me.I really think th trough would slow me down

[Bob Jameson]

Simple but effective. This one is made to work on a 5 gallon bucket as a seat. It is relatively light in weight and easy to store and transport.This one is probably 20 plus years old and still in decent shape. If you make them from treated wood they will most likely last forever. This one is adjustable with a simple chain adjustment to make the trough wider or narrower depending on the beaver sizes.This saw a lot of use over the years when I use to trap beaver hard. It doesnt see much use now.

[17HMR]

I use one also and think it helps and its the same hight as my freezer

[Stef]

I live in an apartment over here and I'm sure my landlord (or girlfriend for that matter) wouldn't appreciate me skinning beaver on my kitchen counter.

Time to educated them buddy
When we are sleeping in a cabin and its cold.... We skin right on the kitchen table or counter.

just don't nailed a 2x4 on the table... Wives don't like that..LoL

Stef

[trappnman]

forget the trough- hang those beaver to skin.....

[thebeav2]

The 2x4 does the same thing as the trough It just keeps the beaver from sliding around.
Sitting down might be a whole lot more comfortable but It would probably add another ten minutes to my skinning time. But It wouldn't hurt to give It a try.

[thebeav2]

I tried that once. It might be OK for the guy who catches a few beaver each year but It's the slowest method I have ever tried . I don't want to spend my whole life in the fur shed.LOL
But If your limited as to space you could do It that way.
What procedure do you use Steve? Do you open on a table and remove the legs before you hang?

[trappnman]

I find it not only lots faster, but BY FAR, less blood. And yes, I let my beaver sit a day and many times 2 before skinning.

I open them up like normal on the table- then swing a gambril over to the table, slip it around the tail, and then hang.

MUCH faster- and any time "lost" in hanging is more tan made up in te ksinning.

This tip was given to me by a full time beaver trapper, who skins out 100s a year during season.

Didn't believe how fast it was until I tried it- and once tried, I'd never go back to the old way.

[Zagman]

Buddy of mine has a slick system with just a flat table and a HUGE industrial strength aligator clip.....Once the belly and sides are done, he flips the beaver over, and hooks the tail into the clip.

The table is short enough that the loose hide is hanging down over the beaver's head and its sheer weight allows him to simply knife the hide off, the weight of the hide does all the pulling.

Zagman

[thebeav2]

No way
I would have the hide on the floor before you even got It hung LOl well maybe just after you got It hung. LOL
I'm about 5min tops from the time I put the beaver on the table till it's hide hits the floor. And If you can top that your hired.
Theres lots of guys I know that skin a lot of beaver but that doesn't mean their fast at It. LOL

[17HMR]

I have 3 laying on the floor now and will try hanging, at least the first one, I am, more than likely, the slowest beaver skinner in north america, they say the first 100 is the hardest, so i guess ill be a little quicker after the next 50, LOL

[robertw]

I have a friend that skins with me from time to time. He hangs his beaver to skin them exactly as mentioned above.

It isn't fair comparing the two of us in our skinning times but....I think hanging the beaver is very time consuming. This time that could be used removing the pelt at the same speed.

My opinion is only worth what you paid for it! If hanging them works for you then keep doing it!