Skinning rigs

Halbach

Halbach

New member
So I'm looking at building my own skinning rig for my truck, the kind that slips into the hitch, but I'm seeing some online for under $200. Are the pre-made ones any good or should I design my own? And if I do my own does anyone have there's hooked to a winch so it can pull the hide for you? Any thoughts on how that would work?
 
Sounds like too much gear to haul around. A dog choke chain and/or a length of rope and a tree/tall bush work just fine, I was surprised how strong a Joshua tree is when I skinned one out near Vegas. Out in the desert with no trees, road signs have a perforated post, I stick a screw driver through the post and tie my rope around the post, the screw drive keeps the rope from sliding down the post. I've used windmills, highline towers, ranch gaits and when I travel with a canoe on the roof the stern handle makes a great place to hang a coyote for skinning.
 
I built one like your describing. If you already have the steel laying around then all you will need is a cheap $15 boat winch. I made mine to disassemble into 3 pieces and it just stays in the bed of my truck full time. If you don’t have the steel and a welder then it can get expensive real quick. I found pictures of 50 different designs on the net and just picked the one I liked. I use mine for coyotes and hogs. If I wasn’t butchering hogs I would use a fence post and a piece of rope.
 
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I have a friend who makes them. And I bought one from him. He installed a small electric winch on it. I have really enjoyed this rig, makes skinning a piece of cake. Has two small arms down low by the receiver area and once you get the tail out and a little hide down you can wrap the hide on these two arms and go to town. Your coyote will peel like a banana up to the front arms and this is where the winch really comes in nice as you can put a nice tight pull on the front legs which makes it much easy'r to get your bar under the leg/shoulder area and then just tap the button until it pulls the hide down to where you want to cut it to separate it from the legs, then one touch on the button and out pop the front legs. It is also very nice when you get to the head area as you can keep that tension on the hide you need to get around the ears and eyes etc. I have a bar I hang the coyote on which has a swivel so I can spin the yote in any direction I may need. Starting this time of year I keep the pelts for sale so it saves me lots of time and hassles, besides my hands have arthritis now and I cant hardly skin a coyote by hand now. The rig comes all apart for traveling and I use my trailer hitch for power, works great.
 
I have one like that too and had some help with parts from a member here along with some local help.
It is difficult for me even on flat smooth concrete so it is very helpful.
 
Fastfossil that's the kind of rig I'm considering. Pulling all those skins by hand seems like welding up a rig would pay for itself. But how do the hooks work to hold the skin while stripping it up? Only part I'm confused on and all the videos don't show it!
 
On one of the ones I made, to hold the fur, I used flat bill vice grips. Welded offset stubs of 1/4" round on the jaws to grab. And a short length of chain on back. Chain hooks to bottom of pole/rig. Jaws clamp fur.

Used Harbor Freight cheapies, $6 I think.

- DAA
 
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I skin em where they fall.
I keep a 18" or so long rope with loops in each end, cinch one around each leg, hang it on a fence post, sign, branch or whatever. But, most often i skin them flat on the ground as there is nothing around but sage.
 
Another option is to put a rock in the pelt once it's started and wrap a rope around at the base, half hitch and pull away.

I find grips tend to stretch/stress the leather more and leave marks, especially of they slip a bit

Originally Posted By: HalbachFastfossil that's the kind of rig I'm considering. Pulling all those skins by hand seems like welding up a rig would pay for itself. But how do the hooks work to hold the skin while stripping it up? Only part I'm confused on and all the videos don't show it!
 
HALBCH. Sorry for so long getting back here. Mine has a U shaped piece of 2" flat steel, shaped to fit the riser that comes up out of the receiver hitch. He shaped it to fit the 2" square steel he made the riser out of then angled it out some and then both arms come out straight forward. (wish I new how to send Pic's) The arms are only about 7" apart, then you just wrap the hide on the about one or two wraps and clamp with those wide nose vise grips, works great and I have never had one slip out yet or tear the hide. He mounted it to the riser with just one bolt that does not go thru the riser only pinch's tight on it so you can move it up or down or remove it very easy. It looks pretty much like Lazerus's but no piece coming down from the bottom, (nothing below the hitch). The riser is 2X2 light square tubing and is in two parts for easy assy. and take down. Maybe I'd better learn how to send pictures. Ha! Good luck.
 
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