Skinning out the feet

d2admin

Administrator
Does anyone have a sure fire technique for skinning out the feet with the claws on? I saw it done real slick once by Vern Howey, using vise grips, but that was a couple years ago and I can't really remember the important details. I did the feet on a badger this year, just went slow and worried them out as best I could. Took FOREVER. Like I say, can't remember exactly how Vern did it with the pliers, but it only took him about two minutes per foot on a coyote and they came out cleaner than my badger claws did.

Thanks in advance for any tips!

- DAA
 
I don't know what Vern's got up his sleeve, DAA..but this is how I do it.

I peel the hide down as far as I can, getting as close as possible to the paw. Once I'm there I clamp onto the bone as close as I can near the paw. I'll hang the vise grips with the limb clamped in, by the adjustable thumb screw in an S hook from my gambrel.
From there the skin can be pulled down to at least the first knuckle. Cut the hide away from the paw pad as you get to it and continue to pull the hide down to the LAST knuckle. Don't go past the last knuckle or you risk losing claws. Cut the bone free from the hide, leaving just the last knuckle intact with the hide.


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~River Runner~

Champion Tannery
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www.predatormasters.com
 
Good point Loco. I didn't mention anything about a knife, but I can't imagin trying to do it with one.
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I have four different surgical scalpels, different blade in each one, works real slick.

Those razor knifes your talking about....they have a nice point on em.

------------------
~River Runner~

Champion Tannery
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www.predatormasters.com
 
Thanks guys.

I just used my KoA Cub Bear on that badger. It's a small blade, what they call a caping knife, but I can see where a regular scalpel or even an exacto would maybe be easier.

I'll do a few coyotes with the feet on next year just for practice I think. So the next time I get a badger or cat nice enough for a rug mount I'll have more confidence doing the feet.

- DAA
 
My way takes about 1-2 mins a paw. It helps to have 3 hands, but you can do it with 2.

First thing I do is cut off the main paid. Lay the knife parallel to the leg and slice the entire thing off. Then stick the tip of the knife in the hole and cut towards the elbow, I go all the way to the first joint, the wrist, which is about 4 inches in front and 6 in back, on a yote.
The next step is hard to explain. take your thumb, the thumb print part, and cover the toes of the dog. it'll cover about all 4 since they're close together, put your ingers behind them and bend them way back so the toes spread a little. With you other hand use wire cutter (I keep an old pair in my ammo-bag) and cut as far up the toe bone as you can. Do this to all the toes, and the dew-claws. This keeps the claw knuckle, and about 1/4-1/3" of the next bone, wich when you release the strain on the toes you're pulling back, will retract up into the toe pads. Don't cut off the toe pads, just the main *palm* pad. Then when you tub skin the dog like usualy, it will just peel off, the cut up the inside of the wrist makes it easier to pull the bony paw through the small wrist hole. I did this sunday night to a yote we ran over (oops
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) and the paws only took about 2 mins....the entire coyote took quite a bit longer though because he'd been riding in the back of a truck 5 hours and was frozen solid
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We kept it because it had minimal damage and was VERY prime and light, and pretty good size...I took some pics, and he's at the taxidermists now. Since I don't get enough dogs to bother with selling I skin all mine paws-on and hang them on the wall.

I drew a picture to go with this post but it looked like a gobbler swimming it packaging peanuts...so I decided to not confuse you more
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haha, the pic wasn't saved on account I had decided not to use it. If I knew what a fetish for frolicking postal gobblers we had on this board I'd have saved it
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Anybody have a really good easy image linking sight? My last three have dis-allowed remote linking
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