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Post by trappnman on Feb 10, 2012 12:50:55 GMT -6
Was watching O'Gs skinning video this morning, and was surprized to see his opening cut.
I've never seen a coyote skun (except that texas tape of the 2 minute coyote) and I always thought, unlike coon and mink, that on canines, you made the first cuts on the legs along the color line rather that across the crotch. So I've been doing that way from the get go
talking to someone out west this morning, I found out that is how they do it there-
and I can see one major advantage to do it such, and that is that you change the dynamics of where you are pulling the fur
So I'm going ot try it that way.
My question is- how do the rest of you do your opening cuts- across the inner crotch, or along the back of the leg, more or less on the color line
and whats your reasoning for either way?
also, I think a saw to cut front legs is much easier overall, and quicker, than using a loppers like I do now.
pretty impressive watching him skin coyote after coyote (cold) in under 3 minutes.
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Post by foxman on Feb 10, 2012 19:06:12 GMT -6
care to explain more what u mean by cutting across the crotch?  ? i dont know how else to skin a critter, inside of the legs, on fox..coyote and now the whopping 3 cats i have skinned this year i always go along the color line. |
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Post by seldom on Feb 10, 2012 19:26:04 GMT -6
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Post by bfflobo on Feb 10, 2012 20:36:23 GMT -6
color lines
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Post by trappnman on Feb 11, 2012 7:43:27 GMT -6
pretty much exactly like you would on a mink
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Post by thebeav2 on Feb 11, 2012 8:22:32 GMT -6
Lopp off three legs before hanging. Front legs up close and one hind leg at the ankle. I hang by one leg, much easier to make your cut. Cut from ankles to the bung. then make one cut from the base of the tail through the bung to intersect with your main cut. Then the work starts.
Following the color line on coyotes or fox not sure If It matters much to the buyer. Now on cats that's a different matter.
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Post by trappnman on Feb 11, 2012 9:21:23 GMT -6
cutting from the ankles to the bum, is basically following the color line. thats what I do, but it then puts the cut across the leg- too which I never gave much thought about.
The only reason I do it on the color line, or from ankle to bung rather than like on mink, coon, skunk etc is simply because I thought I was supposed to. Now, where I got that idea I'm not sure, from some old article in FFG I'm sure. And I guess I just thoguht- "that was the right way to do it"
now- I don't think it really matters an iota in selling fur either way. I just did it that way.
but when I saw the cut O'G made, as seldom says more like a mink (or a coon), where you don't follow the legs, but cut across the crotch. like a mink, stand on 1 leg, pull the other tight, and cut across.
what changes, is that the cut fur is now across the lower belly, rather than across the back of the leg- and as I watched him pull it down over the haunches, I could see right away the difference that cut would make in ease and speed (these are all hand skun in under 3 minutes- COLD) because you are coming OVER the rear leg from the belly side.
I think doing the cut that way, would make pulling it over and down the haunches far easier than my "traditional" cut.
keep in mind now, I know it matters not in the value of the fur or any thing to do with put up (yo uwould get a slighhtly longer back, but again, insignificant overall) nor am saying one way is right and the other is wrong-
but am saying, that I can see a real advantage in skinning by making that cut.
Beav- I know plenty of guys that hang by one foot, but for me thats the most awkward way for me to skin a coyote- it hangs at an angle, and for me makes the skinning more time consuming rather than having it on a revolving gambril where I can pull and cut on straight angles. But its all in how you started skinning and what you are used to.
Do you hang coon by one leg as well?
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Post by seldom on Feb 11, 2012 9:55:45 GMT -6
what changes, is that the cut fur is now across the lower belly, rather than across the back of the leg- and as I watched him pull it down over the haunches, I could see right away the difference that cut would make in ease and speed (these are all hand skun in under 3 minutes- COLD) because you are coming OVER the rear leg from the belly side.
I think doing the cut that way, would make pulling it over and down the haunches far easier than my "traditional" cut.
keep in mind now, I know it matters not in the value of the fur or any thing to do with put up (yo uwould get a slighhtly longer back, but again, insignificant overall) nor am saying one way is right and the other is wrong-
but am saying, that I can see a real advantage in skinning by making that cut. Yes, that is what I was thinking from your description! Even watching the NAFA tape, Greg had to do as much knife work as me as he started to peel that tight/tough area immediately after making the color line cut. When skinning cold, that 6"-7" either side of the bunghole is the toughest of the entire animal for me and is the main reason I started skinning hot in the field! |
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Post by thebeav2 on Feb 11, 2012 14:27:34 GMT -6
I skin everything by hanging by one foot. It's so much easier to take my box cutter and start at one ankle and making one straight continuous cut to the other ankle.
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Post by longrangekilla on Feb 11, 2012 21:17:10 GMT -6
Gary-
I shot one tonight calling. I will leave it at your house on the way to wrestling tomorrow so you can practice.
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Post by thebeav2 on Feb 11, 2012 23:33:26 GMT -6
Read my LIPS
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Post by RdFx on Feb 12, 2012 10:41:49 GMT -6
Hmmmm, purdy lips der hey Beav? LOL |
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Post by redeagle on Feb 12, 2012 18:38:15 GMT -6
My fur buyer complained last year because I brought him a stack of coyotes that were cut across from heel to heel, instead of the traditional cut like you describe. He told me to do it the traditional way in the future so there's more belly fur. Guess it all depends on who you sell to and what they want.
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